Coach and Super Fan Jack Condon Dies

I'm saddened to write that my friend, Jack Condon, died last night. Condon was a volunteer basketball coach and a huge fan of the game. Long before the Limestone Family YMCA was built and traveling teams became the rage, Jack's basketball court in the alley behind Walnut Street was the place local players honed their skills. The late Pat Moore started a three-on-three tournament at Jack's that eventually grew into the Dirt Bowl League at Rotary Park. Jack helped many local players get better by teaching them the fundamentals. Jay Gast, Brian Simpson and Angie Garrett are just three of the players who come to mind. Jack taught players how to shoot using the acronym "Beef"- Balance, Eyes on the Basket, Elbows in, Follow through. Jack told Mike Reitz about "Beef" when Reitz coached at Maysville. Jack told me that a few years ago when he ran into Reitz at The Fieldhouse, Reitz mentioned "Beef" to Jack. Condon also went to the local gyms and helped with the St. Patrick boys' and girls' teams and the Mason County Lady Royals over the years. Condon and retired coach Leon Willett could often be spotted "coaching" from the bleachers at the Lady Royals' games. Not even Jack could help me become a basketball player, but he did play a big role in my development as a play-by-play announcer. When I worked the early shift at WFTM on Sundays, Jack would come to the radio station after early Mass at St. Patrick. We would talk basketball and he would provide constructive criticism of my early play-by-play work. He loved to listen to the games and he would let me know what I needed to do to improve. Again, it was the fundamentals- give the time and score often, tell which player got the rebound and what team he was on, don't just use the team's nicknames because fans might not know who's who. No matter how big a blowout I was calling, I knew Jack was listening, and if I wasn't up to par, he would let me know. I've remembered that throughout my career, and I know that's made me a better broadcaster. I've not only lost a faithful listener, I've lost a friend.