I have a lot of very fond memories of 'Doc'. He kept my chest sore from pinching me every time we met! Damn that hurt. He made a huge impact on my life by the way he didn't try to get into anybody's business. I don't think I ever knew a more dedicated and talented athlete in baseball and/or football. In my eyes he was a man among boys. I will never forget that night on the football field. I still miss him.
Jimmy was very kind to me on the baseball field, a story I will be happy to share at the reunion. Suffice to say, his kindness to me was a source of great amusement for him. I can still close my eyes and see him laughing.
I am enjoying these comments Donna, Doug, and Ernie. He was an absolute character and my best friend. I miss him too...every day. I have his picture in my house (remember those "modeling (lol)" pictures feaaturing football players wearing clothes from Nelms and Blum). Everybody who comes here asks who he is and I get to pull out scrapbooks from his glory days as an athlete and then get to relive that Friday night. (I like the picture and remember Jimmy's saying "I would not wear those kinds of clothes if they (Nelms and Blum) GAVE them to me." LOL He was perfectly okay with jeans...and tshirts in summer and plaid flannel shirts in winter. I am glad he is being included in our class because he truly was. He and I had been in the same classroom every year at Ella Darling thru 6th grade....even tho he was two years older than I. .( Longggggggggg story that I know as an adult had much to do with the dynamics of our family.......those secrets that supposedly no one knows!!! Well, Donna knew. She was our neighbor and we played together about every day. Anyway, he and I had a REAL problem staying at school EVERY SINGLE time we were taken there....actually the problem was his but I admired him so much that when he told me "C'mon)...I WAS THERE. When we started going regularly in the third grade, we would get there like 45 minutes early, we would play softball. He was this INCREDIBLE athlete even then and he would choose me first and then the rest girls...Donna, her cousin Peggy, my sister Linda, our friend Carolyn...and of course we won EVERY TIME! Home plate was about 350 yards from the three-story school building and he broke out just about every window on the third floor of that school. I was inside one morning with the principal (no comment), (we called her buck toothed Ms. McMath...lol), and an awful sound of window smashing occured...we looked at each other and she remarked "Jimmy just hit another home run." Living with him and going to school with him was an absolute riot and I still adore the memories I often recall. He would tell me, "I'll take care of the ball games; you take care of the grades!" Sorry I was so winded...but thoughts keep coming...I'll stop.
Thank you, Dickey for sharing your wonderful memories. I agree with Ernie, I could listen for hours about your family and growing up with Jimmy. Can't wait to see you and all of our classmates!!
Dickey, love your stories. Bring some of your pictures so I can post them on this website. I'll get some copies made for the scrapbook that I'm doing. Can't wait to hear more stories.
I will never forget that day. Who could? Jimmy was a great guy as well as being such a remarkable athelet. When we were at E.E. Bass together in the 6th grade, Jimmy told me he was going to play baselball for GHS. I told him, "I'm sure you'll make the team as soon as you get there." He laughed and said, "I'm going to practice with them right now. You want to come?" I laughed and said,"Sure. You're kidding, right?" He said, "No. I'm serious. I might be playing varsity." I said, "Oh yea, right. Sure you will." I told him I had to go home first, but I never made it to his practice that day. Another one of my many regrets in life.
He was right though. He started playing with the team almost right away as I remember it. I did get to watch him practice with the team several times after that though. He was amazing, even back in junior high. What a fast ball he had. There were scouts that would come out to watch him practice as well as watch him in games. Jimmy was definitely a phenom.
At the football game we sat in the next row down below Dickie & Linda. After the announcement came over the pa system, we looked over at them crying & holding each other, and it tore me up. I lost it. I was a mess at the funeral and even worse at the gravesite. His grave is right near the entrance and right across from where my great-grandfather was buried 5 years before and not far from my mom & dad and my grandparents' graves.
Please visit Jimmy's memorial I created for him at Find-A-Grave.com
Ernie Stewart
I have a lot of very fond memories of 'Doc'. He kept my chest sore from pinching me every time we met! Damn that hurt. He made a huge impact on my life by the way he didn't try to get into anybody's business. I don't think I ever knew a more dedicated and talented athlete in baseball and/or football. In my eyes he was a man among boys. I will never forget that night on the football field. I still miss him.
