This Friday, along with my supportive, but somewhat reluctant, wife, I’m headed to Hurley to take in the last game that will ever be played at The Cliff.
Hurley, Grundy, and Twin Valley will merge into a new school next year to be named Southern Gap High School. (I’ll try to post a picture of The Cliff in a minute, but I’ve never had any success posting a picture to VaPreps).
I’m very fortunate in that our long term defensive coach here at Dinwiddie, Coach Dave Davis, was born and raised in Hurley. He hooked me up with some of his family that still lives there, so I’ve got insider info on when to arrive, where to park, and what to expect. And wall to wall, (or maybe I should say cliff to cliff), people is what I was told to expect. Hurley host Twin Valley in what will be their last game ever as well. (How can you not love a school like Twin Valley that calls “Pilgrims Knob” home?)
One other thing about Coach Davis. I have been told that on teams with some of the toughest kids ever to come out of the coal country, Coach Davis was about the toughest of them all. As a linebacker, he was the best among the best.
Now for a couple of questions. From Fourseasonsfootball.com, I see that the earliest games for Hurley were played at a place called Vansant Park. Where was this? Does it still exist? It appears that around 1960 they started playing at County Stadium in Grundy. Was this a shared field with Grundy? Does it still exist?
It appears that it was 1980 when “The Cliff”, (actually Smiley Ratliff Field), was first opened? I see that Mr Ratliff was the Coach for most of the early years of Hurley. I assume this is the same person? I’ve heard that Mr Ratliff became insanity rich from the coal industry. True?
I also heard that Mr Ratliff was a real character. I heard he once bought a Rolls Royce but spit tobacco juice in the floorboard, because he could!
Back down the mountains in Grundy I have been told that Bellecino’s Pizza “ain’t bad,” Any opinions?
As was previously recommended by the long time loyal poster, SpartanO’Yore, we are going to make a trip to Breaks Interstate Park. And unless something changes, on the way back to Grundy on Saturday, we are going to make a side trip to Burke’s Garden. And maybe a couple of the other stops he recommended. On Sunday, I hope to stop by a waterfall that was suggested, as well as visit a covered bridge.
Spartan, I sent you my contact info on the conversation feature.
If any of you have answers to my questions above, or would like to offer your suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. And if you could improve the weather just a little for the weekend, that too will be appreciated.
Hurley, Grundy, and Twin Valley will merge into a new school next year to be named Southern Gap High School. (I’ll try to post a picture of The Cliff in a minute, but I’ve never had any success posting a picture to VaPreps).
I’m very fortunate in that our long term defensive coach here at Dinwiddie, Coach Dave Davis, was born and raised in Hurley. He hooked me up with some of his family that still lives there, so I’ve got insider info on when to arrive, where to park, and what to expect. And wall to wall, (or maybe I should say cliff to cliff), people is what I was told to expect. Hurley host Twin Valley in what will be their last game ever as well. (How can you not love a school like Twin Valley that calls “Pilgrims Knob” home?)
One other thing about Coach Davis. I have been told that on teams with some of the toughest kids ever to come out of the coal country, Coach Davis was about the toughest of them all. As a linebacker, he was the best among the best.
Now for a couple of questions. From Fourseasonsfootball.com, I see that the earliest games for Hurley were played at a place called Vansant Park. Where was this? Does it still exist? It appears that around 1960 they started playing at County Stadium in Grundy. Was this a shared field with Grundy? Does it still exist?
It appears that it was 1980 when “The Cliff”, (actually Smiley Ratliff Field), was first opened? I see that Mr Ratliff was the Coach for most of the early years of Hurley. I assume this is the same person? I’ve heard that Mr Ratliff became insanity rich from the coal industry. True?
I also heard that Mr Ratliff was a real character. I heard he once bought a Rolls Royce but spit tobacco juice in the floorboard, because he could!
Back down the mountains in Grundy I have been told that Bellecino’s Pizza “ain’t bad,” Any opinions?
As was previously recommended by the long time loyal poster, SpartanO’Yore, we are going to make a trip to Breaks Interstate Park. And unless something changes, on the way back to Grundy on Saturday, we are going to make a side trip to Burke’s Garden. And maybe a couple of the other stops he recommended. On Sunday, I hope to stop by a waterfall that was suggested, as well as visit a covered bridge.
Spartan, I sent you my contact info on the conversation feature.
If any of you have answers to my questions above, or would like to offer your suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. And if you could improve the weather just a little for the weekend, that too will be appreciated.
