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PAGE 2B - THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS - APRIL 9, 2008
CHS Golf
Auto Racing
Commerce Defeats Jackson County Jocko Flocko, Race Car Driver
By Brandon Reed
The Commerce Tiger and
Lady Tiger golf teams defeat
ed Jackson County at Double
Oaks Golf Club last week.
The boys won by five strokes,
168-173, while the girls finally
broke 100 in beating Jackson
County 98-106.
For the boys, Taylor Gary
and Casey Drinkard both shot
38s, Sam Purcell and Colton
Dean each carded 46s, Austin
Patterson shot a 49, and Adam
Hanley turned in a 53.
“Taylor and Casey both
played well,’' said coach David
Stephenson. “They are both
hitting the ball well. Their
scores could have been a little
better. Sam and Colton hit
the ball well at times but both
need to work on their consis
tency. We need to just keep
working hard since the region
is not far away.’’
For the girls, Chelsey Cain
shot a 48, Katelyn Nevil
recorded a 50, C.J. Wilkes shot
a 54, and Camille Blair carded
a 56.
“We made our goal of break
ing 100," Stephenson said. “I
am really proud of these girls.
Our new goal is to break 95.
Chelsey played really well and
Katelyn had a birdie, which is
rare for our girls, on the last
hole. Hopefully we can con
tinue to lower our scores. C.J.
and Camille also played well.’’
The Tigers were scheduled to
face Franklin County and Hart
County on Thursday, but that
match was rained out.
The Tigers boys were sched
uled to take part in the Calhoun
Tournament on Monday. Team
scores were not available at
press time.
Individual scores during
the morning round included
Casey Drinkard with a 77,
Taylor Gary with an 85, and
CHS Track and Field
Cont. from Page IB
Walt Massey says he is seeing
improvement with the team.
“Cohen Cooke and Reuben
Haynes exemplified everything
that I want Commerce baseball to
stand for," he said. “Win or lose,
the process is far more impor
tant than the result. They focused
on and took care of only what
they had under their control, and
never let things on the peripheral
affect their willingness to com
pete. Together, they pitched two
complete games, giving up only
three earned runs combined. We
Taylor Gary, pictured from an
Jackson County last week.
Colton Dean with an 89. Sam
Purcell and Austin Patterson
both shot 95s.
The afternoon round in
Calhoun was not completed
on Monday. Results from
are a better team now and cer
tainly will be in the future because
of the selfless effort of those two
in our last two games."
Accruing Interest
Up next for Commerce was a
trip to Jefferson to face the 8-3
Dragons, who entered Tuesday’s
game undefeated in the sub-
region. Results of that game were
unavailable at press time.
The Tigers next travel to Social
Circle Thursday to face a 6-6
Redskins team.
“This week is a big week as
we travel to play three games on
earlier match, shot a 38 against
Photo by Ben Munro
Tuesday were not available by
press time.
Next up for the Tigers is a
rematch with the East Jackson
Eagles on April 15 at Double
Oaks Golf Club.
the road," Massey said. “If our
good fortune is drawing interest
while it’s being put on hold for us
right now, then I’m anxious to see
what-all is going to go in our favor
when we get to cash it in.
“We’ve been on the wrong side
of too many bad hops and tough
breaks to rest easy. However,
these guys want so bad to do well
that I’m certain we will battle and
see a return on our hard work
very soon. I’m excited about tran
sitioning into the second half of
our region schedule and finishing
this season on a high note."
Back in the inf ancy of American
automobile racing, having a pas
senger in a racecar wasn’t just
common, it was a necessity. In
the early days, drivers would
have a “ride along" mechanic
with them to diagnose any trou
ble, and also to tell drivers when
someone was approaching them
from behind or making a pass.
The ride along mechanic
became obsolete in 1911, when
Ray Harroun invented the
rear-view mirror, and, with a
lighter car, won the inaugural
Indianapolis 500 in his famous
Marmon Wasp.
Since then, race drivers haven’t
had much need for passengers.
But in 1953, NASCAR had its
only known co-driver in eight
Grand National (now Sprint
Cup) events. His name was
Jocko Flocko.
He was a Rhesus monkey, who
rode shotgun with the legendary
Tim Flock.
Here’s how the story goes,
which is so crazy it couldn’t be
made up.
In 1952, Tim Flock drove for
a man by the name of Ted
Chester, who was from around
Dawsonville, GA. Flock drove
his Chester owned Hudson
Hornets to eight victories, and
the NASCAR championship.
Flock and Chester were again
teamed up in 1953, and looked
to be on track to contend for
the title again.
As the story goes, Chester was
at a pet shop in Atlanta, looking
for a gift for his wife, when he
spotted this little Rhesus mon
key. The little creature was
very personable, and a sign
on its cage indicated its name
was “Jocko." Chester’s mind
instantly clicked on the name
“Jocko Flocko," in association
with Tim’s name, and hought
Golf
The Georgia Department of
Natural Resources, Wildlife
Resources Division (WRD)
will hold four public hearings
to receive input on proposed
changes to the hunting regula
tions for the 2008-2009 sea
son.
