Some stories behind the DSBA banquet

Amelia and John Knarr operate Elite Fitness on the second floor of the Stein building on the Rehoboth Boardwalk. They are both physical therapists and awesome at their jobs, so everyone tells me in my circle of athletes past and present where most people need stretching, strengthening, twisting and turning.

John, with a deep sports background from college football trainer to trainer for heavyweight champion of the world Vladimir Klitchko, spoke at last Sunday’s DSBA banquet at the Christina Country Club. He is pictured here with Amelia prior to the banquet.

BEN AND THE BOYS - Ben Sirman was on Laurel football teams that went undefeated in 1957 and 1958 and it hasn’t happened since. Ben was honored for his service to Delaware sports which hasn’t stopped in the last 50 years. Here is a rare photo of the Seaford coaching crew for back in the glory days. Left to right are Ron Dickerson, Ben Sirman, Lenny Chasnov and Dave Baker.

DESMOND SIVELS - Sussex Tech sophomore Desmond Sivels received the coolest trophy last Sunday night as the state’s leading scorer in football. Sivels torched Cape for 330 yards and five touchdowns in their meeting last season and, the better news is that he has equal academic talent and is just a first-class young man.

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Elena DelleDonne was announced as Delaware’s Athlete of the Year, but I told my sportswriting buddies the 6-foot-4 National High School Player of the Year would mostly likely duck the limelight which she did. So maybe Joe Flacco should have gotten the award, like he would show up? There was no mention at the banquet of Delaware State’s nationally ranked women’s bowling team, so what’s that all about?

WIN OR LOSE - My boys are my boys out there on the sports beat and I’m amazed how many times someone will say something like, “I see your boy Ott got the football job, or I see your boy Kergaard gave a fitness seminar, or your boy Knarr trains the heavyweight champion, or I saw your boy Butch lost the school board election.”

Dr. George Stone, superintendent of Cape schools, has been very helpful and forthright with me as I move about doing my journalism job and gives me the respect that comes with being a retired teacher.

So I guess that means “Stoneman” is “my boy,” so if you want to pick on him don’t run your laments past me.
I tell my boys all the time, “All in or all out” - you can’t have one foot inside the circle of friendship.

You ask for a favor and I’m doing it. If it’s illegal I’m only considering it. That is what “being boys” is all about. Women I don’t know anything about.

SNIPPETS - No offense, but I’m picking the Cardinals because the Steelers have no offense.

Legendary sportswriter Al Cartwright, who got the first DSBA banquet up and running 60 years ago, came in from L.A., stepped to the microphone and said, “I once spoke to a convention of midgets and they gave me a standing ovation but I didn’t know it.”

You want old school but can you handle it?

One athlete who did receive a standing ovation was Special Olympics Athlete of the Year Glenn Jones. Jones, a gold medalist in doubles at a Special Olympics National Tennis Tournament, closed by saying how much Special Olympics has helped people like him and that he loved his parents. The house stood up then came down.

Hank Poteat, who lives in Glasgow, wore his Super Bowl ring earned with the New England Patriots.