It was a soggy time indeed for Mayor Williams and other elected officials, candidates, and civic leaders at the 4-H dunking booth held in conjunction with the Farmer’s Market, Saturday, July 15. The event was held to raise money and canned food donations for the 4-H Foundation’s Free Little Pantry. The pantry is open to all in need and is located by the LSU Ag Extension Office on Second St.

Representatives from the Natchitoches Police and Fire departments sat in the booth and got to beat the summer heat with a refreshing dip into the dunk tank administered by well-aimed softballs. They were joined by a representative from the Sheriff’s office and each of the candidates for Sheriff. City Councilwoman Betty Sawyer-Smith was dunked several times by hard-throwing youngsters.

Mayor Ronnie Williams was shown absolutely no mercy by his children or First Lady Tiffany Williams, all of whom repeatedly sent him splashing into the tank. City Director of Development Randy Lacaze was shown a soggy time by his daughter and grandson as well as several city employees.

The dunking record of the day, and possibly for all time, was “earned” by city councilman Eddie Harrington who went into the water over 50 times. He fell victim to a wide variety of aquatic assailants, including the mayor and a visiting softball player here for a tournament. In addition to his wife and children, Councilman Harrington’s own mom dunked him. He is also the only dunked to be splashed by a celebrity, Natchitoches’ own Johnny Earthquake.

The dunking booth, owned by the city and allowed to be used by a different non-profit each year, helped the 4-H Foundation raise over $400.00 and over 100 cans of food for the Little Free Pantry. The 4-H organization is indeed “Changing Lives Every Day!”

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The biggest, most celebrity, and fun-filled party of every summer in Natchitoches and for miles around is coming your way a bit later than normal, at the end of this month.

Three days of festivities are right around the corner, Thursday, July 27 through Saturday, July 29, with the 2023 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning Joins four-time WNBA All-Star Alana Beard (whose parents are from Natchitoches Parish) and College World Series champion LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri in a star-studded 12-member induction class.

The LSHOF Class of 2023 also includes New Orleans native Ron Washington, who managed the Texas Rangers to a pair of World Series appearances and in 2021 helped the Atlanta Braves win the world’s championship; two-time LSU track and field USA Olympian and world champion Walter Davis; and Slidell native, Tulane great and Chicago Bears two-time Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte.

Also elected for induction are All-American LSU pitcher Paul Byrd, a 14-year Major League Baseball veteran who made the 1999 All-Star Game; Shreveport native Wendell Davis, who shattered LSU football receiving records before heading to the NFL; multiple national champion and world-class weightlifter Walter Imahara, a UL-Lafayette legend; and retired Baton Rouge-Parkview Baptist baseball coach M.L. Woodruff, whose teams claimed 11 state championships.

The LSHOF’s Class of 2023 will be enshrined Saturday, July 29, at the Hall of Fame’s home in Natchitoches to culminate the 64th Induction Celebration.

The 2023 Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, July 27, with the La Capitol Federal Credit Union Welcome Reception from 5-7 p.m., free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum.

The Friday, July 28 schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. The 2023 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert on the downtown riverbank stage, begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party presented by Hancock Whitney.

The slate on Saturday, July 29 kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center and Turpin Stadium. Kids ages 7-17 do need to register in advance at the LaSportsHall.com website, but there is no charge to participate.

At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is held at The Venue on Front Street.

Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at 5, followed at 7 by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening.

The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255, and those events could become sellouts.

The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free. As noted above, camp participants must register online in advance.

The 2023 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com.

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NCHS sophomores and 4-H members Abbie and Amie Thompson of Provencal brought their canned goods donation to the dunking booth event that was raising money and food for the 4-H Foundation’s Free Little Food Pantry, Saturday, July 15. The twin’s donation garnered them more than enough softballs to ensure that their brother, NCHS junior and fellow 4-H’er, Todd’s time in the dunking booth was sufficiently soggy.

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The Natchitoches Public Library’s Summer Reading Program is not only keeping young minds sharp over the summer, but they are also sponsoring some wonderful family-fun events! The main library was a bit less quiet than usual Thursday, July 13 as the three young men of the TMM Project presented the Say W.H.A.T. (Working Hard All Together) Now! show. The 20 children attending were not spectators, they (and some of their parents) clapped, danced, and tried their hands at the instruments that they had learned about.

Terrance Michael Morgan, founder of the group, taught the children some basic dance moves which they then got to try out with their friends. Mr. Morgan’s enthusiasm and love of his craft is contagious and got even the shyest youngsters on their feet. After the class, the children got to try out the various drums the group uses.

