'Cinder Bowl' Fondly Recalled

Members of the 1937 Crewe High School football team pose in this group shot. On the front row (left to right) are Slim Saunders, Ervin Rand, Tippy Morgan, Sam “Buster” Smith, “Beans” Shorter, and James Cramer. In the backfield (left to right) are Richard Benedict, John Ashmore, and Stafford McGhee. This squad may have been the finest to ever play for the Crewe Railroaders. (Pie McCann Photo)

By “PIE” McCANN
Special to The Journal

At this time of year, all college football teams are buckling down, extending their effort in hopes of obtaining bowl eligibility by December or the end of their season’s schedule. This means those teams with at least six victories and possessor of a strong schedule may be invited to participate in an American bowl game sometime from December 20 to January 3rd or 4th.

The list of bowl games has grown by “leaps and bounds” and participating teams share of the ticket sales, etc., has become astronomical; some as high as eight or nine million or more.

While reading and looking at pictures in a scrapbook belonging to Nan Shorter Vick, daughter of “Beans” Shorter, I came across a newspaper article I believe came from a Farmville paper announcing the Cinder Bowl game; Old Grads of Crewe High to Play The 1937 Crewe High Team. The title line stated: “Crewe Agog Over Cinder Bowl Game.” Practically the entire town of Crewe and hundreds of nearby neighbors are planning to turn out New Year’s Day to witness the game. The game will get underway promptly at 10:30 a.m. It seems the current 1937 team was being promoted as the most successful team ever in Crewe High history. This didn’t set well with the old grads.”

“Molly” Wilson, alumnus of The College of William and Mary and past center on that college team, agreed to coach the 33 members of the old grads, some participating at Crewe as early as 1927 through 1936. “Red” Roberts, “Chuck” Walsh, Eldridge Dixon and Graham Tucker from the 1936 team. Jimmy McGhee, “Chippy” Chappell, “Joe” Williams, “Cocky” Holland, Lemar Duncan, Bobby Shell, Harold Grove, and George Grove form the 1935 team. Wirt Corrie, Charles Pond and “Reggie” James of the 1934 team. “Swede” Zykes, T.J. Doyle, Randy Mann, George Wampler, Meridith Watson and Hunter Watson from the 1933 team. “Bee” Carter, Mike Pond, Cary Stone and Travis DuPriest of the 1932 team. Carlton Moore and “Tubby” Walthal of the 1931 team. Thomas Foster of the 1929 squad and Molly Wilson and Thomas Lawson of the 1927 team.

I have never heard the result of this Cinder Bowl game but what difference does it matter. Friends came together and I’m sure the players and fans enjoyed it very much.

I have been so blessed to have personally known most of those men and have heard their names mentioned numerous times in Crewe history. Praise be to God!

(Herman “Pie” McCann, a Crewe resident, is a regular contributor of The Crewe-Burkeville Journal.)

Jake Everett Roop, Retired Railroader, Dies

CREWE, VA, Nov. 22, 2007 — Jake Everett Roop, 86, was a humble and gentle man whose life taught both family and friends love and generosity. He was always helpful and sharing, quietly being a friend to all, father to his children and to the children of others. Jake passed into the hands of the Lord on Monday, November 12, 2007. He left his job with the Norfolk & Western Railroad after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when he joined the Navy and served proudly through the campaigns of the South Pacific as an aircraft machinist mate with Carrier Aircraft Unit 10. After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Crewe and his job, retiring from the Norfolk & Southern Railroad as a locomotive engineer in 1983. Jake was a life member of Crewe VFW Post 7819 and of the American Legion. He is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, Vivian Dunkley Roop; two daughters, Janet (Foote) Beck of Woodbridge, Sandra Foote of Chester, a son Gene Everett Roop of Crewe; four granddaughters Shannon Foote of Richmond, Elaine Hendrick of Charlottesville, Erin Foote of Blacksburg, Holly Roop of Crewe; three grandson’s William H. Foote III of Alexandria, Wesley Foote of Chester, Justin Roop of Crewe; a great granddaughter Anna Katherine Foote of Alexandria; four sisters and one brother. Graveside services were held at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Rice, Virginia on Thursday, November 15 at 2 p.m. with Dr. Ben Powers, Crewe Baptist Church, officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Crewe Volunteer Fire Department or the Crewe Baptist Church.
Jennings-McMillian Funeral Home, Crewe, was in charge of arrangements.
(Paid Obituary)

Crewe Town Hall To Get Facelift

CREWE, VA, Nov. 22, 2007 — The Town of Crewe, whose officials constantly bemoan the lack of revenue, is preparing to spend tens of thousands of dollars to renovate the interior of town hall.

Town Manager W. Wade Walker told Crewe Town Council during the panel’s monthly meeting last Tuesday night (November 13) that he had received one bid for a lengthy list of interior renovations to the first floor of the building. The estimate did not include renovations on the second floor.

He declined to name the contractor and did not indicate if other bids would be sought or if the bidding process would be announced publicly.

“We need to look professional,” he said. “I’m not sure we do.”

