This is the problem we have when we hire out of Clovis Unified. They don’t respect loyality and don’t understand what it takes to build a winning program after you split the schools.

I was born and reared in Madera and graduated from Madera High School in 1966. Although I have not resided in Madera for over 30 years, I still have friends in Madera with whom I remain in contact, including your own Leon Emo and your next State Assemblyman from the 29th Assembly District, Don McKinney. I am also an on-line subscriber to the Tribune.

When I first learned that George was going to be the head coach of the Madera High baseball team I thought, what a perfect fit. If anything in this world is right, his being the coach certainly is. Then when I recently read that George’s contract was being terminated I was appalled. How could this possible be?

Everything that Bobby Kahn wrote about George is true. It is true because that is exactly how I remember George. He is the way he is because that was the way of his family. I knew his father, George Sr. I knew his mother. I knew his brother Jimmy. I even knew his grandfather, “Boots.” If there was ever a family totally devoted to promoting youth baseball it was the McWherters.

George Sr. was my brother’s coach on the Lions Babe Ruth team back in the late 1950s and early ’60s. George Jr. was also a member of that team. Although I was only a little leaguer at the time, George Sr. always let me practice and shag balls with the big guys.

As I remember, the entire McWherter family was at every Babe Ruth game every night, whether their Lions team was playing or not. No matter who you were, where you came from, what color you were, if you wanted to play baseball the McWherters were going to make it happen, one way or another.

The memories I have of George and his family are vividly clear after all these years, which is a testament to the influence they had on me. They had a genuine love for the game of baseball, and a greater love for the kids they helped along to hit, catch, and field a baseball, and best yet belong on a team that built character. George Mc-Wherter has carried on his family’s legacy in a most honorable manner.

I can write just one more thing, and that is that I feel Madera High School will truly regret the decision.

Steve Chambers,
Roseville

I am starting to understand why MHS has difficulty building winning sports programs. They have no respect for coaches that teach about character and the integrity of the game, but will keep coaches that are abusive and do not care about the student athletes they are hired to instruct.

Over the past 20 years, MHS has never had a baseball coach like George who was as dedicated to building a program that played and won with dignity. Yes we have had some fine coaches; all who either did not live in our community or were here just long enough to apply for the first opening at Bullard High School or Clovis Unified. George was the only MHS head baseball coach that not only showed up at Little League and Babe Ruth games but took the time to talk to the coaches and players at those lower levels, building the pride at a young age of being a Coyote baseball player. Many times I saw him physically helping rake and prepare the fields at Babe Ruth games.

George organized the Alumni game that brought past Coyote players back to the field where they once put on a Coyote uniform to help demonstrate to the current team members pride in the program. He raised money for the program, got a new scoreboard donated and made sure Kenny Taylor and the Taylor family were properly acknowledged after Kenny’s untimely death.

George is a man of character, why is it MHS and MUSD has such a problem with him is beyond me. Is it because he did not deliver a Valley Championship in only two years? Does the administration have a bad case of Clovis envy or do they just not understand sports?

This year’s baseball team did not have a winning record, but then again I would challenge any coach that has to play nine games a year against teams that are ranked in the top 20 in the entire State of California to prevail in that league. So go hire some other young coach and see how long they stay and what type of dedication they show to MHS Baseball and more importantly the community of Madera.

The Madera Unified School Board of Trustees, the superintendent, the Madera High School principal and especially the MHS athletic director should be ashamed of themselves for this dismissal. It is a slap in the face to the community of Madera and those of us who know and love the game of baseball and respect the integrity of the game. I would challenge any of them to discuss the game of baseball and the MHS program with George in a public forum and see who has the real understanding of a winning program. I am sure I will have no takers because they know they would be embarrassed by a man who knows so much more than they and stands head and shoulders above them when it comes to being a caring human being.

Bobby Kahn,
Madera High School alumnus and retired high school and college umpire,
Madera