The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for March 9, 2020

Evergreen boxer Clint Jackson.

13 YEARS AGO

MARCH 8, 2007

Neil Presley finished a doubleheader with three base hits Saturday afternoon at J.U. Blacksher High School at Uriah. Presley, a junior infielder/pitcher for the Jaguars, went 2-for-4 in the first game, scored a run and stole a base. In the second game, he had a single and scored a run.

(Other players on Hillcrest’s team that year included Marc Barlow, Quin Lee, John Dees, Ryan Moorer, Keon McCaskill, Jerrod Thomas, Zan Nevlous, Tony Nettles, Quinton Simpson, Delarius Simpson, Astin Mixon, Laroy Samuel, Jeremy Ealum, Rodney McQueen, Corey Poindexter, Billy Dunnivan, Alex Samuel, Trey Salter and Leroy Samuel. Rick Badger was head coach.)

Junior pitcher/infielder Myles Wiggins went 2-for-2 Saturday to highlight Sparta Academy’s offensive efforts against a solid Southern Academy team in Evergreen.

(Other players on Sparta’s team that year included Chris Cinereski, Hunter Hutcheson, Gaston Bozeman, J.R. Williams, Chase Brown, Perry Thompson, Dylan Davis and Taylor Brown. Mike Sims was head coach.)

Sparta Academy’s Lady Warriors collected seven base hits, including three doubles, to highlight the offense Saturday in a 22-6 loss to Southern Academy in Evergreen. Jessica Searcy, Susan Ann Cook and Sarah Smith each had a double for the Warriors.

(Other players on Sparta’s team that year included Frankie Gibson, Sarah Smith, Elizabeth Cinereski, Nicole Bradley and Hayden Talbot.)

23 YEARS AGO

MARCH 13, 1997

Evergreen’s own World Champion Turkey Caller Eddie Salter will be featured on the program CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood this Sunday, March 16. The program will be shown locally on WKRG-TV from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.

Butler County Motorsports Park kicked off the 1997 racing season last Saturday night with competition in four divisions.

Reo Kirkland III took his third deer, a nice three-point, on Jan. 25, 1997, while hunting with his daddy, Brooklyn attorney Reo Kirkland Jr., near Brooklyn. Young Reo, now eight, took his first deer, also a three-point, when he was only five years old.

39 YEARS AGO

MARCH 12, 1981

Evergreen High School’s 1980-81 basketball team place these three players on the Region 1, Area 2, Class 3A All-Tournament team: Horace Smith, David Floyd and Johnny Dee Allen Jr. The Aggies won the area tournament and lost by only two points to region champion, UMS of Mobile, in the championship game played in Mobile.

Champ’s boss fears Clint… ‘One mean dude’ – Evergreen’s Clint Jackson, tenth-ranked welterweight boxer in the world, is having his troubles in trying to move up to the top. Clint, who boxes out of Nashville, Tenn., has had 10 pro bouts and won all of them, eight of which he ended early by knocking out his opponent.

The Courant received this week a copy of a letter written Feb. 25 by Clint’s manager, Stan Allen, in which a “put up or shut up” challenge was made to Tommy Hearns, WBA Welterweight Champion, through Hearns’ manager.

The letter addressed to Mr. Emanuel Steward, manager, Tommy Hearns, WBA Welterweight Champion, 8925 Birwood, Detroit, Mich., 48204, follows and is self-explanatory: “You will recall this past weekend in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Promoter Bob Arum announced the possibility of a championship fight between Tommy Hearns and Clint Jackson (rated 10^th) which would be scheduled for May 9 or May 16, 1981.

“I am informed by Clint’s trainer, Ace Miller, that you made the statement to him Saturday night, Feb. 21, that there is no way you would let Tommy Hearns fight Clint Jackson and there was not enough money to get him in the ring with Clint because ‘Clint Jackson is one mean dude.’

“Clint is the most attractive opponent in the welterweight picture for Tommy Hearns and we want to make the fight. In my opinion, the champion should defend against all worthy challengers, even if they are ‘mean dudes.’

“I am writing you to determine whether you made these statements, and request that you respond to my letter within seven days from the receipt thereof. As you can see, copies of my letter have been mailed to certain parties interested in this fight, and you should forward each a copy of your response to me.

“P.S. Jackson/Hearns would make Leonard/Duran look like a nursery school recess.”

53 YEARS AGO

MARCH 9, 1967

Candidates for the 1967 Evergreen High football team opened spring drills Monday afternoon in Brooks Stadium. Coach Cliff Little and Assistant Perry Outlaw will be working with about 66 boys for three weeks, mostly on fundamentals.

Little said that spring practice will be climaxed with the intra-squad, Green and White game on Wed., April 5. The coach pointed out that while 66 boys are out, this number includes candidates for the junior team and there are only 13 lettermen trying for positions.

(Returning lettermen out for spring drills that year included Don Montgomery, Forrest Simpson, Roger Waller, Eddie Ralls, Jimmy Hamiter, Wayne Caylor, Ralph Deason, Eddie Ray Sasser, Hollis Tranum, Ronald Hallford, Jimmy Bell, George Stinson and Elliott “Buck” Quarles. Other players included Ernest Shipp, Ronald Parker, Charles Wild, Wayne Hammonds, Bill Hart, Ivan Gomes, John Brantley, Ronald Worley, John Fountain, Tommy Weaver and Leon Hinson.)

Evergreen also released its fall football schedule that week, and it was as follows: Sept. 8, at Atmore; Sept. 15, v. Monroeville; Sept. 22, v. Flomaton; Sept. 29, v. W.S. Neal; Oct. 6, at Greenville; Oct. 13, at Thomaston; Oct. 20, at Frisco City; Oct. 27, at Red Level; Nov. 3, v. T.R. Miller; Nov. 10, v. Georgiana.

63 YEARS AGO

MARCH 14, 1957

Baseball and Track: There seems to be a little excitement around Evergreen High School this week. Baseball and track started with a big bang. There is an estimate of 50 or 60 boys out for the two sports. All of Coach Harper’s football boys will contribute the speed and stamina. It seems that we will not have an experienced team in baseball. We are hoping, however, that these two sports will turn out well.