One of my favorite pictures is one that was taken in 2004 when Frank Selvy was at the Gilliam Gym in Corbin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his record-setting 100 points scored while playing for Furman University. I had the honor of introducing him to the crowd. I have that picture hanging on my home office wall. Selvy passed away last Tuesday at 91 years of age.
I was 14 years of age when Selvy made headlines on every sports page in America. That is when I, along with many others in that generation, started living a dream. It put Corbin on the map. It was the first Furman game ever televised and a caravan of 22 cars from Corbin had made the trip to Greenville, SC, along with Selvy’s family, to see the game. More on this and many other great stories about Corbin athletes can be found in the book written by Gary West, “The Boys from Corbin,” published in 2013. Contact www.acclaimpress.com about obtaining a copy of the book. It is a must-read whether you are a Corbin sports fan or not.
The late 40s and 50s were the best years ever for Corbin sports teams because of two families – the Selvys and the Birds. I was 14 years of age when Selvy scored 100 points in that game and it had great impact on me, as well as others. We were “living a dream.”
There were many great athletes in those two families, but it was Frank Selvy who was the most famous, and he put Corbin on the map in the sports world. Fortunately, I saw all of them but Curt Selvy play, and broadcast many of the games they participated in. Most of the Selvy and all of the Bird brothers are gone now, but they left a lasting impression on Corbin sports that will never go away.
• Monday I will turn 85 years of age. I don’t like being old, but I don’t like the alternative either. I read where a neurologist said you start losing brain power at age 60 and it increases every decade. I’m not so worried about brain power, it is the physical power that affects me the most. I’m at the age where the head says “yes” but the body says “no.”
My health has declined, and physically I am a wreck. But at that I’m very lucky. At age 70 I went to the doctor complaining about an ache in my abdomen. The tests discovered I had a tumor growing in my right lung. After surgery to remove the lower right lobe, the cancer was gone. That is, until three years ago.
I had a pain in my right abdomen again. Tests showed I had another cancer in my right lung. With radiation that cancer, along my windpipe, is in remission, but it destroyed my trachea. If not for stomach pain that led to the discovery of the cancers, I wouldn’t be writing this column.
I have much to be thankful for as I approach my next birthday. Most of all, a wife of over 60 years, children and grandchildren, a great boss and staff, plus going on 38 years at this newspaper. It has been a joy ride.