The TMM Project has brought its high energy, family-friendly fun to schools, libraries, churches, and summer camps throughout the south since 2005. They were a most enjoyable adjunct to the library’s summer reading program.

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When Kay and I were dating, a snake may have figured into her decision to marry me. She and her daughter Melissa were visiting me in my mobile home when she looked out the window and there was a big snake in the yard. Summoned, I reached in the closet, picked up my .22 rifle, opened the window and put a bullet into the serpent’s head. She told me later that my heroic action regarding the snake prompted her decision to want to marry me, which she did.

Thirty-nine years of wedded bliss later, another snake incident occurred that validated her decision that she’d married the fellow who would take care of her, at least as far as protecting her from snakes was concerned. Sunday afternoon, while I was gathering household garbage to take to the dumpster, she was checking her flower beds out front when she called my attention to a snake — not just any snake but a deadly coral snake crawling through her flower beds.

My machete was in the corner in the garage, I retrieved it and I walked over to where she was pointing and sure enough, I immediately recognized a coral snake crawling along. A couple of quick whacks and the deed was done.

A few days earlier, a friend had reported on social media of an encounter his six-year-old daughter had with a coral snake.

He reported that she had found the brightly colored snake in the front yard, picked it up to bring to show him where he was sitting on the back porch. She told him it bit her finger; he immediately identified it as a coral snake and headed with her to the doctor. A helicopter ride to the hospital followed, and thankfully, the snake had apparently not been able to release much venom. She recovered nicely, leaving her and her dad with quite a story to tell. Not many people are bitten by a coral snake are so fortunate.

After I posted a photo on Facebook of the snake in our yard, there was a flood of responses that varied from a couple who were not in favor of killing any snake to upwards of 80 who were relieved that I had put this poisonous snake out of its misery. Most respondents had never seen a coral snake with a few reporting encounters a time or two; finding coral snakes are relatively rare occurrences.

OK, so just what is a coral snake and why are most people so interested in them? I did a Google search on coral snakes and confirmed much of what I already knew. The number one criteria in identifying a coral snake from other similar species is the little rhyme that says, ”Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black, venom is lack.” The one in our yard had the telltale markings where the narrow band of yellow was touching the wider band of red. There was no doubt about this snake’s identity; it was a coral snake and at about 30 inches long, a mature one at that.

Unlike other poisonous snakes which are pit vipers, coral snake venom is neurotoxic which affects the way the brain communicates with muscles, slurring speech, affecting movement and ultimately ceasing cardiac or respiratory function. Coral snakes are related to mambas, cobras and sea snakes. Differing from pit vipers, coral snakes do not strike but because of such small mouths, they latch on and chew, releasing the toxic venom. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported since 1967 when antivenin was developed.

I love living in the country. I love to watch the deer over in the pasture, see an occasional fox and turkey. But coral snakes? No thank you, even if dispatching one affirms the fact that Kay married the right guy, at least as far as protecting her from snakes is concerned.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

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By Nina Murray and Zoe Hebert

The Broussard Family Juré will be inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center’s Hall of Master Folk Artists at this year’s Natchitoches-NSU Louisiana Folklife Festival. The festival will be held in the air-conditioned Prather Coliseum at 220 South Jefferson Street at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. The festival’s curated showcase of Louisiana folk musicians, food vendors, and traditional crafts persons will open at 9 AM, with live entertainment scheduled for 10 AM to 9:30 PM. The family-oriented festival is fully wheelchair accessible. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are $10 at the door for all events, or $6 for an evening pass to all events after 5 PM.

Juré is a type of call-and-response music performed in a cappella and is accompanied by hand clapping and dancing. Juré is a musical tradition dating back to the times of slavery, according to group member Millie Broussard. On the plantations, slaves were not allowed to own musical instruments. There were no televisions or telephones at the time, so entertainment and communication were both extremely limited. To make up for the lack of instruments, the Creole slaves used hand claps and foot stomps to create rhythms to sing to. At the time, juré served a dual purpose, keeping the slaves’ energy and spirits up, “a way for people to let loose… like a military cadence,” Millie explained, and as a way to pass along and preserve information.

After the abolishment of slavery, juré became a way of making music during the Lenten season, when it was frowned upon to go to clubs or play instruments. Juré has strong religious roots and was acceptable during Lent. Today, the Broussard Family Juré continue to recognize and praise the presence of God in their lives and his gift of music to their family. Millie stated that “We always want to give back the glory to the Giver of the gift.” Their music is at once a celebration of their family’s history and praise to God.

