Two who will be missed
Northern Kentucky – and Northern Kentucky sports – lost a good one – “a really good guy” was the way everybody at Dick Berger’s visitation this week described the dad, son, brother, mentor, official, athlete, fan and businessman who passed away this past week at the much too young age of 77.
A Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Famer along with his two brothers, Chuck and Jimmy, the Covington Catholic grad who spent more than a half-century with his family’s Bilz Insurance, did it all, from playing on CovCath’s first state finalist basketball team in 1967 to serving his country in Vietnam and then serving his community with his love and support for sports and those who played them. He will be missed.
Another who will be missed was one of the all-time good guys in Kentucky sports history, and one of the most accomplished, Adrian Smith, who lived in Anderson Township after playing for the Royals and becoming a Fifth-Third Bank vice-president here. But there was much more to the man they called “Odie,” born on a farm outside the far western Kentucky town of Farmington in a house with no electricity or indoor plumbing.
He helped Adolph Rupp’s “Fiddlin’ Five” to the 1958 NCAA title, won an Olympic gold medal along the way helping Oscar Robertson & Co. win one in 1960, then eventually joined Oscar in Cincinnati with the Royals where Adrian won an NBA All-Star Game MVP award in 1966 with his 24-point effort that earned hm a new Ford Galaxy that he kept the rest of his life.
But if you ever met him, you’d have had no idea Adrian Smith had done all of that as a quick, tough, accomplished athlete at the very highest level, who could handle it, shoot it and defend. Adrian, who died at the age of 89 April 28, was as down to earth and as sweet and humble a person as you’re ever likely to meet.
Silver Grove, scholarships for the NKSHOF
In Wednesday’s final school year inductions, it will be Silver Grove day at The Arbors in Park Hills for this month’s induction into the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame. Five of the eight new Hall of Famers are Big Trains from the small Campbell County river community.
They are: Todd Bitter, a three-sport alum and Knothole and softball coach: Scotty McCarter, who posted big numbers in basketball and baseball; Gene Doll, a basketball all-stater from 1946; Chris Smith, Ninth Region Basketball Player of the Year in 1965; and Charlie Doll, a Silver Grove basketball/baseball star in the 1950s and coach in the 1960s.
The three non-Grovers are Newport Central Catholic’s Jerry Pelle, sponsor of Pelles’ Softball teams for more than 40 years and Covington Catholic’s Don Whittle, YMCA swimmer, Covington Catholic star and college All-American; and longtime top-level softball sponsor Buzzie McCarter.
Also on the program for the 1 p.m. meeting will be the annual awarding of college scholarships as well as volleyballs to high school programs. The public is invited and there is no charge.
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X @dweber3440.