St. Martin legend Joe Barlow dies at 86
Updated Feb 20, 2021;
ST. MARTIN, Mississippi -- It was Feb. 20, 1968.
Now the retired St. Martin Hall of Fame coach and athletic director, Mike Perkins was then a senior high school basketball player in his native Arkansas, about to play in the local district tournament.
When Perkins took the floor, one of the officials was Joe Barlow, who had been Perkins’ coach for the previous five years before Barlow moved into administration prior to Perkins’ senior year. But Barlow had begun officiating games to remain close to the sport he loved.
As the game began, Barlow knew something Perkins didn’t. In route to the gymnasium, Perkins’ mother, father and younger brother had been killed in a car accident. The decision had been made by the adults to keep Perkins in the dark until after the game.