I guess when you’ve been around sports in the Ohio Valley long enough, you have the opportunity to see some amazing sights and meet some equally amazing people.

Keep in mind, that I started writing sports in 1969 and let’s just say I was a teenager back then. When I first got a job at The Times Leader, Cal Pokas was my sports editor and Walter Jablonski was the associate sports editor.

I’m sure some big-time sports writers had press credentials and, no, I did not see guys running around with a card in their hat that said press. Keep in mind also that back then if you walked into a news room as a new reporter still in high school, everyone looked old.

Back then, I didn’t have a press pass or any type of press credentials. The only thing I carried with me was a letter that Walter wrote for me introducing me as a sports writer for The Times Leader. The letter said something about providing me with the same accommodations as they would any other member of the media. It was, of course, signed by Walt Jablonski.

That letter had to come out of my wallet a few times. Once I drove all the way to Ashland to cover American Legion baseball. Without that letter, I would driven back without a story. The problem then was that a lot of places I was assigned to go to cover a game I was treated like some kid trying to get in for free.

Well, I was in my second year with the TL and my first year out of high school. Cal sent me to Mt. Pleasant to cover a basketball game. I can’t remember who the Mounties were playing that night, but it was going to be my first basketball game at Mt. Pleasant. I had already covered football there, but not basketball.

I knew about their head coach, Bob Smith. He was like so many other veteran coaches around the valley back then. In the old “Buckeye Local” area, the schools had some coaches that were very well-known like Henry Lazasz, Ken Alessi and of course coach Smith.

My first experience in Mt. Pleasant gave me a story that I’ve been telling for years.

I had a date lined up t before Cal had asked me to cover the game. So, I asked her if she wanted to go to the game with me and when I finished working, we could go up to Paddy’s Diner in Mingo. The place never closed and well, I did promise her dinner.

We got to the school, walked up the sidewalk into the front door. Once inside, I told the lady selling tickets that I was there to cover the game. She looked at me and didn’t even pay attention to the fact that was bringing someone with me.

She proceeded to tell me that I was in no way a sports writer. She said I was just trying to get in free. I showed her my scorebook and “tools of the trade” and keep in mind that back then when you covered a basketball game you wore a shirt and tie. I was properly dressed.

Well the conversation went on until I became a typical teenager that didn’t like having an adult tell me I was lying. I looked at the ticket lady and simply told her that I refused to buy a ticket and that I was going to leave. I also told her that she should have someone tell the coach that I was there, but left and that he could worry about calling in his game.

I turned to my date and told her that we would have more time to spend at Paddy’s Dinor. She didn’t say anything. Probably knew I wasn’t too happy and we left the school.

We had just got to the end of the sidewalk and I heard a man’s voice. “DeLuca!” I heard very clearly. Apparently, someone told Coach Smith and he decided to handle it himself. When I turned around, there he was. He didn’t send someone out to get me, he came out himself. He told me he was sorry about the mix-up and said, ‘I’m glad you’re here.’

Through the years, I developed great respect Smith. As time went on, we would have some great conversations, some short, some longer about basketball. I think he like talking about current basketball teams. There were times I really think he was talking like he was still coaching.

Ironically, when I got into the real estate business, I was surprised how many times our paths croseds there and then it gave us something else to talk about.

I didn’t play for Coach Smith. Never had him as a teacher. I’m sure I didn’t spend the time with him that many others did, but one thing I noticed about him early on and never changed in my mind. Coach Smith was real. He didn’t try to impress people. He was just Coach Smith.

Coach Smith passed away recently at the age of 89. He was a Mt. Pleasant and Mt. Union College graduate. He coached for over 30 years, producing some great teams and players on the sideline at Mt. Pleasant and Buckeye West High Schools.