The purpose of the proposed
regulationchanges is to manage
Georgia’s game birds and game
animals according to sound
principles of wildlife manage
ment and to meet public objec
tives for use of these renewable
natural resources. Proposed
changes that WRD will address
Down Ijt t * »■
w
The
Stretch
BY BRANDON REED
this would make the neatest
gimmick for his racing outfit.
After purchasing Jocko,
Chester took the idea to Flock,
who immediately thought
Chester had been spending too
much time at a local tavern.
But, Flock said later, the more
he thought about it, the more
he liked the idea. So Chester
and Flock had the crew fix a
“co-driver" seat in the Hudson,
and at the next race, which was
at Charlotte, they snuck Jocko
in the car just before the race
started.
Needless to say, Jocko made
a big splash. The fans loved
the notion of this little monkey
racing along with Tim, and he
became a fan favorite. Tim and
Jocko finished fourth that day,
collecting $350 (it’s not noted
how much Jocko received for
his services).
Jocko raced in eight events
with Tim that year, and even
went to victory lane on May 16
at Hickory, N.C.
The NASCAR officials simply
turned a blind eye to the high
speed simian. It was good pub
licity for the still young Grand
National tour, and sold more
tickets to the races.
But Jocko’s high speed life
style was about to come to an
end.
It happened at a race in
include regulations related
to dove hunting season and
hunting opportunities on new
Wildlife Management Areas
and on State Parks.
Members of the general pub
lic will have an opportunity to
provide input at four WRD-
sponsored public hearings,
includingoneon Monday, Apriil
21 at the Georgia Mountain
Center in Gainesville.
Those unable to attend the
hearings may submit state
ments electronically through
the WRD website at www.
gohuntgeorgia.com or by
Raleigh, N.C. Tim was running
second at the time, trying to
catch his brother, Fonty, who
held the lead.
Late in the race, as Tim was
concentrating on catching
Fonty, Jocko managed to slip
out from under his seat belt,
and climbed down in the floor
board to investigate a trap door
that was cut into the wheel well
to allow drivers to monitor tire
wear. About the time that Jocko
opened the little trap door, the
tire apparently kicked up a piece
of gravel, which barely zinged
Jocko between the eyes.
Jocko let out a scream, and
began running all around the
inside of the Hudson. Eventually,
he ended up on Tim’s back,
clawing and screaming.
Tim showed incredible car
control, and piloted the Hornet
into the pits (I dare anybody to
argue the “car control" asser
tion - when was the last time
you saw a NASCAR driver pilot
a car with a monkey on his
back?). After getting Jocko out
of the car, Tim rejoined the race,
and eventually finished third.
The loss of track position cost
Tim about $600.
Needless to say, that was the
end of Jocko’s racing career. He
retired to the relative quiet of
the Flock household, where he
passed away several years later.
Over the years, fans would
come up to Tim and ask,
“Whatever happened to old
Jocko Flocko?"
Tim would give them that
trademark mischievous grin of
his, and say “I couldn’t teach
him to sign his autograph, so I
had to fire him!"
•Brandon Reed is a reporter
for MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Contact him at brandon@main-
streetnews.com.
mail prior to close of busi
ness May 2. Written state
ments should be mailed to the
Georgia Department of Natural
Resources Wildlife Resources
Division, Game Management
Section, Attn: John Bowers,
2070 U.S. Highway 278, S.E.,
Social Circle, Georgia 30025.
These meetings are acces
sible to people with physical
disabilities.
For more information on the
scheduled public hearings or
to view the proposed regula
tion changes, visit www.gohunt-
georgia.com.
Tigers Set For Jefferson Relays
By Brandon Reed
Cold weather and cancellations plagued the
Commerce track team last week.
First, they were scheduled to face Gainesville
and Lumpkin Countylast Tuesday, but that match
was cancelled.
On Thursday, the team was scheduled to travel
to East Jackson, but didn’t participate due to the
—Massey Sees Improvement In Tigers
Benefit Golf Tournament Coming Up
cold weather.
“We did a little bit, but we didn’t run everybody
because it was just too cold," said coach Pam
Canup.
Hopefully, things will work out better this week
end as the Tigers head to Jefferson Saturday for
the Jefferson Relays The meet is scheduled to
start around 10 a.m.
Double Oaks Golf Club — formerly Sandy Creek
Golf Course — will host the third annual Golf for
Life Tournament Saturday, April 26, to support
the Franklin Life Crisis Pregnancy Center.
The four-person team Lauderdale will begin
at 8:30 with a shotgun start. Lunch will be pro
vided.
The $65 entry fee covers the greens fees, cart
fee and lunch. Mulligans will be available at $5
apiece, with a limit of four per person. Prizes
Outdoors
will be awarded for the first through third place
finishes.
There will also be closest-to-the-pin contests and
a longest drive contest, and a hole-in-one could
win a GMC Canyon crew cab pickup truck with
off-road package.
For information, to enter a team or to sponsor a
hole, contact Franklin Life (706-384-5081), Cindy
Banks (706-498-3735), Tina Brock (706-498-4584)
or Denise Edwards (706-680-0462).
Public Hearings For Hunting Regs. Scheduled
O!
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