September 23, 2020 Issue, Page 8 of 8

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Page 8 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Canceled Baseball/softball roundup: The Elk City High School football game against Trojans stay on a roll Elgin scheduled for Friday at Big Elk Stadium has By Don Munsch, Editor Fargo/Gage/Fort Sup- Keenan Smith and Kyron run. been canceled, according to ECHS athletic director The Canute Trojans ply, Kelln Henderson and Whinery each had two Elk City Elkettes’ soft- Brian Hunt. won their last three base- Colby Maddox each had RBIs for the Trojans. And ball games at the Putnam The school is working on a possible rescheduling ball games, beating Fargo/ two hits. Colt Randall hit against Navajo, Hender- City Tournament — last of the game at a later time and date. Gage/Fort Supply 8-0, a home run. son and Randall each had Calumet 11-0 and Navajo Against Calumet, Dru two hits and Maddox and week were canceled, said Elk City is -1 this season. The Elks are scheduled 8-2. They are now 23-2. Steffes led the team with Randall each had a pair of Elk City High School ath- to play Bethany at Big Elk Stadium on Oct. 2. In the game against three runs batted in. RBIs. Randall hit a home letic director Brian Hunt. Tillman recalls help he received from volunteer trainer By Jenni Carlson, The brought tributes via social 1983, Tillman missed a said. downs and averaging 15.6 stretching on Saturdays Oklahoman media from Sooners of game that season with He didn’t talk football yards a carry. That helped and things of that nature.” Sitting inside his nice, many eras. a hamstring injury. The with Tillman. to convince the Houston Tillman is sure of that big house the other day, Cale Gundy, 1990-93: next year, it got worse; he “Look,” Tillman re- Oilers to select Tillman in Spencer Tillman thought “Will be missed by many.” missed several games. members Leitka saying the fifth round of the 1987 because of the outpouring about the nice, big houses Calvin Thibodeaux, But going into his junior that day, “there are four NFL Draft. of emotions after Leitka his daughters have been 2003-06: “Chief had a season in 1985, he was things you need to think An eight-year NFL ca- died. Other past players able to buy as young great spirit. He made ev- hopeful. He felt healthy. about: rest and recovery, reer followed. were crushed, too. They adults. eryone feel like a million He felt good. nutrition, hydration and Leitka was such a friend mattered to him, and he He thought, too, about bucks.” Then in the opener at resistance training. That’s - Tillman calls him a mattered to them. how he and his wife have JaMarkus = McFarland, Minnesota, he re-injured going to get you back.” confidant - that Tillman been able to help the girls 2009-12: “Game day his hamstring. Tillman bought in, and would fly him in before But for Tillman, he be- get to this point in their wasn’t game day until we “That was when my when he started show- NFL games. They would lieves much of his success lives without the debt of had our one-on-one talks trouble started,” Tillman ing improvement, Sooner work and stretch and talk. ties directly to Leitka. college and the burden while you taped me up.” said. coach Barry Switzer no- And Tillman’s fellow Getting to the NFL. Stay- many twentysomethings Ty Darlington, 2012-15: Seeking answers - and ticed. running backs got to know ing in the league for al- face. “It’s people like Chief that maybe a little bit of sol- “Rich was the one that and love Leitka, too. Then, Tillman thought make being a Sooner so ace - Tillman ventured nurtured me back,” Till- Alonzo Highsmith and most a decade. Parlaying of Rich Leitka. special. He made you feel across the street one day man said. Lorenzo White developed his football playing career “[ would not have any of valued.” to the track. He wanted to “Well, Spencer, if he’s friendships with him, and into a football broadcast- that,” Tillman said, “with- Leitka was officially a get away from the football getting you back to where even when they were no ing career. out him.” volunteer trainer, taping stadium, and he hoped he you need to go,” Switzer longer teammates with There were others in A little over two weeks ankles and readying bod- might be able to stretch said, “he’s gonna be with Tillman, they still worked ago, Richmond Lewis ies for play. But he was out his hamstring. us. with Leitka. Tillman’s life who were Leitka died at the age of unofficially a life coach, Leitka happened to Leitka was there when All the while, Leitka was significant in his success- 75. He was a husband, always willing to offer be there, working with the Sooners won the na- working with the Sooners, es, but Leitka has a special father, grandfather and an ear to players, a bit of his two sons, who were tional championship in He stayed with Switzer, place. great-grandfather. A sys- advice where needed and middle-distance runners, 1985. then remained with the “He is at the inflection tems analyst for an insur- a kick in the pants when and when he saw Tillman He was there, too, when team through the years ance firm. A Muscogee necessary. stretching, Leitka didn’t Tillman had a resurgent with Gary Gibbs, How- point for a lot of things,” (Creek) citizen. A softball But none of it would’ve know who he was. But senior season in 1986, ard Schnellenberger, John Tillman said. player and a_track-and- happened had Spencer Tillman’s body language only carrying the ball 87 Blake and Bob Stoops as Rich Leitka changed his field starter. Tillman not hurt his ham- told of frustration. times but averaging more head coaches. life. And for more than three string. Leitka approached Till- than 7 yards a carry. He “That guy was still there And Spencer Tillman decades, he was a behind- Despite rushing for man and struck up a con- punctuated the season helping people,” Tillman wasn’t the only one. the-scenes pillar of OU over a thousand yards and versation. with a 109-yard_perfor- said of Leitka. “What he football. breaking the OU record “T'd be more than happy mance in the Orange did off the field is a “He did it for a lot of News of his passing by a Sooner freshman in to work with you,” Leitka Bowl, scoring two touch- nificant as what he did people.” A virtual Boston Marathon, a flat wheelchair tire and an act of kindness By Lori Riley, The with his good right leg, 16 had a tire tube. There was ville, and then they came someone would help out.” strength,” Marianne said Hartford Courant miles into his 26.2-mile talk of going to a nearby upon the Achilles crew, McKinstry has been of McKinstry. “We would Just as it was for most virtual Boston Marathon bike shop, of using a dol- trying to fix the tire. competing in marathons people, this year was a have done anything to when — bam! — his chair lar bill to patch the tire Marianne had a few tire since 2017. In 1990, he little different for Harry collided with a pole which somehow. McKinstry’s tubes; Tom started to help. was hit in the head by a help them.” McKinstry. prevents vehicles from leg started to cramp up. Tt was challenging because two-ton steel beam at a But there was more. McKinstry, 54, of Mid- going on the trail. One of the guides, Kate the tire was damaged, but construction site and suf- dletown, is a wheelchair He was fine. One of his Plummer, is a massage they finally fixed it. fered a traumatic brain Garrity woke up the next athlete. He competes with tires was flat. And nobody therapist and worked on “We were all so excited injury. He was in a coma moring, thankful she the Connecticut chapter had any extra tire tubes. his leg. because I don’t think any for three months and spent would not have to run an- of Achilles International, “We were thinking, ‘Oh Then McKinstry’s “trail of us wanted to come out a year and a half recover- other marathon that day, which helps people with my God, is our race done angels” showed up. again on Sunday,” Garrity ing at Gaylord Hospital disabilities participate in now? What are we go- Marianne Haynes and said in Wallingford. He has and discovered a donation running events. ing to do? We're going her husband Tom, of The tire was good. They use of the right side of his to her Achilles fundrais- He wasn’t able to get as to have to do this whole Southbury, were riding got McKinstry back in the body, his leg and his arm. ing page from Tom and much quality training in thing again tomorrow,” their bikes 25 miles as part chair and off they went. He started wheelchair as usual due to the pan- said Traver Garrity of of their virtual experience Even with the blowout racing about five years Marianne sent with “Love demic. And his big mara- Glastonbury, one of McK- of the Closer to Free ride, and the 20-minute delay, ago after he heard about from Harry’s Farmington thons, Boston and New instry’s running guides. which benefits the Smilow McKinstry still finished Bill Reilly, a wheelchair Pit Crew.” York City, turned virtual. “People would drive by, Cancer Hospital and the the marathon in under five racer with cerebral palsy So last Saturday, he was they would see us. We had Yale Cancer Center. It’s a hours, 4:56. nicknamed “Backwards “Tt introduced us to this out on the Farmington Harry propped up against cause close to their hearts, “I have such a great Bill,” who raced back- amazing organization,” River Trail in Burling- the fence. ‘You can’t as Tom’s first wife died of team,” McKinstry said. ward, using one leg to Marianne said. “Really, ton with a group of his change the tire with Harry cancer at a young age. “T wasn’t worried at all. propel himself along. Achilles guides, pushing in the chair.” Tt was a beautiful day, Thank God for my team “I was overwhelmed we were the ones who his wheelchair backwards People rode by. No one they had coffee in Collins- and the bikers. I knew by his grace and his benefited from this.” Have a sports photo to share? send it to [email protected]