Adding A Game

The Ironton Fighting Tigers found a name out of the past to fill their open third week.

Ironton and Beechwood, Ky., have agreed to play in the Sept. 11 date at Tanks Memorial Stadium.

Ironton and Beechwood met in the infamous 1998 game at Tanks Stadium in which part of the lights went out twice — once before the game and then in the second quarter.

Beechwood was leading 21-20 and elected to go home instead of finish the game, even after athletic director Mike Burcham offered to put the team up in a hotel for the night and finish the game at noon on Saturday.

Courage Award

ESPN never fails to disappoint. They selected Bruce Jenner — now Caitlyn Jenner — for the ESPY’s Courage Award for changing from male to female, if that is really possible. But you sort of expect bizarre behavior if you’re living in the Kardashian family.

The real courage award should have gone to someone like Lauren Hill, the 19-year-old women’s basketball player at Mount St. Joseph College in Cincinnati who raised $1.4 million for cancer research after she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

Hill died in April.

By the way, Jenner may need more support than an ESPY. Studies show that 50 percent of people who change gender commit suicide.

Golden Spikes

The Golden Spikes winner this year was Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi. The first winner of the award was Arizona State infielder Bob Horner who went on to become a power-hitting third baseman for the Atlanta Braves.

However, injuries shortened his career and he retired at the age of 31.

So what’s the big deal about Horner” Well, he was originally married to Jamie Smith who played basketball at Coal Grove. The couple were wed in Ironton.

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Jim Walker is sports editor of The Ironton Tribune.