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Saturday, December 15, 2007 1:16 AM CST
The Michael Jordan of harness racing used to race here
BY BRIAN NIELSEN Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
Harness racing and football coaching news. . .
Local harness racing folks found another reason to stick out their chests recently.
When Tim Tetrick broke the world record for harness horse driving wins by a driver in one year, Coles County fairgrounds became the answer to a trivia question.
Where did Tetrick drive his first win in 1996?
That’s right. It was here in a Shriners matinee.
The Fairfield High School graduate grew up around county fairs in our area and now at age 25 surpassed the record of 1,077 wins by Walter Case Jr. 1997.
“I don’t know Michael Jordan and I don’t know Tiger Woods but he is the Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods of our sport,” said Lerna’s Clark Fairley.
Members of the Fairley family made the trip to Dover, Del., where Tetrick broke the record.
The Fairleys and Tetricks have been friends for years and Tim Tetrick has driven numerous horses owned by the Fairleys.
Who knows how many?
“I don’t know,” Fairley said. “I’ve thought about that. And I’m not sure how you’d find that but he’s driven some. Any of the big wins King Johnny has had he was the pilot for him.”
King Johnny is Fairley’s prize horse with three straight Dan Patch victories in the state’s biggest purse for aged horses.
Tetrick has made it to Balmoral Park for those events in his travels that have included Canada as well.
Wherever he has gone, those in this area have followed by Internet or in other ways.
“It’s been a thrill for our whole family and the people at the fairgrounds,” Fairley said.
This is one of those nice-guys-finish-first stories.
“He is a just down to earth guy,” Fairley said of Tetrick. “He appreciates what’s happening. He’s not taken any of this for granted. He is a good spokesman for the sport. He gives a good interview. He is aware of the entire sport and not just himself. That helps us. We need all the publicity we can for our sport. From coming to the little town of Geff, Ill., which is kind of like Lerna, he’s been in Sports Illustrated and USA Today and the New York Times.”
Those throwing out Wes Temples’ name as a possible replacement for his father Gerald Temples as Mattoon’s football coach probably can cross that off the list.
That was probably the case even before Hud Venerable announced his resignation at Normal, leaving things open for Wes Temples to take the head coaching job after serving as defensive coordinator for this year’s Class 6A semifinal team.
Asked which legend he would rather follow, Hud Venerable or Gerald Temples, Wes Temples said: “I just hope I have the opportunity to get in up here. I’m not real interested in coming down that way. I know my dad has enjoyed his time there.”
You can hardly blame someone for not wanting to leave what has become a 6A state football power with plenty of recourses at Normal.
At age 29, Temples might be younger than one you would expect to become the head job at such a school but in football experience he might be beyond his years.
“I’ve been lucky to do that all my life,” He said of being around football. “I just hope to be considered for it. Hud has done such a great job with everyone in the program. To follow someone like that would be a great opportunity.”
This still leaves the question in light of the fact Mattoon’s offensive coordinator Brett Hefner says he is not applying for the Mattoon head coaching job.
Who will?
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