The Broussard Sisters started doing juré as young children, picking up the songs and dances from their mother. As they grew older, they began to join in on the juré from the outside. Over time, the sisters became part of the juré circles. The oldest in the group was the leader of the call-and-response, and the others would join in. During Lent, the sisters would alternate whose house they visited. They would prepare a big family dinner and perform juré together, changing who they visited every time.

Originally, Millie said, juré was a family tradition. They only started performing publicly six years ago. She explained that people became interested in the music and how it got started. It was beautiful music, so others became curious. The sisters decided to share their music to keep it and their ancestors’ memory alive. Millie compared the music to love, saying that “you don’t want to keep it inside, you want to share it.” It’s important to her and her sisters-in-law that they continue the traditions left behind by those who came before them.

Millie has been doing juré alongside her sisters-in-law since she was young, having been their neighbor from a young age. She served as their manager for six years but did not officially join the Broussard Family Juré group as a performer until a year ago, when one of the sisters became ill. She was already familiar with the music and dances, so she filled the role. She explained that it made her happy to do juré, especially in such a way that she and her sisters can share it with the world. She believes her ancestors would be proud to see how well-loved and popular their juré has become. Millie said “That was a pastime for them. Now, it’s a passion.” Millie and her sisters love to share the musical tradition which gave their ancestors moments of solace and freedom during times of oppression and slavery, and they are proud to keep the music alive.

The Broussard Family Juré will perform on the East Stage from 10:15-11:00 AM and 2:45-3:30 PM. They are excited to share their love of music and their family’s traditions with festival-goers.

Support for the festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the City of Natchitoches, the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and the State of Louisiana.

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BOM is a sponsor of the Lakeview High School Powerlifting Team. Pictured left to right: Head Girls Coach Ashley Franks-Norman, Rylie Stiles, Ariel Joseph, and BOM’s Aaron Savell.

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The Kiwanis Club of Natchitoches held its weekly meeting on Thursday, July 13 where club president Craig George gave updates on club news and upcoming events. Club secretary Craig Caskey gave a brief committee update on the October 7th 5K Color Run and Pancake Festival.

George introduced Evelyn Jones, business consultant with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center or Louisiana SBDC. The Louisiana SBDC network, hosted by Louisiana State University, is a member of the National Association of Small Business Development Centers and funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana Economic Development and participating universities and community colleges.

Pictured left to right: club president Craig George and Evelyn Jones

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BOM was a proud sponsor of the Natchitoches Parish School Board’s Teacher Appreciation Event. They celebrated their public pre-k teachers who teach approximately 200 three and four-year-old children across the district with a luncheon. Pictured left to right: BOM’s LeeAnn Edwards, Melissa White, and Katrice Below.

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(From the Summer of 2011 after 34 MILLION pounds of tainted turkey was recalled. Some things never change; it’s still tough to be a turkey …)

Man the poor turkey just can’t catch a break. I’d almost rather be a catfish than a turkey, and the catfish gig’s no day at the park.

I was eating a Sloppy Joe, one of the world’s truly underrated and underappreciated foods, when someone brought up the most recent recalled meat fiasco – 34 million pounds of recalled turkey meat. “Tainted,” meat inspectors declare.

My mania for Sloppy Joes is such that this line of conversation did not bother me. The buns were soft, the secret sauce ingredient (V8!) was kicking in, and the meat was, thank goodness, hamburger.

But between bites, I felt bad for mister turkey, and for several million of his brethren.

They have that stuff hanging from their necks. They walk funny. Talk funny. The beady eyes, the chinless stare. A turkey could be the only entry in a beauty pageant, and still come in eighth, tops.

As if the cards weren’t already stacked, my buddies in the National Wild Turkey Federation are dressing up like shrubs and hunting them even though the turkeys are – unless you count ‘ugly as a weapon – unarmed. They call the turkeys, then shoot them.

So the turkeys in the news this week are double losers. They get called, shot, cleaned, packaged, then RE-called.

Is it any wonder that a guy who’s tabbed “a turkey” is a dud. An inept loser. Dumb as a chisel.

Turkey’s a tough row to hoe.

So if all that’s not enough, 34 million pounds of bird that will never gobble again was recalled. Punched out for nothing. Spoiled by salmonella, a word I never heard growing up. If you’re a turkey, you just can’t win.

Caught up in these poultry-based current events, my friend Doctor Pickles gobbled, “Here’s a question: what number do you have to get to in the Tainted Meat Game before it’s recalled? Before it’s Big News? Eight pounds? Eight million pounds? Twenty mil? If it’s just one box at the Jitney Jungle, do you keep it quiet? How many turkeys have to go bad before somebody squeals?”

