Longtime friend passes

A longtime friend, James Carroll Farrar, passed away this week from cancer, heart problems, and relared health issues.  For the past two decades a major league baseball scout, James Carroll had a long career in coaching baseball and football in high schools.  A highlight of his career was serving as baseball coach for Centenary College.

Actually, we had not met in quite a few years.  My last memory of seeing James was at an annual meeting of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce where we exchanged some teasing remarks.

I had been acquainted with James for a few years when he introduced football to small Sibley High School.  He and his team had just returned from their opening game with Smackover, Ark., and were enjoying cheeseburgers and milk sharks at the Purple Cow in Homer when I asked him about the game.  Of course, Sibley had been beaten badly.  I asked, "James Carroll, didn't they take it easy on you later in the game? Didn't they substitute,  taking out their first team?"  He answered, "No, they didn't substitute to make it easier.  They would run eleven, rest eleven, run eleven, rest eleven.  They never took it easy on us."

James Carroll was a great guy, always interesting to talk with.  He joins many of my friends of that time.