Have you been following all this ESPN state-by-state Mt. Rushmore building for the greatest sports figures across the land?
I have.
And I thought today might be as good a time as any to chime in on my own version of who I think deserves to hold such lofty status in the annals of our own building of such a monument to great athletic achievement.
Triggered by a recent listening of WZON’s Dale Duff on his “Morning Show” and Jeff Solari’s afternoon drive, entitled “The Shoot-around,” I figured it was high time to erect my own monument to greatness.
Here goes.
John Huard, a Waterville native, dominated the defensive backfield for the University of Maine Black Bears as a linebacker from 1963 to 1966. In my lifetime, there has never been a better player wearing a Black Bear uniform.
His talents were so good that they propelled him to a career in the old AFL with the Denver Broncos and a brief stint in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.
Any Mt. Rushmore sports talk in Maine should include Huard.
Next up, I’d have to include the late Wes Jordan, former trainer at UMaine.
Wes impacted many lives, including my own, as a former teacher in the Brewer school system and at UMaine.
For many years, Wes held the position of trainer for the Maine Principals’ Association’s annual basketball tournament.
Today, Wes is honored by the Wes Jordan Athletic Training Education Complex, dedicated at the Orono campus of UMaine in 2006.
Truly a giant in all aspects of his life, if there ever were a Maine Mt. Rushmore for sports figures, Wes belongs on it.
If we are to properly honor the sports elite in Maine, then we would be remiss to leave out arguably the top referee of all time in our state.
Peter Webb of Houlton, the current Maine Commissioner of Basketball, certainly has earned a spot in Maine’s Mt. Rushmore of sports for a lot of reasons.
As a longtime high school and college basketball official, Webb has risen up the ladder to positions of national and worldwide prominence, always giving Maine the credit for any success he has ever had.
Mt. Rushmore would be a fitting tribute to end Webb’s impressive career. He has been a true friend to Maine athletics in all jobs he has held.
And finally, any monumental recognition of accomplishments in Maine sports would have to include legendary Stearns High School of Millinocket boys basketball coach George Wentworth to be complete.
Inducted posthumously into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, George’s teams amassed 478 wins to 183 losses. The Stearns Minutemen dominated high school hoops for the 31 years that George was coach. During that time, his teams won four state championships, six Eastern Maine titles, and one New England title.
A former standout athlete at Notre Dame, Wentworth brought his fiery style to Maine, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Although I have not been asked, John Huard, Wes Jordan, Peter Webb and George Wentworth would get my vote for the lofty status of Maine’s contribution to the so-called Mt. Rushmore in our state.
30-Second Time Out
A tip of the hat to WZON, The Sports Zone, for its Hot Stove night, held Jan. 26 at the Bangor Civic Center. Program Director Duff and his crew continue to shine, bringing in the likes of Joe Castiglione, Don Orsillo and Gordon Edes for an appreciative radio audience and 550 or so folks at the BCC.
If you deal with Duff and his minions, you deal with a first-rate operation.
Dale would have made a great coach, coming at the competition with intensity and drive.