"Why do they [write] for their money? Why do they [work] for short pay? They ain't getting nowhere and they're losing their share. They must have gone crazy back there." — Michael Burton (paraphrased)
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Without question, a fine Laurens baseball team is the prime mover here, but as I drove to LDHS on Monday, it occurred to me that the Raiders have won every game I’ve attended to date. The biggest factor is that Laurens (21-6) has won most of its …
Continue reading County Signs: Raiders conquer Northwestern territory
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. It’s hard to beat fun at the old ballpark. Somehow, in addition to snapping over 300 photos – deleted about 200, used 15 or so, saved the rest for future use – I managed to engage in friendly conversations with friends and foes alike. Furman assistant football …
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. At this stage of my career, the best part of the annual Laurens County Sports Hall of Fame is that the audience mainly consists of people my age and older. They knew my parents. They ate at the Wrangler. They bought watermelons at my grandfather’s store. Those …
Continue reading County Signs: A night for the locally famous
By MONTE DUTTON Nathan Meade (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. I never thought I’d read books on my phone. Or watch sports called cornhole and pickleball on TV. Then again, I never thought I’d hear of a fellow named David Pecker, though I have to admit it’s an apt name for the guy who ran …
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. The National Basketball Association, which I discover each year at this time, is fun. My way of watching may be a bit unconventional. For great stretches of time, I pay little attention because I am writing, editing, laying out and dickering with photos. I can get lost …
Continue reading County Signs: Raiders, Blue Hose play baseball adeptly
By MONTE DUTTON It took nine innings to settle the rivalry at Ed Prescott Field (Monte Dutton photos). Click here. Many years ago, a colleague asked me to read his column and “see what you think.” I didn’t think much of it. The author expressed his view that playoffs ought to be held for the …
By MONTE DUTTON Coleman Coker (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. It wasn’t a bad weekend. I found out who Nelly Korda is. By some miracle, the Boston Red Sox are 13-10. I’m trying to keep optimism at bay. It’s early. Talladega ended with a crash at the finish line. Who knew? I hoped Brad Keselowski …
Continue reading County Signs: Next … Red Devils visit Raiders
By MONTE DUTTON Bennett Edwards drove in six runs. (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Laurens accepted the key to Region 2-4A on Friday night, and Clinton has a locksmith on retainer. I was at Ed Prescott Field, even though the Raiders had already clinched the top seed but needed a victory over Wade Hampton to …
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. I’m going to miss Young Sheldon. Them’s my people. Tonight I played in front of people at The Lumberyard’s open jam. I like it because people sometimes listen. The local musicians shared with PC biology scholars, and I took one for the team because I needed to …
By MONTE DUTTON Coleman Coker (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Fun. You can’t beat fun. Another of my late sportswriting chums – I’ve been mourning Jim McLaurin lately – used to say that with a regularity that somehow didn’t undermine the humor. It was all in the timing. David Poole and I were alike in …
Nightrider's Lament 