Jun. 19—I’ve always looked at my co-workers at the Herald-Banner as a family.
In fact, my sister Susan helped me get hired in 1979 as sports editor. She wrote for the Life Today section back then, helping Carol Ferguson with the wedding and engagement stories and she also focused a lot on cooking and recipes. Susan got married in Greenville and now lives in Arlington.
As sports editor I enjoy keeping up with the sons and daughters and grandkids and nephews and nieces of Herald-Banner employees as they compete in athletics. And some of them have done some very special things.
John Franklin, the nephew of former employee Susie Reeves, made an impact on his first play in a Super Bowl as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. Franklin sacked New England quarterback Tom Brady and forced a fumble in Super Bowl LIII. Franklin, a fast defensive lineman at Stephen F. Austin, played 15 games last season for the New York Jets, finishing with 19 tackles for the season and three quarterback sacks.
Franklin landed on the football scouts’ radar when he ran a 4.7 40-yard dash as a 282-pounder at the scouting combine prior to being drafted by the Rams. He ran on the Greenville Lions’ 4×100-meter relay back in the day.
Susie worked up front in the classified department not that long ago and was usually the first friendly face to greet customers entering the building.
Greg Harvey, the nephew of former managing editor David G. Landmann, just coached the Rockwall-Heath Hawks to a Class 6A state baseball title. The Hawks showed remarkable resilience in bouncing back from game one losses to win three best-of-three playoff series on the way to the state tournament, including a three-game win over rival Rockwall. Landmann worked at the newspaper in the 1980s, writing stories and shooting photos.
Another nephew of Landmann’s, Mitch Leathers, played in the state basketball tournament for the Commerce Tigers and called many games as a basketball official.
Reese Ramsey, the grandson of Herald-Banner movie critic Alice Reese, played golf on two state high school championship teams at Austin Westlake and is now a senior golfer at Texas A&M. Ramsey also won some big junior tournaments.
Jack Smith was the sports editor of the newspaper back in 1950s and wrote a popular column called “A Smith Named Jack.” He was also one of the early members of what is now called The Oaks Country Club. Smith’s son Jeff Smith was the offensive coordinator on two Celeste football teams that made the state finals and the head basketball coach for some good basketball teams at Celeste and Caddo Mills. Jeff, who started his coaching career in Lone Oak, led Celeste’s basketball on another run in the 2021 playoffs.
Speaking of Celeste, the grandchildren of current Herald-Banner employee Leslie Gibson have made their mark at Celeste with Blue Devil and Lady Devil football and basketball teams. Isaiah, Malachi and Seth Buckley have played for the Blue Devils. Samara Buckley’s played for the Lady Devils. Leslie works a graphic artist.
Former advertising director Shelley Morgan Westbrook set a school record in the 100-meter dash back in the day at Caddo Mills and then her daughter Ashley Gilstrap was a good sprinter for the Lady Foxes.
Mercedes Jock, the daughter of Holly Cruise, who works in advertising sales, is a cheerleader and athlete for the Boles Lady Hornets, running track and field and also competing in volleyball and basketball.
Christy Crosson, the daughter of longtime Herald-Banner photographer Laurie White King, played on some playoff volleyball teams at Commerce.
Heather Martin, the daughter of former Herald-Banner writer Sherry Martin, was a Greenville Lady Lion athlete.
Nate Compton, the son of former employees Joe and Peggy Compton, was a baseball player for the Greenville Lions and eventually became athletic director at Lone Oak.
Stephen Craig, my sister Susan’s son and my nephew, was a two-time qualifier in region track and field at Mansfield Summit and was the leading scorer on the Jaguars’ soccer team that went two rounds deep in the playoffs.
Stephen also scored the game-winning goal that sent Grinnell College’s soccer team to the playoffs for the first time in school history. Stephen now lives and works in China.
Stephen’s sister Laura was a cheerleader and ran track and cross country at Summit. She was on a summer track team in Arlington with Olympic champion sprinter Jeremy Wariner.
Those are all some special achievements by student-athletes with ties to the Herald-Banner. My family. — When I saw the name Larry Uland on a caller ID on my telephone the other day, I figured the former head coach of the Greenville Christian Eagles was calling to say hello, something we hadn’t done in a while.
Yes, he said hello and then told me he was going to be the Eagles’ next head football coach. Wow!
Uland is a legend in the state’s six-man football circles with seven state titles, including four with the Eagles and three at Wylie Prep.
He gets a lot of calls from coaches trying to pick his brain about the intricacies of six-man football, Unlike six-man, centers and other linemen are eligible to catch passes, which makes it a wide open game that’s fun to watch.
I’m looking forward to working with Coach Uland again and watching some exciting Eagle six-man football.
David Claybourn is sports editor of the Herald-Banner.