Doug Adams
Jimmy was very kind to me on the baseball field, a story I will be happy to share at the reunion. Suffice to say, his kindness to me was a source of great amusement for him. I can still close my eyes and see him laughing.
Doug Adams
Richard "Dickey" Etheridge
He ALWAYS wanted to protect me
I am enjoying these comments Donna, Doug, and Ernie. He was an absolute character and my best friend. I miss him too...every day. I have his picture in my house (remember those "modeling (lol)" pictures feaaturing football players wearing clothes from Nelms and Blum). Everybody who comes here asks who he is and I get to pull out scrapbooks from his glory days as an athlete and then get to relive that Friday night. (I like the picture and remember Jimmy's saying "I would not wear those kinds of clothes if they (Nelms and Blum) GAVE them to me." LOL He was perfectly okay with jeans...and tshirts in summer and plaid flannel shirts in winter. I am glad he is being included in our class because he truly was. He and I had been in the same classroom every year at Ella Darling thru 6th grade....even tho he was two years older than I. .( Longggggggggg story that I know as an adult had much to do with the dynamics of our family.......those secrets that supposedly no one knows!!! Well, Donna knew. She was our neighbor and we played together about every day. Anyway, he and I had a REAL problem staying at school EVERY SINGLE time we were taken there....actually the problem was his but I admired him so much that when he told me "C'mon)...I WAS THERE. When we started going regularly in the third grade, we would get there like 45 minutes early, we would play softball. He was this INCREDIBLE athlete even then and he would choose me first and then the rest girls...Donna, her cousin Peggy, my sister Linda, our friend Carolyn...and of course we won EVERY TIME! Home plate was about 350 yards from the three-story school building and he broke out just about every window on the third floor of that school. I was inside one morning with the principal (no comment), (we called her buck toothed Ms. McMath...lol), and an awful sound of window smashing occured...we looked at each other and she remarked "Jimmy just hit another home run." Living with him and going to school with him was an absolute riot and I still adore the memories I often recall. He would tell me, "I'll take care of the ball games; you take care of the grades!" Sorry I was so winded...but thoughts keep coming...I'll stop.
Ernie Stewart
Dickey, thanks for sharing. I could sit and listen for hours!! Looking forward to seeing you at the Fifty!
Linda Brame
Thank you, Dickey for sharing your wonderful memories. I agree with Ernie, I could listen for hours about your family and growing up with Jimmy. Can't wait to see you and all of our classmates!!
Chere Hitt (Stegall)
Dickey, love your stories. Bring some of your pictures so I can post them on this website. I'll get some copies made for the scrapbook that I'm doing. Can't wait to hear more stories.
Charlotte Runnels (Pounds)
Looking forward to continued shared memories because Jimmy was a special person and friend.
Robert Wylie
I will never forget that day. Who could? Jimmy was a great guy as well as being such a remarkable athelet. When we were at E.E. Bass together in the 6th grade, Jimmy told me he was going to play baselball for GHS. I told him, "I'm sure you'll make the team as soon as you get there." He laughed and said, "I'm going to practice with them right now. You want to come?" I laughed and said,"Sure. You're kidding, right?" He said, "No. I'm serious. I might be playing varsity." I said, "Oh yea, right. Sure you will." I told him I had to go home first, but I never made it to his practice that day. Another one of my many regrets in life.
He was right though. He started playing with the team almost right away as I remember it. I did get to watch him practice with the team several times after that though. He was amazing, even back in junior high. What a fast ball he had. There were scouts that would come out to watch him practice as well as watch him in games. Jimmy was definitely a phenom.
At the football game we sat in the next row down below Dickie & Linda. After the announcement came over the pa system, we looked over at them crying & holding each other, and it tore me up. I lost it. I was a mess at the funeral and even worse at the gravesite. His grave is right near the entrance and right across from where my great-grandfather was buried 5 years before and not far from my mom & dad and my grandparents' graves.
Please visit Jimmy's memorial I created for him at Find-A-Grave.com