Jim Wyman gave a tremendous introduction for Roger Coleman into the GHS Athletic Hall of Fame. I don't think I have heard a more impressive HOF speech than Jim's. The speech gives a great description of Roger but it is a sociology lesson on the role of radio, small towns and sports in the 1960's. It is MUST READING----
Roger
Coleman Hall of Fame Speech
It
is an honor for me to represent the former employees of WGIL Radio who worked
for Roger Coleman between 1954 and 1976 and to induct Roger Coleman into the
Galesburg High School Hall of Fame as a “Friend GHS Athletics.” This is a happy day for all of us who
worked with Roger when he was general manager of WGIL.
Roger
Coleman is all Galesburg all the time.
He was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Galesburg on November 27th,
1930. His father, Haven Coleman,
was the first basketball coach at Corpus Christi High School in Galesburg. Haven Coleman was also an athletic
director, who had worked at Wheaton College,Western Illinois University and at
Hedding College in Abingdon until becoming sick with encepalitis and becoming an
invalid. Haven Coleman died in
1939.
Roger
loved two things in life: sports
and radio. Although not a gifted
athlete, he did run track for Galesburg High School and spent a lot of time
watching the great football and basketball teams of C. C. Van Dyke and Gerald
Phillips.