And how do you know it’s 34 million pounds? Was it really 52 million? 75 million? Who is the quality control person in charge of keeping up with millions of pounds of spread-out tainted turkey meat?

Larry at the Tainted Meat Department: “Man, 52 sounds like a lot.”

Joe: “Well, let’s make it 18.”

Larry: “18? Who in their right mind would believe 18? We can’t say 18 million pounds. What are you, crazy? Are you insane, with the 18?”

Joe: “I’m just sayin’!, for cryin’ out loud. Make it 36 then.”

Larry: “We’ll say 34.”

Joe: “Fine. 18. 36. 34. Whatever. Let’s break for lunch.”
Larry, opening his pail: “Dang. Turkey again…”

In the tainted turkey racket, nobody wins.

Never do I hear the phrase “tainted meat” that I don’t think of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple,” and the opening scene card game at the apartment of sportswriter Oscar Madison, who stares into his ice box and offers the guys some snacks during a break.

Oscar: “I got, uh, brown sandwiches and, uh, green sandwiches. Which one do you want?”

Murray: “What’s the green?”

Oscar: “It’s either very new cheese or very old meat.”

Murray: “I’ll take the brown.”

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Over the years, every sport has been given a “black eye.” No matter what sport it is, people are always looking for some form of illegal or unethical issues that they can bring to light.

Recently, professional basketball had the controversy over a referee who was betting on games he was calling. Baseball has the infamous Pete Rose controversy with his betting on baseball. Football and baseball over the years have both gotten black eyes over the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. But when it comes to tournament bass fishing, the sport continues to battle with the never-ending effects of bass dying after a tournament. 

Now this is not due to a lack of concern about keeping their catch alive, as there are times when no matter what you do, you will still have a fish die in your livewell. It’s actually very important to the anglers in general because dead fish can cost them a lot of money. A dead fish can also hurt an angler when it comes to Angler of the Year (AOY) standings which usually has a cash bonus for the winner at the end of the year. So, it’s important for tournament anglers who participate in this sport to be conscious of how they take care of their catch.

Admirably, 98 percent of all bass tournaments do a great job of implementing rules that penalize anglers for weighing dead fish. Some events deduct anywhere from a quarter to a half-pound penalty for every dead fish weighed in. While this doesn’t sound like much, it can be the difference between finishing first or 10th. It’s the difference between getting paid or going home with nothing. 

Just like so many things in our world today, there are always people watching and looking for a reason to create controversy that will help their agenda. In the fishing world that would be PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). This organization continues to target tournament bass fishing and would like to see the sport discontinued. They show up at boat ramps all across the country wearing fish costumes and making their presence known while protesting bass tournaments. 

But what they refuse to see is how well and to what extent anglers go to keep fish alive. On the professional level or other high exposure events, fish care is critical. Nothing upsets an angler more than losing a fish in their livewell. I’ll give you an example of how much attention I give to fish care while they are in my possession. 

In the fall, winter, and early spring months, it’s unusual to have a fish die in your livewell due to the cooler water temperatures. Hot water is the enemy of tournament anglers and during the summer months this is hard to combat. This is why I hate summer tournaments! You spend so much time babysitting your catch and constantly checking on them to make sure they are in good shape as the day progresses; it’s a job! Here’s what I have found over the years that can make a huge difference in fish care and that has worked extremely well for me. 

 When an angler first launches his boat on tournament morning, he should immediately fill his livewells with fresh cool water. This is because the water is at its coolest point for the day. Next, put G-Juice or any other good additive into the water to help add slime back to the fish after they have been handled. It also reinvigorates bass and keeps them in stable condition before weigh-in.

After doing these two things, turn your livewell on recirculate. The next step is crucial to keeping the water cool and is where anglers often make their biggest mistake when trying to keep fish alive. When the livewell is recirculating,  add ice, or in my case, frozen water bottles. For me, I’ll mix G-Juice into bottles of water and freeze them so that I can drop one bottle in the livewell every hour. I remove the bottle cap which allows for the gradual addition of more G-Juice while simultaneously maintaining the water at a cooler temperature the entire day. DON’T ADD HOT FRESH WATER TO YOUR LIVEWELL DURING THE DAY! This is a recipe for disaster!

 If anglers want to continue to have bass tournaments, they have got to become more diligent about taking care of their catch. The problem is, when people show up at a boat ramp where there was a tournament the day before and see dead fish floating, photos are taken and posted on social media for all to see! This is nothing but ammunition for organizations like PETA who want to eliminate tournaments all together.

