Fair Game by JS Moore (In Memory of Guy B. Crawford) My idol was Bugs Bunny, because I saw a cartoon of him playing ball - you know, the one where he plays every position himself with nobody else on the field but him? Now that I think of it, Bugs is still my idol. You have to love a ballplayer like that. - Nomar Garciaparra There was a young man named Guy Blaine Crawford who came from an area near Fall Branch called Limestone. Like David Crockett but some hundred fifty years later, Guy was born in a tiny log cabin. This was in Washington County of east Tennessee and Guy became very gifted in sports and he was actually a star player in the late 1930s at Dobyns Bennett in Kingsport, Tennessee - breaking record after record during his high school playing career in multiple sports. He played as an end and a tackle for the football team at D.B. He was a superb first baseman in baseball but could shine at any position also. Coach Leroy Sprankle was quoted in 1939 as referring to Guy as a “natural born basketball player.” The young man had an unorthodox style of firing and scoring in basketball – not known for his form, per say, or his gracefulness but for just making baskets. “Im just letting him play his own style,” Coach Sprankle said with a chuckle early that same year. In the winter of 1947 Crawford became the head basketball coach at Dobyns Bennett and with a difficult schedule and only two lettermen returning was not expected to have a winning season at all. Guy B. Crawford later became one of the most winning coaches in the storied history of Dobyns Bennett high school in Kingsport, Tennessee in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s. The boys baseball team under Crawfords leadership won the State Championship twice, in 1953 and 1957. Crawford even coached the boys’ basketball team to seven appearances in the state championship game, though they never won the state title during his tenure. He coached holding a red bandana. This became his trademark. If he waved the bandana, it was his signal to take a time out or to get a certain players attention to give brief instruction or even make a change on the court. Fans took notice when he waved his bandana, as did his opponents as well. “Coach Crawford was almost a second father to me,’’ Wilder said. “I knew what was expected and he never got in my face over anything. He taught me how to talk, walk, dribble and chew gum. In fact, he always brought an ample supply of Juicy Fruit gum to practice. Each player got a stick and could have more if he asked.’’ Like Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, Guy B. Crawford was all about defense. “Defense wins ballgames,” he always told his players, “if you cant play defense for this team, then you dont play.” J.R. Maddux played basketball for Coach Crawford and remembers this one player on the team that just refused to play defense. The lad played well offensively, could score from anywhere, but just could not get the knack of guarding another player, so just stopped trying to play defense, until one day Guy B. switched up his coaching strat and was either going to bench this kid or have a breakthrough with him. After having the players stretch and running a few goat trails for a good warm up – the assistant coach called wait for their head coach to speak to them. Chickenhawk blew his whistle signaling for these Varsity players to gather together and wait for their head coachs instruction. This particular practice Guy B. Crawford pulled a chair out onto the court, positioned it around the center of what would now be the three point line, then shook his head. He didnt sit in the chair like the boys expected he might. He stepped up onto the chair and stood atop it. His six feet seven frame had just became nearly eight feet in height. He called for the one boy to come stand next to himself on the chair. Chickenhawk tossed a basketball to the head coach who caught it without losing eye contact with the boy. “This is Elizabethtons top scorer. Hes quicker than you, taller than you,” the coach paused for effect then smiled grimly, “but more importantly he wants to score and he will go right through you to do it.” Guy B. looked down at this one boy, focused only on him, “Are you going to let him score?” “No sir,” the player called back to him loudly. Stepping down from his perch, Guy B. smiled at the boy with a look that said you can do this and then he instructed only him, “This is what I need you to do. Do not let this chair get passed you. Dont let it have the ball at all. Just stand right here, move around this chair as if it were Coach Treadways pride and joy superstar, and dont leave your post unless I instruct you.” Guy B. blew his whistle and commenced practice with the remainder of his team. Though it was embarrassing to the young man, it helped him to understand the importance of playing good defense if he expected to play at all. Suggested Listening: The Greatest by Kenny Rogers and Basketball Jones by Cheech and Chong
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 12:43:38 +0000
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