Friday, November 04, 2016

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 11/7/1966 to 11/13/1966

Benny Padgett was chosen as Offensive Player of the Year by the Rome News-Tribune and the Kiwanis Club of Rome. Padgett was an almost unanimous choice for the honor. Coach Paul Kennedy called Padgett “one of the finest young men I’ve ever had the privilege to coach—or to be associated with.”

And speaking of Coach Kennedy, he was chosen as the 1966 Coach of the Year for the Rome area. Kennedy said that the honor should be shared by all of his assistant coaches, who deserved the bulk of the credit for making the Chieftains region champs.

Roger Weaver was selected Back of the Week by the Rome News-Tribune for his outstanding performance in the West Rome-East Rome game, which ended in a 21-0 West Rome victory—with every point scored in the last sixteen minutes of the game. Weaver racked up another 177 yards gained in that game, pushing him to 1198 yards and 61 points for the season.

West End Elementary won the Boys Club Mite League championship after defeating Central Primary 6-0 on Tuesday, November 8th. Sammy Johnson ran for the one and only touchdown in the game.

Lester Maddox may have won statewide in the 1966 gubernatorial race, but in Rome he came in second to Howard “Bo” Callaway, who got 51% of the vote in an election that saw 15,834 Romans cast ballots out of 26,240 registered voters.

For the second time in two weeks, thieves raided Oaknoll Cemetery in West Rome, stealing dozens of bronze urns valued at $50 each. Oaknoll was the only cemetery hit by the metal thieves. Police had no leads, although they believed that both crimes were committed by the same robbers.

Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 39¢ a pound, 16 ounces of Maxwell House instant coffee for $1.59 (remember when instant coffee was a Big Thing?), and banana for a dime a pound. Kroger had spare ribs for 39¢ a pound, Kroger saltines for 27¢ a box, and fresh corn for 6¢ an ear. A&P had sirloin steak for 85¢ a pound, Sultana fruit cocktail for 35¢ a can, and Marvel ice cream for 49¢ a pound. Big Apple had calf liver for 69¢ a pound, Post Toasties for 49¢ a box, and Hormel Vienna sausage for 20¢ a can. Couch’s had ground beef for 35¢ a pound, grapefruit for a nickel each, and Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for 99¢ a case plus deposit.

The cinematic week began with Fantastic Voyage (with Raquel Welch) at the DeSoto Theater and American Dream (with Stuart Whitman & Janet Leigh) at both the First Avenue and the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought The Liquidator (with Rod Taylor) to the DeSoto Theatre and Way, Way Out (with Jerry Lewis) to the First Avenue Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In.

Johnny Rivers took the number one slot this week in 1966 with “Poor Side of Town.” Other top ten hits included “Last Train to Clarksville” by the Monkees (#2); “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys (#4) (#3); “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians (#4);  “Winchester Cathedral” by the New Vaudeville Band (#5); “You Keep Me Hanging’ On” by the Supremes (#6);“Dandy” by Herman’s Hermits (#7); “If I Were a Carpenter” by Bobby Darin (#8); “Devil With a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly” by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (#9); and “I’m Your Puppet” by James & Bobby Purify (#10).

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