To sum this up, tournament anglers and tournament trail organizations need to do a better job when it comes to fish care if they don’t want the sport to get another black eye. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and be conscious of taking care of your skin by using plenty of sunscreen and wearing protective clothing.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Natchitoches attorney-at-law Jack O. “Britt” Brittain Jr., one of the most remarkable and beloved ambassadors ever in his community, passed away Tuesday morning at age 67 after a brief illness.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church in Natchitoches, with Father R. B. Williams, O.P., under the direction of Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home. A visitation will be held at the funeral home in Natchitoches from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday.

He was born June 20, 1956, and died July 11, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack Oliver Brittain and Ann Williams Brittain, paternal grandparents, Clarence Lafitte Brittain and Irene Humphries Brittain, and maternal grandparents, Judge R. B. Williams and Ora Garland Williams.

He is survived by six treasured siblings: Dr. Marguerite “Cissy” Picou and her husband, Dr. Bryan A. Picou of Natchitoches; Rebecca Brittain Morris and her husband, Wallace “Wally” E. Morris of Alexandria; Judge Lala Brittain Sylvester, and her husband, Russell “Rusty” L. Sylvester of Natchitoches; Eliza Brittain Behrendsen, and her husband, Gunnar F. Behrendsen of Natchitoches; John A. Brittain, and his fiancé, Janice Wheat of Youngsville; and Mary Jane “Cookie” Brittain Richardson, and her husband, Kirk J. Richardson of Nashville, Tenn.

Britt has 16 beloved nieces and nephews: Marguerite “Megan” Picou Bishop, and her husband, Ashley, Sara Picou McCann, and her husband, Gabe, Catherine “Catie” Picou Oryl, and her husband, Ben, Dr. Bryan A. Picou, Jr, and his wife, Kassie, Winfield Hancock Morris, and his wife, Lidiane, Wade Hampton Morris, and his wife, Kathryn “Kat,” Lala “Brittany” Sylvester Gaspard, and her husband, Brett, Courtney Elisabeth Sylvester, Ashley Kathleen Sylvester, Kathleen Marie Sylvester; Behrend Brittain Behrendsen, Ashton Lafitte Behrendsen, Sydney Brittain Dickson, and her husband, Clayton, Ann Marie Brittain; Stanley John Richardson, Richard Blanchard Richardson.

He loved his 15 grandnieces and grandnephews: Emma Virginia Bishop; Ella, Liam and Andrew McCann; Mack, Molly, Fiona and Claire Oryl; Amelia, Oliver and Eleanor Picou; Cooper Morris; Maeve Bailey Gaspard; and Rigby and William Dickson. 

In lieu of flowers, the family hopes friends will consider contributions to the Jack Brittain, Jr., Memorial Scholarship Fund at Northwestern State University to benefit a female student-athlete.

Contributions can be made online by visiting: fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/nsujack. Contributions can also be mailed to: Demons Unlimited Foundation, Attention: Jack Brittain, Jr., Memorial Scholarship, 468 Caspari Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457. For more information, please contact NSU Associate Athletic Director Darian Westerfield at 318-357-4560.

He was a faithful parishioner of The Minor Basilica Immaculate Conception Church. Among his social memberships, he was a longtime member of the Krewe of Dionysos, and had been a member of Holiday In Dixie Cotillion, Holiday In Dixie Planter’s Ball, and an escort for the St. Denis Art Guild.

“Britt” was a 1974 graduate of St. Mary’s High in Natchitoches and was one of the first people inducted in the St. Mary’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He lettered four years in track, football and basketball, and played in the Louisiana High School Coaches’ All-Star Football Game in 1974. Britt was selected to attend Boys State, and also served as a page in the Louisiana Legislature and at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. He also worked for U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, helping staff his north Louisiana office. In his senior year of high school, his fellow students voted him Mr. SMH. As an adult, he was an active member of the Tiger Athletic Association.

He chose to stay home and attended Northwestern State University, earning a football scholarship. He lettered in all four seasons (1974, 1975, 1977, 1978) first as a running back, then a receiver, and was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Britt graduated with a business administration degree in 1979, and set his sights on law school to become an attorney like his father.

He was admitted to the Paul Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University and earned his Juris Doctorate in 1982.

He served as a clerk for Louisiana Head Supreme Court Justice Jack Watson.

Britt entered public service after law school, and joined Senator Johnston’s staff in a full-time capacity, working both in Washington, D.C., and around Louisiana.

“Britt worked for us even in high school. We trusted him to represent the requests of North Louisiana for his entire tenure with our offices,” said Senator Johnson. “My wife and I have known Britt since he was born. He will be missed.”

