Hall of Fame every day, all day long, enjoy the journey

Hornet Hall of Fame - I was a guest at the Tim Bamforth table Sept. 9 at Dover Downs for the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet for Delaware State University. Tim was part of four consecutive MEAC cross country championship teams from 1984-87 under the direction of head coach Fred Sowerby. I was Tim’s track coach at Cape, where he was on three consecutive Henlopen Conference teams and two indoor state title teams and won individual indoor state titles in the mile and two mile. Tim was also head track coach at Cape, winning outdoor state titles in 1992 and 1993 and an indoor state title in 1993. Tim went to Delaware State on a minority scholarship supplemented by athletic monies. And then there’s the last 25 years as director of the Seashore Striders racing series and developmental program for youth. I’m reminded of the first time I met him when he transferred to Cape his sophomore year from Indiana. He was in my consumer economics class. He came up to my desk and said, “I ran a 4:35 mile in ninth grade.” I responded, “No, you didn’t. I hope I’m not spending the rest of this semester listening to your exaggerated claims of athletic prowess.” He responded, “What?” 

Emcee Willie Jeffries - Before the Hornets Hall of Fame banquet, I was loitering in the lobby of Dover Downs. Coach Bill Collick introduced me to the emcee of the event, Willie Jeffries, who is enshrined in seven athletic halls of fame. Willie was the first Afro-American coach in Division I football at Wichita State in 1979. He told me, “I’m the only head coach to go against Bear Bryant (Alabama) and Eddie Robinson (Grambling). Willie coached 29 years, 19 at South Carolina State with five-year stints at Wichita State and Howard. His career record is 179-132-6. Standing and absorbing coach Jeffries’ resume, I said to him, “well, besides all that, what did you ever do?” Bill pointed at me and laughed, but for a millisecond I think coach Willie was about to come loose on me, as they say on the third turn at the Monster Mile.

Henlopen Acres Track Club - Bill Meehan is the manager of the Henlopen Acres Beach Club in the summer. Bill also helps with race support at all the downstate Races2Run events, often as a lead biker. Bill, a Sallies grad, is just a great guy. Bill talked one of his lifeguards, Olivia Anderson, 17, from Lewes and Delmarva Christian, into running in some races, and Saturday morning she ran her very first 10-miler and won her age group in a time of 1:36.35. “Olivia is amazing. She is just so tough and positive. She was smiling over the last mile of the race. I am so proud of her. If you got her picture, can I put it on our website?” Bill asked. Coaching connections are among the most exhilarating and enduring of person-to-person relationships.

Joann Szczepkowski - The former Quaker schoolteacher turned road runner was feeling the oats Saturday morning, going Uncle Ben on her age group, running 1:35 and setting a state record in the 70-74 age group. Joann owns eight distance records in the 65-69 age group, but since turning 70 March 14 (we share a birthday, which makes me fast by association), Joann has set four new state records in the 70-74 age group – a 5K in 25:56, 5-miler in 43:05, 10K in 54:20 and 10-miler in 1:35.43. She is a congenial, crazy person, no one in their right mind could knock down all those numbers.

Eagles prediction - People have asked me, and I’ve said 9-7. The Eagles won their opening game versus the hapless Browns, and rookie Carson Wentz looked like a baller and Doug Pederson emanated an impressive image as a head coach. The Eagles are at the Bears for the Monday night game, Sept. 19. Bears lost to the Houston Texans 23-14 in their opener. Da Bears are beatable. An Eagles win and half the fans will be talking Super Bowl. A great opening weekend of games in the NFL, and, thankfully, there was just great patriotism and respect shown for the American flag in stadiums around the country on the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11. 

Snippets - A big yellow taxi driven by Daddy Dome Jenson filled with Cape hockey girls was taken to Temple Sunday afternoon to support Tess Bernheimer, who was playing center midfield from the Drexel Dragons against Temple. Drexel won 3-1, which was good for Tess and the Cape trip, but not so great for Temple, who also lost at home to Delaware Sept. 9 5-2, as Maggie Delp saw action for the Hens and Jacki Coveleski was an assistant coach on the sidelines. Kani Kane (Sussex Tech) scored on a 20-yard touchdown run, as Lackawanna College defeated Valley Forge Military Academy 55-21. Jayson Wiberg, a freshman wide receiver at Delaware Valley University, saw his first action, as the Aggies routed Misericordia 49-7. Tyre Maull (Cape) is a sophomore starting right guard for the 2-0 Stevenson Mustangs. Go on now, git!