"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)
(Monte Dutton photos) Click here. The Class 4A Upstate baseball championship, and the accompanying opportunity for statewide glory, belongs to the Laurens Raiders, who came from four runs behind to eliminate Easley (25-6) on Wednesday night by a score of 7-6. Right fielder Avery Madden drove in what proved to be the tying and winning …
Continue reading Madden completes Raider comeback and it’s on to state
By MONTE DUTTON Greg Porter (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Particularly since the Laurens High baseball team was playing afterward, I chose an overcast Monday to pay a visit to the Raiders practicing football earlier and down below. I waited a while because I wanted to see new head coach Greg Porter lead the charges …
Continue reading County Signs: Porter in charge on practice field
By MONTE DUTTON Owen Pridgen lays down a bunt. (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Coleman Coker walked on a full count with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday night. As a result, Zee Williams walked off, and Laurens won the first of a possible three baseball games …
By MONTE DUTTON Zay Pulley is a dangerous leadoff man and a fine center fielder. (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. A lot of my early trips to Darlington Raceway were in the spring. The first race I saw there was on Labor Day, but I was occupied practicing football on that Monday for the next …
By MONTE DUTTON Jordan Hudson overpowered Catawba Ridge. (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. I fooled around and fell in love. With the NBA. I barely watched pro basketball as long as the colleges were playing. My brief watches left me thinking the players were just going through the motions. A schedule of 82 games is …
Continue reading County Signs: Raiders oust Copperheads, move on
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. The surreal moment of the week was finding myself a seat with a nice camera view and watching Wofford score nine runs immediately and 15 in the first three innings. Until the game started, I had high hopes for the Blue Hose. The Terriers won, 19-2, and …
Continue reading County Signs: Low-down, mind-messin’ SoCon blues
By MONTE DUTTON Peroxide has agreed with the Raiders. (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Things I’ve noticed in movies and TV: It never drizzles. Movies shot in a studio have rickety doors. Many times the bad guy or gal in modern movies is the one who smokes. In old movies, everyone smokes. The second coming …
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. It’s all the same. Sports. News. Weather. Music. Talk. Talk. Talk. Everything’s a talk show. Everybody’s got a podcast. So why am I writing this? So much seems micro, and so little seems macro. So much minutiae. So much of the obvious. Superstar curses teammate in tunnel …
By MONTE DUTTON Clinton head coach Corey Fountain at practice Monday (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. On Tuesday, I spent about an hour watching Clinton High School in a spring football practice. After taking more photos than I could possibly need, I walked across the field and decided not to leave. I sat down on …
Continue reading County Signs: Long ago in about the same place
By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. PROLOGUE Sometimes it rains. Sometimes it doesn’t. I like it better when Mother Nature makes up her mind. I’ve watched the weather. Laurens and Clinton have crucial high-school baseball games Friday night. The Raiders are (or by the time you read this, maybe were) undefeated in the …
Nightrider's Lament 