Britt worked with Senator Johnson until the senator’s retirement. He was immediately offered, and accepted, a position with new U.S. Senator John Breaux as his North Louisiana Chief Political Aide and served until Senator Breaux closed his Shreveport office.

After coming back to Louisiana, Britt settled in Shreveport, where he was well-known and beloved in Shreveport-Bossier society. He was even named by the Shreveport Times as one of the city’s “Most Eligible Bachelors,” a distinction he informally retained for years to come.

He became a member of the Indoor Tennis Association in Shreveport and later was part of a United States Tennis Association national finalist and state champion team. He was a state-ranked singles player.

After leaving government service, Britt worked as a Merrill Lynch Financial Planner in Shreveport. He ultimately returned to his hometown and joined the Brittain Family Law Firm as an attorney-at-law, remaining in practice for the rest of his life, with specialties including estate planning, timber management and oil & gas leasing. His invaluable service to a far-reaching and diverse group of clients and friends was universally admired.

He was among the best of the best and always provided the life and joy of any event. Britt made his priorities in life serving others, supporting countless noble causes and especially his beloved hometown and alma maters of St. Mary’s, NSU and LSU. For decades, he was an avid friend to NSU’s Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority co-founded by his grandmother Ora G. Williams in 1929. Early this century, the sisters showed their love and appreciation by creating the “Jack ‘Britt’ Brittain Service Award” given to a person who is remarkably supportive of the Tri Sigmas at NSU.

“Jack defined the virtue of generosity. He was generous of time, generous of treasure, and most importantly generous of spirit,” said Dr. Jim Henderson, president of the University of Louisiana System and former president of NSU. “His support for our alma mater knew no bounds and was exceeded only by his love and support of his family and friends. When our fathers met as football teammates at Louisiana Tech in the 1940s, they had no idea their sons would bond as Demon alums some 70 years later. Jack was a treasure to us all and I will cherish his friendship for life.”

He spent 18 football seasons as the often unconventional, always passionate sideline reporter for the Demon Sports Network, and did everything he could in support of NSU Athletics in all sports. Britt’s loyalty and service was recognized by the N-Club, the university’s association of former athletic letterwinners, in 2013 when he was surprised by being inducted into the N-Club Hall of Fame as a winner of the Distinguished Service Award. He was a founding member of Demon Brothers, a football alumni group, a member of the Demons Unlimited Foundation and the NSU Alumni Association, and was universally beloved by student-athletes, coaches and staff from all sports and all ages.

Through his involvement with NSU Athletics, he developed deep friendships with sports media, coaches and athletic personnel from around the state and Southland Conference. He volunteered to do legal work for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, some which was vital to the location of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches. He also enthusiastically attended annual inductions and assisted in LSHOF operations, notably taking a major role in hosting golf tournaments. He was awarded a Life Membership in the LSWA and later, in 2017, became a recipient of the organization’s most prized honor, the Mac Russo Award, given to an individual who “contributes to the progress and ideals of the LSWA.”

He made it his mission to spread joy and happiness at every opportunity, throughout his life, and was lovingly loyal to his family and friends. He was a trusted confidant and advisor to people in all walks of life, a gracious and festive host, and a servant/leader in his community, state and nation.

He will be missed. Britt left an indelible, lasting impact with no boundaries. To know him was to love and admire him, and also, to feel his unabashed love that he shared with everyone.

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NOTE — This is part of a series of stories profiling the 12-person Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023, who will be inducted to culminate three days of festivities in Natchitoches July 27-29. For tickets and more information, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.

By TEDDY ALLEN, Journal Sports/Written for the LSWA

A two-time All-America receiver and the SEC Player of the Year as a senior in 1987, former LSU Tiger Wendell Davis is so unassuming, so under the radar and in the moment, that how good he was can somewhat escape a lot of folks, including, of all people, Wendell Davis.

“It’s beautiful to see how the game’s evolved, especially at the receiver position,” he said from Chicago, where he’s lived and worked and raised a family since his NFL career ended after a devastating injury five games into his sixth season with the Bears in 1993. “These guys today are a lot taller, a lot faster, a lot stronger … they make such a big difference out there.”

In his LSU-loving mind are pictures of Kayshon Boutte, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Jarvis Landry, Josh Reed, Odell Beckham Jr., dude after dude from the past 20 years, guys who, if you saw them walking in Baton Rouge, you’d know where they were going and why: to Tiger Stadium, to catch a bunch of footballs.

“To me,” Davis said, “as a receiver, it’s beautiful to see … the way they’re built, the way they move. They possess it all.”

