Wild Bill’s Weekly Sports Roundup!

Bill Turner
Bill Turner

Well, well, well. We did it again. Last week’s ” Big-11 ” predictions returned a 9-1 record and .900 percentage.

For the record, through the first seven weeks of the high school football season, we’ve cashed in with 2 perfect zero-miss weeks and a pair of 1-miss efforts.

Admittedly, the deck is stacked better than a county fair shell game when the likes of Carroll Righter, Joan Quigley and Jeane Dixon have your back. Believe me, you don’t want to mess with that crowd………or, Ouija without them.

For those of you that are city slickers, the county fair shell games are as old as the hills. Played in the shadows of tents, and clear of the police, the game is portrayed as a gambling game when in fact it is a trick to perpetrate fraud. One guy sets up three shells and places a pea under one of them. The shells are rapidly shuffled around and if you can keep your eyes on the one the pea is under (or your Instant 20/20 glasses can follow) , you can double your money by picking the right shell.

Unfortunately, for the easily duped sucker, the pea is never where you think, often under none of the shells. It is slight of hand by the operator that suddenly shows the pea under one shell you didn’t pick. This scam is officially named ‘ Thimblerig ‘, with the slick con artist called a ‘ Thimblerigger ‘. Get a couple guys in the audience helping the thimblerigger and your pockets will be emptied of cash in a hurry. See, you always learn something when you read this column.

Enough of our soothsayer backslapping. Let’s get right to this week’s ” Big-11 ” slate of games. Patrick Henry and Hidden Valley take this Friday night off and one contest gets watered down to a new location.

FUQUA at ROANOKE CATHOLIC: The Celtics opened with 3 wins, lost two, then won two. In the astrology world this is a mathematical series in the Eighth House. Add to this Fuqua comes to Vinyard Field a perfect 7-0. Uh-oh.  Fuqua- 37 Roanoke Catholic- 13

NORTH CROSS at ATLANTIC SHORES: Another cross-state trip for the Raiders to where else, the Atlantic shores. North Cross is 1-1 in two previous treks to the eastern region. Atlantic Shores has put up points in masses this year, often to the tune of 50+. Atlantic Shores- 49 North Cross- 38

 FLOYD COUNTY at GLENVAR:  The Buffs invade Highlander Heaven looking to hand Glenvar their first loss of the season. West Salem is no place for the Buffaloes to roam on this autumn evening. Glenvar- 34 Floyd County- 13

CAVE SPRING VS PULASKI COUNTY – MOVED TO CAVE SPRING: The Knights got the win two weeks ago at Christiansburg and had the guns blazing in a homecoming win last Friday. Both were in the rain. And, when the skies clear? They move this game to Bogle Stadium because the Cougar Den is under water. Cave Spring- 27 Pulaski County- 24

LORD BOTETOURT at NORTHSIDE: The Cavs won in overtime last year in Daleville in arguably the best game of the year. Could Jim Hickam Field possibly provide a sequel this Friday night? Northside- 28 Lord Botetourt- 27

ALLEGHANY at WILLIAM FLEMING: We’ve been riding the Colonel winning horse all year, except for predicting their loss to Northside. Fleming keeps it going into the home stretch. William Fleming- 30 Alleghany- 14

BLACKSBURG at SALEM: We predicted the Bruins would come close to beating Hidden Valley last Friday. That prediction will not be repeated against the Salem Spartans in Salem Stadium. Salem- 42 Blacksburg- 10

WILLIAM BYRD at ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY: The Terriers go for their second win of the season. The trip to Lexington may be the perfect recipe. Rockbridge has lost its last two games by combined scores of 82-6. William Byrd- 33 Rockbridge County- 12

 Now, to the mail bag where one curious reader inquires about my golfing connections.

Dear Wild Bill: I heard a story that you’ve met Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, sat with Arnold Palmer at a tennis tournament, eaten lunch with Tom Watson and even played golf with Alvy Moore. Just curious…….who is Alvy Moore? (Tom/Roanoke)

Yep, Tom, all of that is true. Oh, yea…..Alvy Moore was county agent Hank Kimball on the TV show ” Green Acres.”

Until next week, it’s time to get my new Roanoke Star picture shot…well, not shot…….The Chief won’t even let us have water pistols around here.

Send your inquiries to [email protected]

– Bill Turner

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