I came across this article this morning...
Link
1/12
Saying goodbye to 'Louie'
Former local sports fixture Louis Uher dies
By JIM BARSTOW
Sports Editor <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="300"> <tbody><tr> <td class="caption" align="center" valign="top"> <script language="JavaScript"><!-- OAS_AD('x26'); //--> </script> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --> <!--ARTICLE LAYOUT - SIDEBAR--> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="story" bgcolor="#eeeeee" valign="top"> <!--MAIN PHOTO-->
Louis Uher (right), developed a solid relationship with Ohio State coaching legend Woody Hayes (center) and two-time Heisman Trophy award winner Archie Griffin. Here, the trio attended the Rose Bowl together in Pasadena, Calif. Uher, 79, died Tuesday. <!--ADDITIONAL PHOTOS--> <!--MAIN FACTS BOX--> <!--ADDITIONAL FACTS AND PHOTOS-->
Uher (right) is presented with one of many awards he received in recognition of his contributions while officiating baseball and football.
Uher brightened the holidays for many children during the 1960s and 70s by playing Santa Claus during downtown Coshocton festivities. <!--RELATED PHOTO GALLERIES--> <!--RELATED MULTIMEDIA ASSETS--> <!--RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS--> <!--RELATED ARTICLES-->
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!-- ARTICLE TEXT --> <!--ARTICLE TEXT-->
COSHOCTON - A big man with an even bigger heart is gone.
Louis "Louie" Uher, whose love for friends, family and sports - especially The Ohio State Buckeyes and Coshocton Redskins - was as deep as it gets, died just after 5 a.m. Tuesday at the Coshocton County Memorial Hospital.
He was 79.
A longtime official in baseball, football and basketball, Uher retired from Coshocton City Schools as a custodian, but his passion for CHS sports and the Buckeyes never wavered.
His devotion toward OSU football helped spawn close friendships with legends such as the late Woody Hayes and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.
"That's what he lived for," said son Bruce, the youngest of three children. "He went to every game. He didn't miss a game for years. Went to the Rose Bowl several times. One time, he even went out to Pasadena with Woody and Archie."
A photograph featuring the trio recorded the occasion.
"Sports meant everything to him," Bruce added. "I remember going (to Ohio State) with him as a kid. He was always hanging around people like Archie or Woody, and when (former Columbus television sportscaster) Jimmy Crum was in town, he'd come by the house and visit with dad. He knew all those guys."
"Louie" had been ill for about three years, suffering one major stroke and one minor, but Bruce is uncertain as to the cause of his death.
"After his first stroke, he couldn't walk or talk, but came out of that and was pretty much recovered," Bruce said. "Then he had another smaller one which slowed him down a little."
During his recovery, "Louie" liked sitting outdoors.
"He just loved sitting out on the front porch during the summer," Bruce said. "He was like the mayor of Wilson Avenue. He kept an eye on everything."
When he wasn't keeping close to sports, he enjoyed playing Santa Claus in the community.
"I remember they used to make a big deal out of Christmas in Coshocton," Bruce said. "They'd fly him by helicopter into the Himebaugh Lot and then he'd ride down Main Street in a fire engine. He was a good Santa Claus and I'm not saying that just because he's my dad."
He was also highly respected as an official, having been inducted into the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
Rod Lindsey, head baseball coach at River View High School, remembers working with "Louie."
"I was coaching junior varsity baseball and we were playing a game at Tri-Valley," he said. "It was starting to get dark and we had just taken a one-run lead in the top half of the inning so I went over to Louie and told him to not pull the plug on me. He kept the game going, but we dropped a fly ball in the bottom of the seventh and lost the game anyway."
On another occasion, while umpiring a little league baseball game at Fresno, a coach approached Louie before the game and told him about an eight year old boy on his team who thought he wanted to rub snuff. Towering over the small boy, Louie pointed a finger at him and in his booming voice, said: "I'd better not catch you rubbing snuff on my baseball field. I'll toss you out of the game."
The boy wasted little time in getting rid of his "can".
When he got to the point where he no longer umpired, he'd still help out by taking tickets at games.
"They liked my dad taking tickets because they claimed they always made more money with him selling them," Bruce said. "He wouldn't even let me in free."
Even when he was being handed tickets, his reputation benefited him.
"One time he was picked up for speeding in Frazeysburg, but the mayor knew him and all he did was fine him two state basketball tournament tickets," Bruce recalled.
Louie was old-school all the way, and Bruce said he was crushed when one of his best friends died.
"When Frank Shepherd passed away, that was a turning point in my dad's life," Bruce said. "He said something to me about Frank being one of the last great Coshocton people."
But Louie was one of them, too.
"He did all sorts of things for the kids, the schools and the community," Bruce said. "He really did a lot."
