Basketball isn’t the only thing to think about

Thoughts this week turn to other areas of sports besides high school basketball.

News out of Florida that longtime sportscaster Curt Gowdy passed away triggered a lot of memories for this old Red Sox fan.

I grew up listening to the dulcet tones of Wyoming’s favorite son, broadcasting major league baseball, college football, and other games including the Olympics. Gowdy was a true professional in every sense of the word.

With the Red Sox in Florida, gearing up for another season on the junior circuit, the Old Towne team can now add his name to a burgeoning list of Hall of Fame-caliber announcers such as Ned Martin, who will be fondly recalled for their service on Yawkey Way.

Other baseball-related news is significant this week as a legendary Bangor High performer, Bob Kelley, is home recuperating from carotid artery surgery.

Coach Kelley, best known in these parts as the heart and soul of the BHS baseball team for 32 years – he also held a position with IAABO Board No. 111 for a number of years as a high school basketball referee – fell ill at the Bangor/Brewer boys play-in hoop contest recently.

After a bevy of tests, the Veazie resident was prepped for surgery, and the results were good.

Kelley enjoys his leisure retirement time, and his legion of former players and students have stepped up to the plate to let him know that he may be gone from the classroom and the baselines at Bangor High and Mansfield Complex, but he is certainly not forgotten.

And while we’re on the subject of baseball celebrities, the word out of Boston and Florida Monday is that former star Red Sox hurler – and current Houston Astro – Roger Clemens is giving serious consideration to returning to Beantown for his farewell tour as a pitcher in the big leagues.

Boston sports talk shows are buzzing with the possibility of The Rocket humming his fastball along side Curt Schilling this summer.

Consider that, then consider where you would rank the Red Sox in the American League East now with those two veterans at the top of the rotation.

While we’re on the subject of Clemens, toss into the mix that his wife Debbie is urging the former University of Texas hurler to come back “home,” as she calls it, for his last hurrah. I’m guessing that Clemens would love nothing better than to finish his career in the land of Cy Young.

One final Red Sox note is worthy of mention.

Is it me or has “new” Sox general manager Theo Epstein been getting way too much publicity for his recent hiatus and subsequent return?

Quite frankly, last time I looked, young Theo had no RBIs, no at bats, and no wins as a pitcher, period. This whole overblown scenario speaks volumes to me about what is wrong with the sport. Granted, Epstein did an admirable job as GM, but let’s not forget that it was young Theo who put Manny Ramirez on the waiver wire, offering him up for nothing. For all intents and purposes, Theo lucked out on that one. He would have needed more than a gorilla suit to get out of Boston if Manny had gone.

And finally, we were saddened to learn of the passing of longtime broadcaster George Hale’s daughter, Julie (McHale) Taylor.

The Hales have juggled their share of heartaches over the years, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

NEWS columnist Ron Brown, a retired high school basketball coach, can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net