He smiles — it’s a sideline-to-sideline smile, always — and he shakes his head, almost in disbelief. And then with a hint of shy amazement, one of the most prolific receivers in school history says, “I couldn’t do what they do.”

Which is fine except … well, he did.

He did what they’re doing.

And he did it before many of them were born.

While it’s been 30 years since he retired as a player and a quarter century since he finished his college career with three touchdown catches and the Most Valuable Player award in the 1987 Gator Bowl, and while the world and the game has changed plenty, the LSU record book hasn’t changed as much as you’d think.

The record shows that even the passing of time makes it impossible to overlook the accomplishments of Wendell Davis, a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s outstanding Class of 2023.

“We sort of changed the SEC in the mid-’80s, the way teams had to defend; Wendell was a big part of that,” said Tommy Hodson, also a Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer and the triggerman for all those passes to Davis those final two fabulous years of Davis’s college career in 1986-87. “When you look back now, what he did still stacks up.”

Davis still holds the school record for career receptions with 183, and outside of Eric Martin — his Hall of Fame immediate predecessor at LSU — and a Todd Kinchen, Andy Hamilton and Carlos Carson dotted here and there, each an outstanding player, Davis is the only guy who played pre-2000 whose name still litters the receiving Top 10 lists, most of which he was at the top of when he left LSU as a first-round pick to Chicago.

Davis left LSU as the leader in receptions in a game (14) and in a single season (80), in single-season receiving yardage (1,244), in receiving TDs (11) in yards per game (113.1) and in career receiving yards (2,708).

Dude from Shreveport-Fair Park could play.

And remember: until the 2002-03 season, statistics in bowl games and playoff games didn’t count. Plus teams played 11 game regular seasons then, and maybe a bowl. Now a team can play as many as 15 in a season.

Take the Top 50 receivers in either catches or yardage last year in the NCAA and compare them to Davis’s junior season: only six had more yardage, only 13 had more catches, and all but two had the advantage of playing more games. Insane when considering we’re comparing today’s throw-it-everywhere game to what LSU and Davis and Hodson did 37 years ago.

The problem for defenses and the advantage for Davis and his teammates was so simple it’s elusive: nobody could cover him.

“What he did was amazing back then,” Hodson said. “It’s even more amazing today. He had a great final game in the Gator Bowl (nine catches for 132 yards and three TDs) and that doesn’t even count.

“Funny to think about it, but it started out with eight catches here, seven there, another eight or 10 …,” Hodson said. “Then the story started to grow.”

“The best thing I can say about Wendell is that as a safety, I was playing against all kinds of great receivers every week in the SEC,” said former teammate Jamie Bice. “But we knew we’d never see a better receiver on Saturday than we’d seen every day in practice in Wendell; that receiver just didn’t exist.”

The Davis Story started innocently enough when he showed up in Baton Rouge largely unannounced. He’d been recruited lightly and late by the staff of head coach Jerry Stovall, who signed Davis — right before the whole staff was fired.

Davis thought, “Uh-oh.”

“They listed me at 6-1; I’m about 5-11, really,” Davis said. “Most of my career I played at 185 to 187. Speed’s average. But the thing that stood out was that I could run routes. And I loved football and the whole team concept and I worked hard at everything I did. I was sure if I worked hard, I could be successful.

“It’s just that, with a new staff, they didn’t know what they were getting with me,” Davis said.

No. They did not. Who could have figured this average-looking mildly recruited freshman would, as a junior and senior, win so much hardware and help lead his team to a pair of Top 10 finishes.

But he did. New coach Bill Arnsparger kept the signed recruits. A defensive whiz, he bolstered the Tiger line on both sides. And in 1986, after Davis had averaged about a catch-and-a-half a game his first two seasons and Eric Martin had left for the NFL, a freshman quarterback named Hodson from Central Lafourche met Davis.

“He was highly recruited and was going to get the chance to play,” Davis said. “My thinking was I need to get to know him, and the way to do that was to really work out with him.”

Summer meant throwing and catching and talking. Understanding. And then, “the second or third game,” Hodson said, “it just kind of clicked.”

The hash marks were wider then, and Davis usually lined up as the split end to the short side. Teams blitzed a lot and played man almost exclusively.

“On the short side, Wendell’s the easier throw, the shorter throw,” Hodson said. “It just started out as a hook, an out, a fade, a go … it was easier. And his route running as so precise. And to be honest, the corners weren’t as good back then. And that’s really it. That’s how it happened.”

Eight catches here, seven there … Then the story started to grow …

“Just a lot of work,” Davis said. “At practice, getting to become comfortable with each other and trying to understand one another. But the trick was, ‘Can we transfer that to the game field?’ We were able to do that.”