Mr. Walker’s comments soon brought a degree of enthusiasm from council members.

Councilor Sally Wilkerson, council’s fiscal watchdog, said, “We need some updating.”

Councilman Harrison “Skip” Skipwith asked about the aging electrical system in the building. He said it would be a shame to renovate the downstairs of the town hall “and it burn down two weeks later.”

Councilman Eddie Higgins said a professional atmosphere where the public could trust the record-keeping of documents was a need.

Mr. Walker, replying to a question, said that the $38,600 estimate did not include electrical or air-conditioning and heating estimates.
Council voted to go ahead with the project, including electric and air-conditioning and heating, hoping costs can be reduced possibly by a grant.

A committee made up of Mr. Walker and council members, including Mrs. Wilkerson, will attempt to find the money to do the renovations.

No timetable was placed on the panel’s deliberation or the project itself.

Lois Clements, Parade Matriarch, Dies

CREWE, VA, Nov. 22, 2007 — Lois Clements, the grand matriarch of the Crewe Christmas Parade, has died in the shadows of next month’s Christmas extravaganza here.

For 45 years, she presided over the parade until her health forced her retirement.

She loved the parade and brought that love to making it a magical event, arguably one or two of the town’s brightest moments in Mrs. Clement’s heyday.

She gave her enormous energy to other events, too, including the Nottoway Emergency Squad, where she was a lifetime member.

Mrs. Clements was 82.

Lois Carlyle Clements, 82, died Nov. 18, 2007.

Surviving are daughters Norma Clements Tucker and husband Greg of Chesterfield and Nancy Clements Hagaman and husband Jimmie Hagaman and brother Roy Elliott Sr of Crewe; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband George Leonard Clements, and a daughter Sylvia Clements Converse of Sandston, VA.
She was a lifetime member of Nottoway Emergency Squad and a former board member of VFMA, and chairman of Crewe Christmas Parade for 45 years.

The family received friends from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007, at Jennings-McMillian Funeral Home, Crewe, VA.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Jennings-McMillian Funeral Home with burial at Crewe Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Nottoway County Emergency Squad.

Luther H. Foster High Alumni Hold Reunion

(This report was orginally published in the Nov. 15, 2007 issue of The Crewe-Burkeville Journal.)

The Luther H. Foster High School Alumni Association celebrated its’ Fifth School-Wide Reunion on July 20, 21, 22, 2007. For the first time, the gathering was held out of town at the Holiday Inn (Koger Center) on Midlothian Turnpike.

Festivities began on Friday night with a Meet and Greet. After a scrumptious buffet meal, “oldies and goodies” were dispensed by DJ Winston Branch.

A hearty buffet breakfast on Saturday morning fortified the group for a chartered bus tour of many points of interest in the historically black districts of Richmond. Jack Green (class of 1961) and publisher of the Richmond Voice newspaper welcomed alumni to his Clay Street office located in the renowned Jackson Ward neighborhood. The tour also included the home of Maggie L. Walker and the Black Museum. Simultaneously, the class of 1967 was being entertained at the home of Warren and Doris Bland Farrar while the class of 1969 chose to reminisce at a local restaurant.

Saturday night began with a scrumptious meal followed by the awarding of plaques to former teachers and honorees: Mrs. Frances Wynn, now residing in Mt. Vernon, NY and Mr. Lewis Griffin, a resident of Richmond. After the honors ceremony, the mellow sounds of the Klaxton Brown Jazz Band closed out the evening.

On Sunday morning, a continental breakfast, and a short but soul stirring praise service preceded the visit to local Richmond churches where many Alumnae are parishioners.

Afterwards, some of the Richmond residents invited class members to their various homes in the area.

Mrs. Sandra (Farrar) Branch, class of 1966 along with her committee did a magnificent job of pulling this event together for over 250 guests, reported a group spokesman.

The presence of former teachers: Mrs. Ruth Johns Pegram, Mrs. Alice Birckhead, Mrs. Mary Gordon-West, Mrs. Florence Oliver and Mrs. Mary Marshall gave special poignancy to the event.

Man Killed On U.S. 15

(Originally Published in The Crewe-Burkeville Journal On Nov. 15, 2007)

CHARLOTTE COUNTY — A Red Oak man died Saturday (Nov. 10, 2007) after being struck by a vehicle as he walked along the side of the road in Charlotte County.

The Virginia State Police identified him as Vincent Jamaal Winn, 29, and said he was walking along busy U.S. 15, just north of state Route 631, at 10:42 p.m., when a vehicle ran off the left side of the road and struck him.

The Journal was told by an unofficial source that Mr. Winn was the victim of a hit-and-run and was struck by a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old Longwood University student.

The newspaper also was told that a state trooper followed a trail of fluids left by the driver and eventually caught up with her. He found the motorist and one of her friends leaving the vehicle. She reportedly told the trooper that he was the driver but did not know she had struck anyone.

The driver reportedly was charged with driving under the influence, felony hit and run, aggravated manslaughter, possession of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia and other DUI-related offenses.

The passenger was charged with being drunk in public and with possession of marijuana.