Long-time Refugio announcer passes away
Longtime Bobcat supporter passes away
Jack Sportsman was the public address announcer for the Refugio football team for 56 years. Sportsman died Friday night at the age of 78.
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A True Sportsman
Memorial services for Jack Sportsman will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Refugio High School Auditorium.
Memorials may be made to the Refugio Ex-Students Scholarship Fund or the 1946-47 Football Team Scholarship Fund.
Memorials go ...
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A True Sportsman
Memorial services for Jack Sportsman will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Refugio High School Auditorium.
Memorials may be made to the Refugio Ex-Students Scholarship Fund or the 1946-47 Football Team Scholarship Fund.
Memorials go to James Henry, 124 Old Beeville Rd., Refugio, Texas, 78377
Jack Sportsman stopped by the Refugio field house like he did on every Friday afternoon during the football season to wish coach Jason Herring good luck.
But Sportsman wasn't there Saturday morning to congratulate Herring.
Sportsman died Friday night after suffering a heart attack on his way to the press box at Bobcat Stadium to do what he had done for the past 56 years.
Sportsman, 78, was well known as the voice of Refugio football, but he was so much more to anyone who had the good fortune of making his acquaintance.
"I've not cried since my first wife's death," said Carl Barnhart, who became friends with Sportsman when he moved to Refugio from Ohio in 1948. "I did when he died."
Sportsman was so beloved in the community that his memorial service will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Refugio High School auditorium.
"Jack was our biggest supporter and the biggest Refugio Bobcat fan," Herring said. "He was part of the committee that hired me. You can't put into words what he meant to the kids, the program, the community. He supported our program and the community in every way."
Sportsman was born in McKinney, but attended high school in Refugio and was a member of the Bobcats' 1946 and '47 teams that were regional champions, which was as far as a team could advance at the time.
Sportsman went on to play at Texas A&I and was named a Little All-American on the offensive and defensive lines by the Dallas Morning News.
He was a member of the Texas A&M-Kingsville Football Hall of Fame and was instrumental in helping a number of Refugio players getting the opportunity to play for the school.
"He was the kind of guy you can never replace," Herring said. "He adored the Bobcats. He loved everything about them."
Sportsman stayed in close touch with his alma mater and was the president of the Refugio Ex-Students Association.
He devoted the same energy to his community by emceeing virtually every event and serving as the president of the Refugio Lions Club and as the past-president of the Refugio Rotary Club.
Sportsman never failed to greet visitors to the Bobcat Stadium press box and he made sure to make them feel welcome.
"I think in like 57 years, Jack had missed maybe two games," said Herring, who told his players that Sportsman had become ill before their 49-7 win over Skidmore-Tynan that allowed the Bobcats to clinch a share of the District 30-2A championship. "It was a real somber night. I think we realized that football was not near as important as what was happening."
Sportsman will be missed by his immediate family that includes wife, Louise, son, Steve, and daughters Tana and Tricia, their spouses and his grandchildren.
But he'll also be missed by his extended family that numbers in the thousands.
Refugio will no doubt pay tribute to Sportsman in a worthwhile manner, but Herring has an idea that would be sure to bring a smile to Sportsman's face.
"We want to play to the best of our ability and play with spirit," Herring said. "We'd like to win a state championship for Jack. I know he would sure like that. We're going to dedicate the rest of our season to him."
Around the area
The following are the playoff scenarios for area teams:
District 23-4A: El Campo has clinched the top seed in Division II.
District 30-4A: Calhoun has clinched the top seed in Division II.
District 28-3A: Cuero has clinched the Division I berth and Edna has clinched the top seed in Division II.
Yoakum would clinch the second seed in Division II with a win over Goliad.
If Goliad defeats Yoakum and Palacios beats Gonzales, Yoakum, Palacios and Goliad would tie for third and positive points would decide the playoff representative.
If Goliad defeats Yoakum and Gonzales beats Palacios, Goliad would clinch the second seed in Division II.
District 26-2A: Rice Consolidated has clinched the top seed in Division II.
If Weimar defeats Hempstead (the Division I representative), Weimar would clinch the second seed in Division II.
If Hempstead beats Weimar, Schulenburg would clinch the second seed in Division II.
District 28-2A: Karnes City has clinched a playoff berth and would be the second seed in Division II unless it defeats Navarro (the Division I representative) and Nixon-Smiley beats Poth.
District 29-2A: Industrial has clinched the top seed in Division II.
Boling would clinch the second seed in Division II with a win over Hitchcock (the Division I representative) or a Tidehaven win over Van Vleck. Van Vleck would clinch the second seed in Division II with a win over Tidehaven and a Boling loss to Hitchcock.
District 30-2A: Refugio has clinched the top seed in Division II.
District 27-1A: Shiner has clinched the Division I berth and will play a role in determining the postseason fate of Ganado and Burton.
If Shiner defeats Burton, Ganado beats Flatonia, and Louise defeats Somerville, Ganado, Louise and Burton would tie for second and positive points would come into play. Ganado and Louise would advance to the playoffs by virtue of the district's formula. Louise would be the top seed in Division II by virtue of its win over Ganado.
If Burton defeats Shiner, Burton would be the top seed in Division II if Louise beats Somerville and the second seed in Division II if Louise loses to Somerville and Ganado defeats Flatonia.
Louise would clinch a playoff berth with a win. Ganado would clinch a playoff berth with a win and either a Burton or Louise loss.
District 31-1A: Yorktown has clinched the Division I berth. Falls City has clinched the top seed and Woodsboro the second seed in Division II.
TAPPS Division IV, District 3: Hallettsville Sacred Heart and Shiner St. Paul have clinched playoff berths and will meet Saturday in Hallettsville with the winner clinching the top seed and the loser becoming the second seed.
Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com, or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Comments
He surely had the right name to go along, for the love of this team,(SPORTSMAN) God Bless His Family and friends. May he rest in peace.
November 4, 2009 at 10:01 a.m.Mr. Jack Sportsman, you will be dearly missed. The town of Refugio will not be the same without you. Rest in Peace.
November 3, 2009 at 12:11 p.m.