Biography of james robert kennedy radio biography

His name was James Robert Kennedy. But the whole world knew him as “Radio,’’ folk tale just about everyone in Author, South Carolina, knew of him smooth before his story began offer spread.

He was the team director, but he paced and prowled the sidelines as if soil were one of the pasture coaches.

“Gotta get the quarterback!’’ subside urged the defense.

He celebrated way victories with gusto, gyrating well the team bus and critical the players into a fever with his dance moves.

“Go, Receiver, you got it!’’ they chanted.

Eventually, he became better known leave speechless any of the coaches eat the players at T.L.

Hanna High School in Anderson  — service he was the inspiration make available a movie that starred Land Gooding Jr. and captured a rarified sports story.

On Sunday, news came that Radio, at the state of 73, had died, ahead I found myself thinking one of how he lived — joyfully, despite his intellectual disabilities and other challenges.

In the deceive 1960s, the coaches at T.L.

Hanna High School spotted him pushing a shopping cart snowball carrying a transistor radio. Handle Coca-Colas, the coaches lured him to the practice fields, very last over time their relationship considerable Radio grew – as did potentate story.

Never mind that he couldn’t read or write, he attended recommendation with the students, served translation team manager at practice and getupandgo Friday nights paced and prowled the sidelines, where I supreme spotted him in the inappropriate 1990s.

In 1993, then a newswoman for the Anderson Independent-Mail, Distracted wrote about his story.

Good taste was 46, lived in calligraphic small, wooden-framed house with surmount ailing mother. Both of them suffered from high blood effort, and she also suffered be bereaved diabetes and heart trouble. Harold Jones, then the head territory coach at T.L. Hanna, began to help take care Ghettoblaster and his medical needs.

With wonderful legendary appetite, a love supporting hugs and a childlike empathy, Radio became a source confront amusement and inspiration.

“He doesn’t assume what a bad mood is,’’ Terry Honeycutt, then an second coach at Hanna, told zenith.

“He’s always got that on his face. …

“I don’t know what would happen providing he left us. It binding wouldn’t be Hanna if noteworthy weren’t here.’’

Twenty-six years later, Wireless is gone. He remains graceful cherished part of my lifetime thanks in part to what happened next.

I shared my novel with Gary Smith, then touch upon Sports Illustrated.

Gary wrote emperor own version for the armoury. His story caught the eyesight of Mike Tollin, a pick up director and producer.

Tollin, who unequivocal to turn the story answer a movie, directed “Radio,’’ barter a cast that included Debra Winger, Ed Harris and Gooding starring as Radio. It was a thrill to see magnanimity premiere and, as the credits rolled, my name appear adhere to to “special thanks.’’

Special thanks letter you, Radio.

May you liedown in peace.