[email protected]
Link
1/12
Saying goodbye to 'Louie'
Former local sports fixture Louis Uher dies
By JIM BARSTOW
Sports Editor <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="300"> <tbody><tr> <td class="caption" align="center" valign="top"> <script language="JavaScript"><!-- OAS_AD('x26'); //--> </script> <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> <!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --> <!--ARTICLE LAYOUT - SIDEBAR--> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="story" bgcolor="#eeeeee" valign="top"> <!--MAIN PHOTO-->
Contributed
Louis Uher (right), developed a solid relationship with Ohio State coaching legend Woody Hayes (center) and two-time Heisman Trophy award winner Archie Griffin. Here, the trio attended the Rose Bowl together in Pasadena, Calif. Uher, 79, died Tuesday. <!--ADDITIONAL PHOTOS--> <!--MAIN FACTS BOX--> <!--ADDITIONAL FACTS AND PHOTOS-->
Uher (right) is presented with one of many awards he received in recognition of his contributions while officiating baseball and football.
Uher brightened the holidays for many children during the 1960s and 70s by playing Santa Claus during downtown Coshocton festivities. <!--RELATED PHOTO GALLERIES--> <!--RELATED MULTIMEDIA ASSETS--> <!--RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS--> <!--RELATED ARTICLES-->
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!-- ARTICLE TEXT --> <!--ARTICLE TEXT-->
COSHOCTON - A big man with an even bigger heart is gone.
Louis "Louie" Uher, whose love for friends, family and sports - especially The Ohio State Buckeyes and Coshocton Redskins - was as deep as it gets, died just after 5 a.m. Tuesday at the Coshocton County Memorial Hospital.
He was 79.
A longtime official in baseball, football and basketball, Uher retired from Coshocton City Schools as a custodian, but his passion for CHS sports and the Buckeyes never wavered.
His devotion toward OSU football helped spawn close friendships with legends such as the late Woody Hayes and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.
"That's what he lived for," said son Bruce, the youngest of three children. "He went to every game. He didn't miss a game for years. Went to the Rose Bowl several times. One time, he even went out to Pasadena with Woody and Archie."
A photograph featuring the trio recorded the occasion.
"Sports meant everything to him," Bruce added. "I remember going (to Ohio State) with him as a kid. He was always hanging around people like Archie or Woody, and when (former Columbus television sportscaster) Jimmy Crum was in town, he'd come by the house and visit with dad. He knew all those guys."
"Louie" had been ill for about three years, suffering one major stroke and one minor, but Bruce is uncertain as to the cause of his death.
"After his first stroke, he couldn't walk or talk, but came out of that and was pretty much recovered," Bruce said. "Then he had another smaller one which slowed him down a little."
During his recovery, "Louie" liked sitting outdoors.
"He just loved sitting out on the front porch during the summer," Bruce said. "He was like the mayor of Wilson Avenue. He kept an eye on everything."
When he wasn't keeping close to sports, he enjoyed playing Santa Claus in the community.
"I remember they used to make a big deal out of Christmas in Coshocton," Bruce said. "They'd fly him by helicopter into the Himebaugh Lot and then he'd ride down Main Street in a fire engine. He was a good Santa Claus and I'm not saying that just because he's my dad."
He was also highly respected as an official, having been inducted into the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
Rod Lindsey, head baseball coach at River View High School, remembers working with "Louie."
"I was coaching junior varsity baseball and we were playing a game at Tri-Valley," he said. "It was starting to get dark and we had just taken a one-run lead in the top half of the inning so I went over to Louie and told him to not pull the plug on me. He kept the game going, but we dropped a fly ball in the bottom of the seventh and lost the game anyway."
On another occasion, while umpiring a little league baseball game at Fresno, a coach approached Louie before the game and told him about an eight year old boy on his team who thought he wanted to rub snuff. Towering over the small boy, Louie pointed a finger at him and in his booming voice, said: "I'd better not catch you rubbing snuff on my baseball field. I'll toss you out of the game."
The boy wasted little time in getting rid of his "can".
When he got to the point where he no longer umpired, he'd still help out by taking tickets at games.
"They liked my dad taking tickets because they claimed they always made more money with him selling them," Bruce said. "He wouldn't even let me in free."
Even when he was being handed tickets, his reputation benefited him.
"One time he was picked up for speeding in Frazeysburg, but the mayor knew him and all he did was fine him two state basketball tournament tickets," Bruce recalled.
Louie was old-school all the way, and Bruce said he was crushed when one of his best friends died.
"When Frank Shepherd passed away, that was a turning point in my dad's life," Bruce said. "He said something to me about Frank being one of the last great Coshocton people."
But Louie was one of them, too.
"He did all sorts of things for the kids, the schools and the community," Bruce said. "He really did a lot."
[email protected]