“We were both precise; we both had a lot of discipline,” Hodson said. “In practice if things weren’t lining up, I might ask him to put a hitch step in his route. Or he’d ask me to make it a quick five (step drop) instead of regular speed. The smallest things so we could time it all perfectly.”

If three or four QBs were in a rotation throwing to receivers at practice, Hodson might do some quick math and step out of line.

“I’m skipping,” he said, “until I get to Wendell.”

The out route and the skinny post were the duo’s “go to” throws. “You’ve got the same footwork, the same break,” Hodson said. “Wendell would give you the same look off the ball, but you didn’t know if he was going in or out.

“Or we’d run a corner from the inside slot. The defense would be in man and the guy was always running behind Wendell,” Hodson said. “All the time. I just lob it over the top and he catches it. I bet he scored 10 TDs on that one route.”

He scored the final two on that route in the Gator Bowl when he made South Carolina’s self-named “Black Death” defense look more like they were playing dead. Men against Chickens. The win was LSU’s first bowl victory since 1979 and gave the Tigers their first 10-win season in a quarter century.

(For the record, the first TD was on an out route Davis caught on the hash at the 39. Easily left his defender, juked another, raced down the sideline.)

“Everything just clicked that day,” Davis said. “We went out the way we wanted.”

The end wasn’t as wonderful with the Bears. Averaging 40-plus catches a season in his first five years in the NFL, Davis seemed heading toward a pro career similar to that of his friend Martin, who played 10 years in the league. That changed in October of 1993 at a game in Philadelphia against the Eagles when Davis tried to jump for a pass — and never left the ground. His cleats stuck in the god-forsaken AstroTurf in Veterans Stadium, and the result was a tear of both patellar tendons, the rope that keeps the kneecaps in place.

“They found my kneecaps,” Davis said, “up in my thighs.”

He tried a comeback the next fall with Indianapolis. Didn’t work.

He also got a call from Philadelphia in 2004 right before the Vet was demolished.

“They asked me if I’d like to press the button (to start the implosion),” Davis said. “I just said, ‘No thanks. I’m done. I’m good.’”

And Davis is good these days. Better than good. He says the injury helped him understand more fully that “you’re really not in control of those things, that there’s a purpose for your life,” he said. “And I also learned that it’s not about me; it’s about serving Him and serving others.”

Besides, he says now, the end of playing football was “the end of something great but the start of something awesome.”

The NFL experience, he said, “was wonderful, to be able to have some success at that level. But more important was getting married to the girl of my dreams (Trish, from Illinois) and for us to have kids and be married for the last 32 years. That’s the awesome part. Just transitioning from being a player to being able to coach, then to be a part of corporate America in business, which I love. I’m just so grateful for my opportunities.”

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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Sam Friedman, Longtime resident of Natchitoches died peacefully on July 2, 2023 in Glenville, North Carolina. Mr. Friedman’s death brought hundreds of visitors to Natchitoches to pay their respects to this Hotelier, cattle rancher and businessman who always called Natchitoches home.

Mr. Friedman’s business acumen and visionary approach to the hotel industry, forged relationships across America for over 50 years. Natchitoches hotels, businesses and our local airport were inundated with mourners who traveled to Natchitoches from New York City, Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, Boston, Nantucket, and numerous other places to pay respects to Mr. Friedman.

Mr. Sam Friedman’s life was memorialized on Friday July, 7th, 2023 at the Natchitoches Events Center with a funeral service that was live streamed to many of the 80 hotels he or his company, Dimension Development, either own or manage.

Mr. Friedman will be sorely missed in the Natchitoches Community, at LSU football games or salt water fishing with his friends.

SERVICES: Samuel James “Sam” Friedman

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The NCHS Football team held a Golf Scramble fundraiser Saturday, July 8 at the Northwestern Hills Golf Course. Eighteen teams of four golfers set out for a fun day of competition. Some of the holes had some creative interpretations of golfing rules, including one at which the golfer could choose to use a baseball bat in lieu of a golf club, a surprisingly effective way to get the ball to the green. The golfers enjoyed a jambalaya lunch after their 18 holes.

The scramble was fun for a good cause. The 128 young men of Chief football have been hard at work under veteran coach Jess Curtis. Coach Curtis is in his first year at the helm of the Chiefs after a legendary tenure at Many High School. The money raised will be used in defraying some of the program’s expenses such as uniforms and food on the road.

The NCHS Chief will make their first home appearance on the gridiron September 8 as they face off against the Opelousas Tigers. The Natchitoches Parish Journal extends its best wishes for a safe and victorious season. Go Chiefs!

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