County Commission | The Magazine November 2019 | Page 5

drunk, and I usually won. This
years to graduate and then the
next five to fully repay the loan.
went on for a year.
As a relative newcomer
At Alabama, I had several
Then I met Jeannie. She
to county government,
classes with a married student
was also in the fourth grade and
lived just up the road. She was
I see our state association named Tony. I was pretty bad
to cut class. This was back when
sweet; she was smart; and she
for
what
it
really
is:
the
professors still called roll, and
was pretty. I think she kinda
Tony would answer for me when
liked me, and I was dang sure
most influential force for
I wasn’t there. He had asked me
sweet on her. We’d sit by a little
public
policy
change
in
several times to go out with his
stream near the truck stop and
wife’s best friend. I told him I
listen to the Everly Brothers and
the State of Alabama.
was not into blind dates. After
Sam Cooke and Elvis on the
I’d turned him down every time,
truck stop juke box. She was an
we were introduced to structure,
he
told
me that if I didn’t go out
encourager, always telling me I could to discipline, to the responsibility
with her, he’d never answer for me
do better. She cared.
of daily chores and homework and
again. I had three questions: Is she
In May of 1960, Jeannie and her going to church on a regular basis.
pretty? What’s her name? When
mother asked me to go to something
After high school, I hadn’t
do I need to be there? Her name
they called a revival, one of those
planned to go to college, but my
was Karen; she was pretty; and a
week-long, Monday-to-Friday things.
Uncle Lindy had other ideas. He
year later, we were married. That
The last night was a Friday, the
said, “You’re going to college, and
was 47 years ago. Karen was the
13th, and I can remember being
you’re
gonna
play
baseball
while
rock during the early years of our
embarrassed, hoping no one had
you’re
there,
and
that’s
the
end
of
marriage, making sure our family
noticed that I’d worn the same
this conversation!” He paid my first
was in church every Sunday. We had
pair of dirty jeans all week. During
year’s tuition, and a man named
four children under age 10; she had a
the closing hymn, I felt something
Johnny
Oppert
contacted
me
about
full-time job and got very little help
stirring in me that I’d never felt
playing
on
the
first-ever
Wallace
from me. In 1999 (our 27th year of
before, something telling me to
College baseball team in 1967.
marriage) on a Walk to Emmaus
move, to step forward. But I had
weekend, I finally “manned up” and
Baseball got me to college; Coach
the pew in front of me in a “white
tried to become the spiritual leader
Oppert kept me there. He took me
knuckle” death grip, and I refused
that God calls husbands and fathers
to let it go. The hymn ended, and
under his wing. He knew the road
to be.
the benediction was given. Everyone I’d traveled, and he made sure I
Being around Coach Oppert
began to leave. I stood there alone — didn’t stray again. He taught me
had
convinced me that coaching
crying. I felt a hand on my shoulder. the important things in life, like
was what I wanted to do in life.
It was a man I didn’t know, and I’m
trying to make good decisions but
sure he didn’t know me. I learned
taking full responsibility for the bad In the summer of ‘72, just a few
weeks before Karen and I were to
later that his name was Mr. Calvin.
ones. He taught me that doing the
He asked me what was wrong.
right thing should always be the top be married, I had just one coaching
offer. It was in a little Conecuh
When I told him what I was
priority.
County town named Repton. I
feeling, he said: “Wait right here.
Coach Oppert was a great coach wasn’t interested in coaching that far
Everything will be OK.” He
and teacher, but he was much more
from home.
returned in a few minutes with the
than that. He was a mentor and a
Two uncles had just bought
minister, the song leader and maybe
friend; he became the father figure
the Ford dealership in Abbeville;
20 people who were still outside
I needed. After my two years at
they offered me a job washing cars
First Baptist Church of Abbeville.
Wallace,
I
had
planned
to
hang
it
for $100 a week. My first day there
Another verse was sung; I turned
up
and
get
a
job,
but
Coach
Oppert
was May 15, 1972 — the same day
loose of that pew and grabbed on
would have no part of that. He
that Gov. George Wallace was shot
to something life-changing. Mr.
insisted
I
transfer
and
get
my
degree.
campaigning for president in Laurel,
Calvin may not know what his
I
had
no
money,
so
I
borrowed
Maryland. The second year there, I
encouragement meant to me almost
enough to transfer to The University was offered a job as a salesman and
60 years ago, but I’ll never forget.
management trainee. Over the next
of Alabama. For the next few years,
The next week, my sister and I
five years, I borrowed the money
I’d go to school two quarters, then
were taken to live with our other
grandparents in Shorterville. There,
work two quarters. It took four more
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