Commentary
Fred David: Speaker of words, doer of deeds When Homer wrote in The Iliad for a man “to be a speaker of words and a doer of deeds,” he could very well have been describing Fred David.
I knew Fred for many years, and he spoke a lot of good words to, for and about other people, and did a lot of good deeds in that time.
He was never one to ask why isn’t something being done about this or that, rather he would wonder who was going to help him do something about this or that.
It was always a pleasure to meet Fred, wherever or whatever the occasion, and he had time to talk to everybody.
One particular memory I have of Fred, one that tells you what kind of a man he was, took place many years ago when I was still sports editor in Connellsville.
The Fayette American Legion Baseball League had finished another season and was planning its annual banquet. Herman Welsh, who along with Buzz Barnhart coached the Connellsville teams for many years, was arranging the program, and he asked Fred to be the speaker.
Fred agreed and plans were completed. But a couple days before the program was to be held, Fred’s brother died. Herman immediately said that under the circumstances, it was understandable if Fred wanted to skip the program and be with his family. Fred declined, noting that he had agreed to be there, and he would do so.
Fred gave the young players a fine talk on being good citizens, good people, on making something of themselves and doing for their community. Then he very quietly excused himself and went to the funeral home to be with his family.
That memory stayed with me all these years, and was foremost in my mind when reading his obituary. He really was a speaker of words and a doer of deeds, all of them good.
May God grant him eternal rest and perpetual light shine upon him.
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A few observations, wise and otherwise…
– In answer to many queries, I have retired from game coverage, except for last Friday night when I helped with covering the local football scene.
The 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania golf event, and Friday’s scholastic football games, combined to put a real rush on the staff, so every available coverage source was utilized.
One so-called friend of mine observed, “Now, that’s really being desperate for help when they will call you.” Be that as it may, I was glad to help, but now it’s back to the easy chair on Friday and Saturday nights.
– In June of this year, I completed 50 years as a sports writer, and that’s long enough to be tormenting you readers. Oh, from time to time, I will be doing a column or a story of some sort, but not on the scale I had been.
– Wonder if Southmoreland and Brownsville realize that together they are now a joint entry in the state of Pennsylvania’s scholastic football record book? My sports writing Goombah, Paul Brittain, recently noted the fact in the column he writes for the Scottdale Independent-Observer. A preseason football special listed the state scholastic records and noted that in 2000, a six-overtime game had been played in the eastern end of the state, Quakertown downing Pennridge, 52-45. Paul reminded that on Sept. 7, 2001, that record was equaled when Brownsville and Southmoreland played a six-overtime game at Alverton, BHS eventually winning 34-28. Paul and I both covered that game, and at the time we didn’t pay that much attention to a possible record. We just wanted to get out of there and get the story written.
– Paul, who calls himself the “Patron Saint of Useless Statistics,” also noted that Southmoreland owns a record that can be tied, but never broken – three successive shutouts in three different months. The Scotties zeroed McGuffey last October to end that season, then this year collared Yough on August 29, in their opener, and got Carlynton, 9-0, last week (Sept. 5).
– And as for being the patron saint, etc., I’ll argue that title. Let’s just say it’s joint ownership.
– I made a mathematical error while figuring this week’s offensive and defensive averages for local scholastic teams. Turkeyfoot was listed second on defense, with a 6.0 per game average allowance. For some reason or other, the Rams were credited with two games and the others three. They are still second, but with a 4.0 allowance instead. Now you can understand why I got heaved out of second year algebra class in high school.
– Saw a listing a few days ago of pitchers who have led their leagues in “saves” for seasons. Wonder if anybody ever figured how many saves Roy Face might have had for the Pirates. That stat wasn’t kept until long after Face had retired, but if figures could be found, it’s a good bet he would be right up there at the top, or close to it. If Rollie Fingers can go into the Hall of Fame for his relief work, certainly the same honor can be accorded to Roy Face. Give me the choice between them, and it would be Face any day of the week.
– And twice on Sunday.
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent and columnist.