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We lost a great Tide fan and old-school sportswriter yesterday...

J

JessN

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Oct 13, 1999
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Jimmy White of Prattville, a long-time contributor to the Prattville Progress and Montgomery Advertiser, died. I was fortunate enough to have him on my staff for a few years. There wasn't a nicer man alive. Great wit, loved Alabama football and loved writing about, in particular, high school sports.

Jimmy's theme song ought to have been "Accentuate The Positive," because he really liked writing about kids that were doing well on and off the field.

We didn't just lose a icon of HS sports when we lost Jimmy; we also lost a walking encyclopedia of both Minor League Baseball history in Alabama, and an encyclopedia of knowledge regarding trains and Alabama railroads. Jimmy was an avid historian and I used to joke with him that he probably had every blade of grass in Autauga County numbered. He could keep you occupied for hours talking about all the future MLB stars he saw as they passed through Birmingham or Montgomery.

I would guess Jimmy to have been around 80-85. I was honored to call him my friend.
 
Chukker Veteran

Chukker Veteran

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Feb 6, 2001
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I wasn't familiar with his writing, but I do miss the old timers who worked as sports writers. When they were as ready to cover the positive aspects of the teams and players as they were to write something that would aggravate half their readership.
I live in Decatur, the city has recently redone the old train depot. There will be a railroad museum in one of the rooms, complete with an elaborate miniature train setup. I'm sorry Mr. White passed away before it was complete...he would have enjoyed seeing it, and it sounds like he would have been a valuable resource for the people putting it together.
Thanks for bringing your friend's life to our attention.
 
RTR91

RTR91

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Nov 23, 2007
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Jess, you had his age range correct. Think I saw some one say he was 82. Was waiting on you to post about his passing. I remember you commenting a few times before how much you liked Jimmy.
 
F

FBIagent

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Sep 2, 2015
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You never know who your love for college football will bring into your life but it always seems to bring me my closest friends.. I met Jimmy White only about 13 years ago while enjoying Alabama football with another mutual friend.. It didn’t take long for me to know that we had something in common we loved Alabama football.. Me being from MS really only allowed me to see them during college football season but we would talk frequently on the phone about the team and their progress.. Well over the years our football group grew and we all started tailgating together even though I lived some 4 hours away and had not known them that long it felt like I was a part of their family.. I was always fascinated by Jimmy’s vast knowledge of Alabama sports I am not sure there was anybody who knew more about the history of sports concerning the state of Alabama than Jimmy White.. I was the designated tailgate cook and as I flipped burgers he would tell me stories on great Alabama legends both high school and college it made for an entertaining day. I believe if Alabama was playing a football game on the moon Jimmy .White would have called me to see if we were going to try to go and I would have tried to get us there.. I always enjoyed going to away games with him and hear him tell stories about how these places have changed over the years.. .I am not sure how the Football team in Tuscaloosa will do this year but. I know one tailgate party that won’t .be the same.. To say I will miss Jimmy White is an understatement if there ever was one you see Jimmy was 82 and I am only 39 to me Jimmy was like a Grandfather, Dad, Brother, and a Friend and those are hard to replace.
 
Crimson1967

Crimson1967

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Nov 22, 2011
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Alasippi said:
I'm not familiar with his writings, but if he covered sports for that long then I respect the heck out of him.
R.I.P.
Click to expand...
Same here. I never heard of him but he sounds like a guy I'd have enjoyed reading.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jabcmb

jabcmb

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Feb 1, 2006
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Obviously a lot of respect being shown here. Is there a better measure of a man's life than to be remembered well at the end?
 
edwd58

edwd58

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Aug 2, 2006
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Proud to say I knew Jimmy and he knew me by name. He was a living encyclopedia of Alabama and Prattville athletics. He was dedicated in his coverage of all Prattville sports. Obviously he covered the football team with gusto but he was also in Huntsville when our son and the Lions played for the state soccer championship. Since Jimmy had access that parents didn't, he always kept an eye out for all the girls (our daughter was one) that worked in the athletic training program. Working for the football team put them in the path of a hundred of male athletes every day of practice, and a couple hundred on Friday nights. I'm going to miss his smile, and his storytelling. Tell Coach we still appreciate and miss him, but that we're in good hands - never mind, he already knows. Rest in peace my friend.
 
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