Stripes Worn Well (Muskegon Chronicle)

March 1, 2012

Tim Flahive has battled diabetes for all but a few years of his life. But he's also filled half of those years with high school sports as a longtime official based in the Muskegon area.

The Muskegon Chronicle's Mark Opfermann tells the story of Flahive's final basketball game last week -- and makes us appreciate even more the significant role our officials fill to no fanfare.

A powerful excerpt:

He left the court with no fanfare, took off his whistle and shed a few tears.

But Flahive's story isn’t just about sports and an official leaving the hobby he loves. It’s about courage, getting back up and pressing on.

So, I guess it’s a lot like sports after all. But it’s a whole lot more about life.

That’s because when Flahive took the court last week, he did it with half of his left foot missing.

Click to read on.

Cranbrook remembers Jack Sanders (Birmingham Eccentric)

April 30, 2012

The Oakland County baseball community lost a long-time supporter April 19 with the death of former Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood coach Jack Sanders, for whom the school's field was named more than a quarter-century ago, in 1975

Birmingham Eccentric sports editor Marty Budner tells of the daily presence of Sanders, who was known for maintaining the field that bears his name and also as an assistant coach beginning in 1949. Before this spring, Sanders hadn't missed an end-of-season banquet or postseason game for the team since joining the program that year.

Click below to read more:

Cranbrook baseball was passion for Jack Sanders (Birmingham Eccentric)