Changes have been made this year when you enter Gilliam Gymnasium at Corbin High School for a basketball game.
Originally, an intended entrance to the gymnasium was built on the front of the school facing Synder Street. It was used for a short while, but after finding it insufficient a decision was made to close it years ago. This year the school has reopened it and is using what was deemed a poor way to enter then.
During the many years of broadcasting Corbin Redhound basketball and attending the games, I have been in every gym in the 13th Region and many in the 12th Region, plus others throughout the state. Thus, I feel qualified to express an opinion on this change.
For many years, Corbin had the best advantages for fans, especially home team fans, attending the games because of the large area made available in the school cafeteria area for a concession stand.
This also served as a place to meet with friends and enjoy a social affair, as well as getting refreshments. No other gym had an area quite like it, and this made Corbin’s very special.
In previous years, doors at the front and back entrance to the school were open for admission. In the last several years, I entered through the back entrance because it has a parking area that is close and was an easy access point. I am now 86 years old, and that was accommodating to me and other elderly people.
When I attended the first game this year, the back door was locked so I drove to a front parking lot and had to park much further from the school. Since I only have one operating lung, I was laboring for a breath of air by the time we reached the front entrance.
With the new policy, the school has changed what was best for fans to what is now one of the worst entrances and concession areas in the gyms that I have attended.
When entering, the short line reached out the door because the space is small. Then exiting through the same doors, it was very dark and I had to turn on my phone flashlight for fear of falling. There is barely room for a concession area, which also is inadequate. This change is horrible.
In the first place, the architect was out of his mind to locate an entrance facing a street. Most schools have the entrance facing a parking lot.
I also find it dangerous to allow parking on the street in front of the gym. The street is not wide enough for parking, and I wonder if anybody thought about how a fire truck or an ambulance could get near the building with that situation?
I was told by a school board member that the change was made because it was difficult for the concession workers to break down the cafeteria area after a game, and because of school safety. After decades of having it in the cafeteria area they just now made this discovery?
This is a slap in the face to those of us who have been loyal fans, and a disservice to the elderly fans. They may have other reasons, but I doubt they warrant the change.
I love and support the improvements made at the football field, called the Redhound Complex. It is the best. Now it is time to show the same improvements for basketball. Yes, I know an auxiliary gym is being built, but that doesn’t affect fans.
Lighting has improved in the last few years, and new bleachers have been added, but little else has been done.
It is time to show the “Pride and Tradition” for basketball like those seen glowing in red letters at the football field.
Corbin has had many of the state’s all-time greats in basketball. There is no mention of and no pictures of greats like Frank Selvy and Jerry Bird, to name a couple.
Selvy still holds several NCAA records, and his professional career was outstanding. He played with Jerry West for the Los Angeles Lakers. Don’t forget his record 100-point record game at Furman.
Did you know that Selvy, in his first game as a rookie, scored second only to Wilt Chamberlain for points in a first game by a rookie?
His younger brother, Marvin, holds the consecutive free throws made at Corbin with 61.
Jerry Bird’s jersey hangs in the rafters at Rupp Arena, not at Gilliam Gym. Calvin Bird holds the scoring record at 32 points per game average at CHS.
And how about the public address announcer at Madison Square Garden announcing the starting lineup for the Knicks by saying, “from Corbin, Kentucky at forward, Jerry Bird and at guard from Corbin, Kentucky Frank Selvy.” Oh my, we’ve let the proud basketball past be forgotten.
How many small towns in the USA can make a claim of having two players on an NBA team?
Corbin has so many greats that should be recognized by having framed pictures and plaques somewhere near the gym.
When the late, great former Redhound Bobby Terrell moved back to Corbin after retirement, he organized many activities to honor the greats.
For example, there were banquets and activities to honor his former teammates.
Our newspaper put together special sections about the Bird and Selvy families. I did video presentations that were shown in the school’s auditorium on each of the players of the Bird and Selvy families.
To my knowledge, no other small town has ever produced as many players from two families that became national sports stars as happened with these two families.
It was Bobby Terrell who worked hard to keep the glory days alive. Who will be today’s Bobby Terrell? I would like to, but my health and age won’t allow it.
This is the 25th year for Corbin’s winningest coach – Tony Pietrowski. Is anything planned? Any celebrations?
Coach Pietrowski deserves special recognition and his picture, along with Coaches Harry Taylor and Billy Hicks to name a couple, should be on a “wall of fame” along with the players (Tony was a great player too!).
No doubt, the transfer of players from the Redhounds to other schools this year has hurt the team. But, I’ll guarantee you that you will never see players play as hard as this year’s team. They know what it means to be a Redhound!
School board members – don’t make changes that will hurt the basketball program. Do more to help it. You know the changes that have taken place are bad, and more attention should be directed towards the basketball program to help it. I hope you will act.
