marshallnewsmessenger
Jack Stallard, who serves as sports editor for the Longview News-Journal, is currently immersed in his 41st season of covering high school and college athletics across East Texas. His long tenure includes a stint as a correspondent for the Kilgore News Herald in 1986, followed by his promotion to sports editor there in August 1987.
However, his career nearly came to an abrupt end in September 1987, a situation he attributes to youth, inexperience, and the pressure of a looming deadline. His former boss opted to give him a second chance rather than terminate him, a decision that Stallard now views as fortunate.
The trouble began with the typical schedule of Kilgore College football games, which kicked off at 7 p.m. on most Saturdays and usually wrapped up around 10:30 p.m. or later. That left Stallard with merely half an hour to gather statistics and craft his game story under a tight deadline.
But the real complication arose from the halftime festivities. The renowned Kilgore College Rangerettes would take the field for two routines, and when combined with the KC band, halftime often stretched to 30 minutes. If the Tyler Apache Belles were the visiting team at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, the break could extend to 45 minutes, making it nearly impossible for Stallard to meet his newspaper's deadline.
While a student at KC in 1986, Stallard had observed these lengthy halftimes but never voiced his frustration since he wasn't on deadline. Once he became sports editor and felt more self-important in Kilgore, he believed it was acceptable to speak out on the matter. He was mistaken.
During the first home game of that season, Stallard loudly questioned why halftime seemed to last longer than some pregnancies. The dead silence that followed in the press box should have signaled his misstep, but the full weight of his error didn't hit him until Monday morning.
Soon after the Kilgore News Herald office opened, Rangerette director Deana Bolton Covin walked in and headed directly to the office of General Manager Kenneth Smart. About ten minutes later, she exited, and before the front door even shut, Smart bellowed for Stallard to come in. There, Stallard received a crash course on the Rangerettes' significance to Kilgore, East Texas, Texas, and beyond. More crucially, he learned his exact place in the town's hierarchy.
Smart made it crystal clear: "Just so there is no misunderstanding, you matter less than a speck of gum on a Rangerette's boot in this town." Though blunt, the message sank in, and four decades later, Stallard harbors no shame or envy over Smart's assessment being spot-on.
Stallard and his wife purchased their current home 26 years ago, situated directly across from R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium. Throughout the week, the Rangerettes can be seen practicing on that field for countless hours, honing routines that consistently captivate audiences—including veteran sportswriters—each week. He credits Director Dana Blair and Assistant Director and Choreographer Shelley Wayne for this excellence.
This Saturday, Stallard will be back in the press box to cover the 135th matchup between Kilgore College and Tyler Junior College. With the Apache Belles absent due to a prior commitment, halftime is expected to last only 30 minutes. Should it run longer, Stallard likely won't utter a complaint—perhaps just a respectful "Yes Ma'am" and a thank you to Mrs. Blair and Mrs. Wayne.
Jack Stallard is the sports editor of the News-Journal. Email: [email protected]; follow on X @lnjsports.
Originally reported by marshallnewsmessenger.