There will never be another Marty Brennaman

September 25, 2019

My first memories of the great game of baseball date back to when I was a 7-year-old kid growing up in Reno. I barely remember Bob Robertson slugging a pair of home runs in a single game in the 1971 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they defeated the Baltimore Orioles. In ’72 my memory grows a little clearer as I remember listening to the great Al Michaels call Johnny Bench’s game-tying home run in the ninth inning and later calling George Foster scoring the winning run on a wild pitch as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pirates to advance to the World Series. In the fall ...

MHS soccer has a Bayern Munich look about it

September 5, 2019

Marietta High kind of resembled Bayern Munich on the boys’ soccer pitch at Jerry Brock Field Tuesday night. Seriously. Bayern Munich is a powerhouse “futbol” team in Germany. And, while the Todd Morris-coached Tigers obviously aren’t pros, they’re pretty darn good prep soccer players. Just ask the previously unbeaten Coshocton Redskins (4-1-1 overall), who dropped an 11-0 decision to MHS on Tuesday evening. Coshocton didn’t know whether to throw in the towel or wind its watch. Marietta, led by Ryan Mannix’s single-game school record 6 goals and Jake Craven’s 3 ...

Here’s to Nathaniel’s opening day

September 3, 2019

Marietta High won going away against Morgan of McConnelsville, 56-14, Friday night at Don Drumm Stadium. It was the Tigers’ 2019 football lid-lifter. It was also Nathaniel’s opening day — and someday when he’s old enough, I’ll try to describe “the first day of the rest of his life” to him. You of course don’t know Nathaniel but the highlight of my day occurred at 1:48 p.m. at Marietta Memorial Hospital where Marissa Prunty gave birth to her first child. Nathaniel weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and Delta said she was right there to welcome him into the world. Delta is ...

JOHNSTON: Sarah Biehl mourns teammate

August 19, 2019

Earlier this month, Sarah Biehl was driving on the highway when she had to pull over to the side of the road. “My college coach called me and told me that Jeremy had passed away,” recalled the 25-year-old Biehl after finishing the 33rd annual Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon Saturday. “It was really hard hearing the news,” she added. “It was a shock to all of us in the (Beverly) community and at Shawnee. That’s for sure.” Jeremy Anderson, one of the running Anderson brothers at Fort Frye, was 28-years-old. Funeral services were held Friday, Aug. 9 in ...

Look out for the ‘Trump Bump’

July 11, 2019

Can you imagine President Donald Trump visiting and playing golf at Marietta Country Club or Parkersburg Country Club? Never gonna happen. Well...maybe I shouldn’t say never, because since 1980 two former Presidents were on the campaign trail in the Mid-Ohio Valley — Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. But Trump? Air Force One would probably have to make an emergency landing at Wood County Airport, north of Parkersburg, for that to happen. If Trump did grace the good people of the MOV with his presence, he more than likely would want to tee it up at one of the local private ...

Reds buyers, sellers at deadline?

July 10, 2019

To buy or to sell? That is the magic question for Cincinnati Reds general manager Dick Williams and his staff as the Major League Baseball trade deadline quickly approaches at the end of July. The Reds suddenly find themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot for the first time in five seasons as they stand just 4 1/2 out of first place in a five-team battle for the National League Central crown. Likely no team in baseball has as many options and possibilities as do the Reds as they have no less than five key players who can be free agents at the end of the season. Pitchers Tanner ...