TN Sports Hall of Fame Luncheon Led to Siblings Finding Each Other

If you follow my social media postings, read my news column and listen to Living Your Best Life, you know I love to write about and talk to living legends. I also love stories that are often over looked by mainstream media. The influence of my grandparents made me an old soul young in life and a passionate lover of stories that impact several generations, have historical significance, and reveal the hearts of servant leaders.

In May, my goals were to interview individuals who were inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. The backgrounds of the inductees perked my interest. Anyone who had a Coach Joe Gilliam connection was at the top of my list to get to know and write about, men and women who severed in the military, and any story that makes me ponder silently,  "This sounds intriguing, I wonder if there is more beneath the surface." I would later learn that the 2014 Class of Inductees had all of the above and more.

I contacted Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame to inquire if I could bring Living Your Best Life to any of the events. (I literally can bring a "studio" anywhere to plug and play later. My mics and cameras record interviews to help me with my research prior to a studio interview.) After getting the green light from Lynn Toy, I packed my gear to spend a weekend downtown getting to know some of the most recognizable names in professional and collegiate sports.

While scheduling interviews, Lynn called to share this gem with me, "I can not say why but you should really attend the luncheon. It will be special. Trust me." No need to repeat a statement like that to me. I made sure I put the luncheon on my schedule of events to cover.

Champions Within Luncheon: Shaunn Casselle, Howard Gentry, and Brayden Lenius

Lynn urging me to attend the luncheon put me on a venture that ended with me introducing siblings who had never met each other. Both are adults who knew something about the other but each was afraid if their reaching out to connect would be intrusive or would bring heartache instead of joy. I was in contact with both and was hearing each of their stories about their father, Eldridge "The Lord's Prayer" Dickey, who meant the world to both of them. After many calls and emails to verify family stories vs. media fiction, I realized that both of them were actually piecing together their father's life over several decades. And neither had ever spoken publicly about their famous father. I felt as if I had found a treasure chest of priceless memories. I finally said to each one, "You should really met. You guys have an amazing story to tell." They both agreed and all of us are forever changed. God IS good!

Living Your Best Life has been a part of many momentous occasions. I have interviewed the best of the best; stories that have impacted many lives over the years by challenging and encouraging us to dig deeper than media sound bites. But I had never been so empowered, inspired, and motivated by two individuals who only wanted to express their love for the father. Much like David, their father was an imperfect man after God's own heart and served others until his untimely death.

What started out as a two part show has now become three. Many media outlets have reached out to me to get in touch with the siblings. Both agreed getting to know each other was their main priority right now. When I asked the siblings to be interviewed, I wanted to air a show around Father's Day to pay tribute to Eldridge Dickey's accomplishments in life and his legacy. But I also wanted to know more about the legendary football player that became the man of God his children knew and love deeply.

I hope you tune in to hear all of the interviews that will include stories from those who knew him up close and intimately; Eldridge Dickey's son, daughter, grandson, his college sweet heart, NFL Greats and college friends. Like Living Your Best Life's Facebook Page to keep up with the Tributes to Eldridge Dickey and follow my live tweets about the show on Twitter.


Champions Within Luncheon Photos by Courtney Sellers

Living Next Door To A Hero: Understanding My Legacy

Understanding My Legacy.
Guest Post By Franz Stringer Holmes

The Pittsburgh Steelers should have won the Super Bowl.

Whew, I had to get that out of the way. I have heard the old saying “if you don’t know your history, you are doomed to repeat it”. I prefer, “If you don’t know where you’ve come from, then you don’t know where you going." Without knowing our history, it is hard to appreciate those that have paved the way for you. I have always been taught to stand on my own two feet and blaze my own trails. However, the influence of my parents, especially my father, has been tremendous to me throughout my life. I heard that having a father figure in your life is the closest thing we get to seeing God in the flesh. I could not agree more.

As a "youngster", I found myself holding my father up as the standard of how I wanted to live my life. Anything that was good enough for him was certainly good enough for me. I was taught to at least give things a try. He doesn’t know this but hearing his stories of his childhood gave me hope and justification in mine. If he could act a fool in school and still get good grades then surely I could go to school and excel. I had no choice in the matter. Mentioning good grades brings back to my first statement. Yes, the Steelers should have won the Super bowl this year!

Steeler Pride runs deep at my father’s house. I’m not even big on football but I always enjoy watching the Steelers play. Steeler Pride is so deep in my family blood that even when my former TSU track teammates played against them, I still rooted for the Steelers. To know why is a bit of a history lesson. In high school, my father played football and dreamed of going to the league. He told me once that in his day, TSU was known around the world for bringing the best black football players to the NFL. I am not going to try to name all the names of NFL greats that have played football at TSU that my father knows personally but the name that stands above all names is Joe Gilliam, the first Black NFL quarter back.

Joe Gilliam Jr. played football at Pearl High School and led his team to the very first integrated city championship in 1966. I know that well because I attended middle and high school at Pearl now known as Martin Luther King Magnet High School. There’s a small shrine to Joe Gilliam in a room behind the auditorium that stays locked. How I know this is a subject for another story. The Gilliam name came to mean much more to me as I graduated and prepared for college. I visited numerous schools and I received many offers to attend other colleges but TSU was my first and only choice. My only financial concern regarding school was my books. Imagine my surprise after being enrolled at TSU that my book purchases were paid for by a third party. I later learned that it was billed to the Joe Gilliam Foundation. It was then I began to piece my fathers lover of the Steelers, the Gilliam name and my family together.

Coach Joe Gilliam Sr. served as defensive coordinator at TSU and most likely one of the most influential men in my father’s life. My father, Roger Holmes, played football for TSU.The Gilliam name that I heard throughout my childhood was Joe Gilliam but I had no idea that from the time I was knee high to an ant that my father was talking about Joe Gilliam, SR!

I heard every story about every game, every long night at practice, about every “boy you gonna be a man when I get through with you”, every and all things Coach Gilliam. The very idea of disappointing Coach Gilliam, my father’s hero, MADE me go to class even when I did not want too. After all, he was paying for my books! I had no choice.

After a few semesters, I moved off the yard. As fate would have it, I moved across the hall from none other than Coach Gilliam. I suddenly understood every conversation I heard my father tell about curfews. Living across the hall from Coach Gilliam was an experience I will never forget. I read every book he read. I ate what he ate. I watched every football game ever played by anyone that was suited in a Big Blue uniform. And no matter how I tried, I could not leave my apartment without his door opening to make sure I was alone. Living next day to Coach Gilliam I definitely learned perseverance.

Living in my father's house, on campus and across the hall from Coach Gilliam, I understand fully what it means to love TSU. I know without a doubt that I stand on the shoulders of those before me. I wouldn’t be where I am without my family. And my father would not be who he is without having men like Coach Gilliam who made sure he did not have to walk on grass but on the road that was paved by their sacrifices. The day I met Coach Gilliam, I understood what legacy meant. My father’s legacy became mine as well. Coach Gilliam, as we celebrate TSU’s past, present, and future I want to say thank you for every lesson you taught me about being a man in the game of life. The evenings spent with you, I will always treasure. God bless you!
Your neighbor,
Franz Holmes

Originally published in the Big Blue Issue