By far the best athlete I ever played with was Bo Blankenship. He was good at everything. We played wiffle ball and basketball everyday during the summer. Went to Brookside every friday night and played golf.
People in the know--- help us out
- Thread starter southbottomU
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Know Bo, plays a lot of golf now and runs his financial advisor business. Good qb.
Angelo works for the state and lives in Hampton. Tony works for Nabisco. Roger Ayers, Bo Blankenship and I were like the three stooges. Did everything together. Bo was a better receiver and safety. He was also one of the best rebounders I have ever seen. Had a head fake like Larry Bird. We used to go to the different parks and play the locals. We had names for them all. Wasena was the Garden, Fallon Park was the Pallestra and the park on Orange Avenue was called the Forum. Bob Harley traveled with us and kept us white boys safe lol. We won a ton with our picks and screens.
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Spent a lot of time drinking yellow birds at the Foxes Den, beers at the Top Rail, red eyes at Jonnies Tavern. Loved to hit the 2001 VIP club late at night. Texas Tavern? Now I want a cheesy western, a bowl with and a glass of milk. I am officially homesick. Thanks!
Southbottom, do you want to work together to do a positive preview for the Salem vs. Dinwiddie game. I love discussing the x and o's. I will cover the key points for Dinwiddie and you do Salem. I am fully aware of both teams strengths and weaknesses, so I think if we work together it will be a refreshing change.
Well, since we're all sharing.....
I worked with Chuck Kepley's older brother Drew. Good guy, with quite the sardonic wit; he's now a senior VP for an architecture firm in Roanoke. He was also a good bball player in his own right, and I played some pickup with him. I played softball against Woody Deans; super nice guy and a great coach. I too saw that '88 PH team play a few games, and I agree they are the best true public school team I've ever seen. Melvin Davis is the one starter people usually don't mention; he struck me as kind of a mean dude. Someone even Mourning wouldn't have messed with. IIRC Basham came off the bench for either Davis or Turner, as needed. I was there at the Civic Center when they played DeMatha. Unbelievable amount of talent on the floor that night. I don't think we'll ever see public school teams like that again.
My brother and I both played pickup ball with Richard Morgan; we practically watched him grow up. Still the best basketball player to come out of Salem High. An incredible athlete who could score from anywhere, and an underrated passer. A bit full of himself, but basically a good fellow. He was coaching at Bluefield, last I heard. My brother was really good friends with Richard's older brother Charlie, who starred at Andrew Lewis in the early seventies and coached Salem to two AA state titles in the nineties. Charlie's been head coach at Dobyns-Bennett in Tennessee since 2000. IMHO he was to Salem basketball what Coach White was to football, and one of the very best the Roanoke area has ever seen. I really hated to see him go.
My brother also was friends with Bo Blankenship, and played on a Salvation Army league bball team with him. I went to a few of their games. Bo is yet another great athlete who also, from my limited exposure to him, seems to be just a solid all-around guy.
I worked with Chuck Kepley's older brother Drew. Good guy, with quite the sardonic wit; he's now a senior VP for an architecture firm in Roanoke. He was also a good bball player in his own right, and I played some pickup with him. I played softball against Woody Deans; super nice guy and a great coach. I too saw that '88 PH team play a few games, and I agree they are the best true public school team I've ever seen. Melvin Davis is the one starter people usually don't mention; he struck me as kind of a mean dude. Someone even Mourning wouldn't have messed with. IIRC Basham came off the bench for either Davis or Turner, as needed. I was there at the Civic Center when they played DeMatha. Unbelievable amount of talent on the floor that night. I don't think we'll ever see public school teams like that again.
My brother and I both played pickup ball with Richard Morgan; we practically watched him grow up. Still the best basketball player to come out of Salem High. An incredible athlete who could score from anywhere, and an underrated passer. A bit full of himself, but basically a good fellow. He was coaching at Bluefield, last I heard. My brother was really good friends with Richard's older brother Charlie, who starred at Andrew Lewis in the early seventies and coached Salem to two AA state titles in the nineties. Charlie's been head coach at Dobyns-Bennett in Tennessee since 2000. IMHO he was to Salem basketball what Coach White was to football, and one of the very best the Roanoke area has ever seen. I really hated to see him go.
My brother also was friends with Bo Blankenship, and played on a Salvation Army league bball team with him. I went to a few of their games. Bo is yet another great athlete who also, from my limited exposure to him, seems to be just a solid all-around guy.
What weight class did you wrestle at PH. My older brother wrestled at Salem from 82-83.
Thanks. It was a tough tournament he had to wrestle some upperclassmen, tough being a freshman.
@Salemgal, you should be proud of your son. Wrestling is a great sport and it truly builds character. I always loved it, because it taught me to not make excuses as I could only blame myself for failure. It also allowed a little dude like me to have a bit of credibility as an athlete. lol.... Nothing like locking horns with someone your own size and walking off the mat feeling like you conquered the world. Can't say sports have not caused me some difficulties as I have grown older. My body is a wreck, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. My wife of 25 years still cannot understand the passion I have for sports, but I know how the mentors and lessons learned have helped me in my professional career. I guess that's why I try and give back to the Dinwiddie football team and support high school athletics. Its a molder of men and women.
BleedingNavy, I have been a "reader" not a poster for quite a while. But can't resist your walk down memory lane. I have a picture of you from 30 years ago that I shared with someone earlier. Will I recognize you Saturday? Have you changed that much?
Yes, I have. Old, bald and fat. I assume you are speaking of an old fastpitch softball picture taken at Oakeys Field in Salem. Second from the left on the bottom. I was a lean and mean 140 pounder then. My how things have changed. Great group of guys in that picture. One that I miss awfully bad. The Big Dawg will be watching. See you on Saturday. Hope a certain kicker doesnt beat us. So, proud of him.
That is the very picture! 1987 in fact. That picture was still on his desk til the day he passed away. A cherished group of friends. I would give anything for Bubba to be here to watch the light of his life. Thank you for all of your support. Means the world to that kicker.
I am staring at it now. Its on my wall in my office and has been for my 28 years of my professional life. Those guys helped me grow up. Heard a lot of lectures sitting up on the hill at Oakeys. You guys are always in my prayers. I cant lose this weekend.
