Posts Tagged ‘pith in the wind’
Eddie Jones memorialized on Facebook
Nashville journalism legend Eddie Jones, who passed away this past Sunday at the age of 85, is being remembered fondly by many locals via short posts on a Facebook page in his honor. Here’s a fun memory recounted by former reporter Pat Embry:
Eddie very much enjoyed conversation, loved holding court, and his Banner office next to mine was a favored between-deadlines spot. Craig Leipold, then the owner of newly introduced Nashville Predators, was gracious enough to accept an invitation to the staff’s annual holiday luncheon potluck (what turned out to be our last before the paper folded a couple of months later).
Leipold filled a plate of food and joined Mr. Russell — the Banner’s legendary sports editor, Fred Russell, who to this day I can refer to as nothing but Mr. Russell many years after his passing — in Eddie’s office. With very little begging from Eddie and me, who had practically memorized the stories by now, Mr. Russell proceeded to regale us one last time with his infamous practical jokes, and personal tales about his buddies Jack Dempsey, Bobby Jones, Red Grange and Bear Bryant. We laughed until we cried, as always, and Leipold practically choked on his baked ham, giggling.
I only met Eddie once briefly in 1995 as a confused and clueless recent college graduate, but I quickly learned that he and I shared a profound devotion to (at least) two things: the city of Nashville and our alma mater, Washington and Lee University. It’s nice to see someone who loved this city so much receive so much love in return.
Related: The City Paper, The Tennessean (Gail Kerr), Pith in the Wind
Tags: eddie jones, facebook, nashville, nashville scene, pith in the wind, tennessee, the city paper, the tennessean, washington and lee university
