roberteenoch@gmail.com
Harry Kurtz, a member of the 1949 Big Red football team holds, the game ball from their victory over Clarksburg Washington Irving. Their victory was dedicated to Jimmy Rollins. The ball was signed by every member of the football team. Kurtz would later marry Jimmy Rollins’ twin sister, Joan. (Photo by Bob Enoch)
The item that follows was taken from “Highlights on Sports,” by W.A. (Bill) Babcock, and appeared in the Oct. 20, 1949 edition of The Parkersburg Sentinel:
Jimmy Rollins and the 1949 Clarksburg Washington Irving Football Game will be remembered by the Big Red football players and all the fans who saw the game. The fans did not realize at the time the significance of the part which the desperately sick Jimmy Rollins had in that game, but everyone who saw the game could not help but be aware, in retrospect, of the effect on the players of the telegram received by Coach Scott at half time advising him of Jimmy’s death but expressing the belief t
Mar 1, 2021
UP: To a planned new kayak launch at Spencer’s Park in Vienna. Mayor Randy Rapp says the development will spark other plans at the park, such as a walking trail. “I think it’s going to be exciting,” he said. Recreational opportunities and developments such as this one are a fantastic addition for our community, and a draw to those interested in exploring the area.
UP: To Cecelia Fatta of Parkersburg High School, Nicholas Murphy of Parkersburg South High School and Jacob Huggins of Williamstown High School, who were honored as 2021 National Merit Scholarship finalists at last week’s Wood County Schools Board of Education meeting. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to reach that point, especially given the past year’s challenges. Congratulations, folks!
Paul C. Hoblitzell III
CHARLESTON A Wood County man has been named a 2021 History Hero by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
Paul C. Hoblitzell III was nominated by the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society for his work on preservation of history in Wood and surrounding counties. He is a long standing member of the society.
Because of the pandemic, the Division of Culture and History will hold an online ceremony on March 1, History Day, on the Archives and History’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/userwvarchivesandhistory.
Hoblitzell’s efforts before and after 1989 have increased public interest, historical tourism and preservation efforts of oil, gas and industrial historical matters in Wood and Wirt counties, the state of West Virginia and beyond.
roberteenoch@gmail.com
The aircraft shown above was “parked” at Guinn’s airfield along Gihon Road in south Parkersburg for a few years. (Photo Provided)
Before opportunities of simulated flight offered by modern computer games, few children had the opportunity to fulfill the childhood dream of flying. Most kids had to imagine looking over a crowded instrument panel, and could only dream of peering through the blades of a propeller.
But, for a few years, beginning in the late 1940s, the kids living in the Gihon Road area of south Parkersburg, were in “kid heaven;” they had their own P-51 Mustang.
roberteenoch@gmail.com
As the 1899 photo above shows, the grocery of Patrick Whitstead at 420 Market St. made use of barrels. They may have originally held sugar such as is described in the story below. (Photo provided by Bernie Dowler)
(Editor’s note: The following contains historical excerpts that contain language which would not be used in today’s reporting.)
Arrested in the South
Three residents of Parkersburg, and well-known characters about here, were arrested on last Monday at Winston, N.C., on the charge of robbing a large cotton mill. Their names are Frank Delaney, George Delaney and Albert Hobeck. Frank Creston, of Dayton, Ohio, was arrested with them. The men are now in jail at Winston and will be held for trial.