1921 Silver Dollar

 Boy, was I excited! I had made the Tyler Lee High School varsity basketball team as a sophomore and we were going to Waco to play in a tournament in the fall of 1964. Waco was about 128 miles from Tyler so we left school early on Friday. We would play a game on Friday night, stay overnight, and play again on Saturday afternoon before coming home. It was a special occasion for me since very few sophomores made the varsity at the 4A High School, and I had stayed in a motel only a few times and never on a school trip. Little did I know that the trip would leave a lasting memory for me and three of my teammates in more ways than one.

We lost our Friday night game. After we grabbed something to eat,  we all arrived at the motel to receive our room assignments. I was to room with Sam Bell Jr. (the coach's son), Lamar Johnson, and Jim Denson. We got our instructions from Coach Bell and took our luggage to our room.

 When we got there, the four of us began to engage in a pillow fight while jumping up and down on the two beds. We were so excited! And in our excitement someone inadvertently knocked the  thermostat loose from the wall! Sparks would flash each time we tried to re-attach the box back to the wall. Sam Bell Jr. even put his tennis shoes on each hand and tried to fix it. We were growing more and more disturbed, especially when Coach Bell came around for room check. When we heard a knock at the door, someone quickly jumped over in front of the thermostat.

The next day after breakfast, Coach returned to give us some oranges and chocolate Hershey bars, Again, someone stood in front of the damaged thermostat. We finally received instructions about our leaving and going to the gym to play the Saturday game before returning home. We four boys were so relieved to finally be leaving that motel. We were out of trouble! At least that is what we thought.

We started our game and just a couple of minutes before halftime Coach Bell received a message from the tournament director. He was told that he had a phone message to call the motel. We went to the locker room for halftime and he went to make the call. 

 Our team was still in the locker room when he returned. Boy, was he mad! The motel clerk had informed him that the room that we had stayed in had damage. We lost that game also and our team made plans to get something quick to eat and return home. The whole team was traveling in cars, and as bad luck would have it, I was assigned to ride in Coach Bell's car. We make our 128-mile journey home and he pulled the four of us aside and  informed us that we needed to bring $4.50 each to school on Monday to pay for the damages to the room. I did not want my parents to know what had happened, so I began to go into my limited savings.  I had a two-dollar bill, a 1921 silver dollar, and my lunch money of $1.50 for the week.  I had that much and didn't have to mention anything about it to my parents.  

I arrived at school early on Monday and proceeded to go to Coach Bell's classroom to pay my part.  The other boys did the same. We all thought that it was over--but we were wrong! We had a hard practice and it was obvious that he was upset.  After practice, he instructed the four of us to remain in the gym.  He told us to get on the baseline of the basketball court and to run the lines. He continually ran us as he preached to us for not being responsible during our time in Waco.  Finally we stopped running.  We thought it was finally over, but again were we wrong! He next tells us to get prepared to receive three licks each with the paddle. At least we were allowed to put on dry practice shorts.  He asked who wanted to go first.  I always wanted to go first.  There was nothing worse than watching someone get a paddling and you be next.  Sam Bell, Jr. went last and I have never seen anyone get paddled as hard he did.

It was finally over! That was a hard lesson.  I worked myself up to the sixth man that season.  We had a losing season but had successive winning seasons the next two years of my high school career. We won one district championship and eighteen games each year. 

 But that Waco trip would influence me for many years to come. Coach Bell was a special man who gave me a chance to play.  My letter to him in October, 2007, gives an insight of what he meant to me.  It was earlier that year that he had returned my 1921 silver dollar.  He had kept that coin for over forty years.  

Great leaders like Coach Sam Bell are so special.  I can truly say that he helped me to learn the importance of responsibility.  He died December 10, 2010.  He had fought in World War II with the Marines in the South Pacific.  

Given below is the letter that I wrote to him in 2007, a little over three years before he died.

 Coach Bell, 

Thanks for sending the coin to me.  Your remembrance of those days is very special to me.  I had a great time playing basketball under you and still treasure those memories.  You were a great influence in my life.  I used many of the principles that you taught me in my coaching and teaching career.  Your thoughtfulness in sending the silver dollar to me is far more valuable than the coin itself.  I told my sister, who is a teacher, about your giving the coin to me.  She commented, “That is a sign of a great teacher!”  I agree.  After these 40+ years, I am honored that you remembered me.

 As you probably knew, we did not have a lot of money in those days.  Also, I did not want my parents to pay for my mistakes.  So, I went to my savings to pay for my actions.  Going to REL was sometimes difficult because of where I lived.  You gave me a chance to compete.  For that I am thankful.  Athletics was my escape.  Without it I probably would not have gone to college.

I was able to go to college on a baseball scholarship at David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tennessee.  I played baseball for four years and received my degree in 1971.  My senior year we were fortunate to finish National Runner-up in the NAIA College World Series.  I was one of the captains on that team.

 I met my wife, Rosalind, in college and we got married in 1972. We have two boys Seth and John.  They both are teachers and coaches.  We have lived in McNairy County since 1974. During that time, I have been a Teacher, Coach, Principal and now Assistant Director of Schools for the McNairy County Board of Education.

Life has been good to me because of special people like you. Without the help from you and others, I could not have been able to have the life that I have experienced.  You continue to be in my special memories.  I cannot tell you of the number of times I have told the story of the silver dollar experience.  Now my story has a great chapter added to it.

 Please tell your lovely wife, Sue, hello. I still remember her working in the office. She is a special lady. Also, say hello to Sam Jr. I still remember some of our laughs.  I now know why you ask me sometimes to take him home after practice. You would give me gas money for my efforts.  It is amazing how it took me 40 years for my eyes to be opened.  You must have known that I needed extra money.

 I hope to be in Tyler in the near future.  I would like to come by and see you.  Thanks for everything you have done for me. I am simply honored that you remembered me after all these years in such a special way.

Sincerely,

Mark Massey                                                    

October 30, 2007