Articles written by James Wentz
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Nastasi and Hoenstine Hold Pa. Athletic Records
Morrisons Cove, a largely rural, agricultural and sparsely populated 144 square mile area nestled inside Appalachian foot hills in western Pennsylvania, might be thought the unlikely place to produce...
Mike Macovitch was Airman at Claysburg AF Station
Last month my writing colleague at the Herald, Joseph Walk, featured the history of the Claysburg area in his “Newcomers to the Cove” column. As a U.S. Air Force Veteran, he was especially...
Mike Macovitch was Airman at Claysburg Air Force Station
Last month my writing colleague at the Herald, Joseph Walk, featured the history of the Claysburg area in his "Newcomers to the Cove" column. As a U.S. Air Force Veteran, he was especially fascinated...
Erika Smith was a Place Kicker at Central
Hunter Smith is a multi-talented junior football player at Central High School. He is the fullback on offense, middle linebacker on defense and kicker/punter on special teams. In the role of place kicker, he is the second in his family line to fill...
Am I the Last of the Blair League Ballplayers?
Earlier this month a group of old time baseball players from the Blair County area gathered at DelGrosso’s park at Tipton to reminisce about their playing days decades ago. Most of those aging...
Shane Metzler is Central's Most Loyal Supporter
When the undefeated Central High School baseball team won the Pennsylvania 3-A state title last month at State College, part of the Altoona Mirror’s photo coverage showed Shane Metzler celebrating i...
Barry Smith's Transport Company sells for $170 Million
With a $500 loan from his father in 1975, Barry F. Smith of Roaring Spring invested in the first of what turned out to be a vast fleet of trucks and trailers that was worth $50 million in 1998 and...
Jack Bolger was Celebrated Boxer at Penn State
John C. “Jack” Bolger was a funeral director in Martinsburg and Williamsburg starting in the 1950s. He established the Bolger Funeral Home that was passed along to his son, John K. Bolger, who...
Jone Bush was Hall of Fame Nominee
Morrisons Cove is well represented in the Blair County Sports Hall of Fame, but may be missing one athlete worthy of induction. She is Martinsburg native Jone Bush, 86, who was considered for inclusion in the Hall of Fame class of 2004. More about...
Chancellor Dr. Lori (Ferry) Bechtel-Wherry Retiring
Lori J. (Ferry) Bechtel-Wherry, a native of Morrisons Cove, has brought growth, luster and prestige to the campus of Penn State-Altoona, where she has been chancellor and dean, the top executive, for...
Central's Dave Marko Sets Wrestling Coaching Record
Dave Marko became the all-time winningest coach in Blair County wrestling history last month when his Central High School squad knocked off Claysburg-Kimmel at Claysburg. That gave Marko his 318th car...
Old Cove Gyms Still Revered
Late last year Don Appleman of Williamsburg sprang into action when it was determined by his local school board that the “old high school gym” would be reconfigured to serve as a dining facility and to accommodate other school functions. He offer...
Bill Cramer was a Gifted Historian
Commendable civic efforts are underway in Williamsburg to organize a historical society to document and preserve the celebrated history of the town and surrounding area. Roane Lytle was elected president of this fledgling organization. Other...
Thanksgiving–Facts and Frustration
The Thanksgiving holiday is once again with us. No one truly knows when the first Thanksgiving took place. Some academics say it was in 1621, when the Pilgrims celebrated their harvest with a three day turkey feast in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts....
Hoenstine Family Athletic Legacy
Since the 1950s, the Hoenstine family of Claysburg and East Freedom has produced a line of outstanding athletes who have enriched the playing fields of our area with sterling performances. And it all...
Reid Ritchey Saved the Dairy
Reid Earl Ritchey, Sr., 87, passed away last Sunday. He was the third owner of the dairy in Martinsburg that carries his family name. In an unlikely pairing, he became my best friend in high school. Reid and I were both freshmen in 1949–he at...
Central's Dave Baker is the Dean of Blair County Football Coaches
Dave Baker is the head football coach at Central High School and is, by virtue of his longevity, the dean of Blair County coaches. He has been a head coach in Morrisons Cove for 41 years. The...
Cheerleaders: Anna Lee, Peggy and Dave
Much is being written about the integration of Williamsburg High School football players and coaching staff into the gridiron program at nearby Juniata Valley High. But, that jointure also affects Williamsburg’s cheerleaders and musicians. Using...
Williamsburg High School Football Program Has Had Ups and Downs
When it appeared that this year’s Williamsburg High School football team would have only 17 players available for gridiron action this coming season, decisions had to be made about the future of the program. What resulted was the canceling of this...
NBHS Graduate Brian Sell Was An Olympian
This Sunday's closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics will have unique meaning for a former local athlete. Brian Sell, a native of Woodbury and 1997 graduate of Northern Bedford High School, holds a...
The Americanization of Tine Van Dop
Catharina “Tine” Van Dop passed away on Saturday, July 10, after living a meaningful life in her native Netherlands, also called Holland, and her adoptive home in Morrisons Cove. She was in her mid-90s. Her husband Abraham and she were born in...
My Two Favorite Golf Courses: Iron Masters and Royal St. George's
In my active adult recreational sporting days, between the ages of 20 and 70, I concentrated on two especially enjoyable pastimes: snow skiing in the winter and golf in the summer. In addition to golf courses in the United States, I have been fortuna...
Other Voices
Hunter Klotz, Central High School Class of 2021, Rodney Shultz, Tyrone High School Class of 2021, and I, Morrison Cove High School Class of 1952, have something in common. We all took time to savor a key moment in our high school athletic careers....
My Brother's Experience – Go Where the Jobs Are
The announced closing of the Appvion paper mill in Roaring Spring must have workers scratching their heads and wondering what the future holds. The excellent Opinion article in last week’s Herald (“The Time for Action on the Mill is Now,...
James Wentz: Gene Henry Had Business Sense
W. Gene Henry of Martinsburg has passed away. I interviewed him in 1997 for a personality profile and to respectfully ask about the source of his wealth. Henry made news that year by buying his...
Martinsburg's Frank Moore a Candidate For Penn State Hall of Fame
When Penn State-Altoona announced last year that it was establishing a new sports Hall of Fame, it piqued my interest. I became inspired to nominate Frank Moore of Martinsburg as a founding member of...
