Out to the ballgame...and back to politics
Scoop headed out to the downtown ballpark Saturday to watch the Hoppers, have a few beers and catch up a former scoopster, who was taking a break from slaving away at CQ.
So as I wandered into the stadium, someone hands me - I kid you not - a Jim Melvin bobble head doll.
Now, sports fans who didn't tune into the battle over the stadium back in 2002-2003 could get caught right up to speed on who exactly Jim Melvin was by reading their box:
"The man responsible for making First Horizon Park a reality, Jim Melvin, is a life long resident of Greesnboro. He is our city's greatest ambassador and has spent most of his adult life working for the betterment of our community. He was the Mayor from 1971-83 and has a city hall named in his honor. His wisdom, foresight and thankless hours of volunteer service to Greensboro have made it a great place to live and work."
As Melvin stood here on my desk bobbling away this morning, something nagged at me about that description. It took me a half-hour to figure it out and about 15 minutes rooting around in the paper's archives to confirm it. But now, I'm sure:
Melvin left the mayor's office in 1981. John Forbis was Greensboro's mayor from 1981 to 1987.
Of course, that fact question aside, there's another interesting point that was raised by going through the archives. For those who don't remember, there was a very long public battle to get the stadium done where it is, complete with a referendum related to the issue and everything.
During a most of that time, stadium supporters went to great pains to have anybody but Melvin speak for the cause. The former mayor has always been a flashpoint for criticism for some folks. (One of his favorite opening lines when speaking to groups that I've heard him use at least three times goes something like: "Hello, I'm Jim Melvin, and contrary to what you've heard I don't have horns on my head.")
The public face of the campaign for the stadium was worn by others, such as former City Council member Dick Grubar who ran the political action committee for the pro-stadium group.
The bobble-head seems to be a pretty public "thank you" for a guy who was kept behind the scenes at the time.
So how fast before they start showing up on E-bay?
Comments (13)
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Maybe it just felt like 12 years instead of 10 to the author of the bobblehead blurb.
Tell Alex that Hoggard says 'hey'.
Posted on July 24, 2005 1:33 PM
You're kidding, right? They really didn't give out Jim Melvin bobble-heads. That's an urban legend. Right? Seriously, you've got to report the news ACCURATELY. Nobody in their right minds would use Jim Melvin as a marketing tool, especially since they were advertising all week that there would be a "surprise" give away.
Seriously, what did they give?
Posted on July 24, 2005 2:28 PM
I'm not making this up. Hoggard even has a picture.
Posted on July 24, 2005 3:40 PM
"So how fast before they start showing up on E-bay?"
About an hour before you posted this, Mark.
Posted on July 24, 2005 4:56 PM
I tried to post a link to the relevant eBay auction in my previous comment, but it didn't take.
Try clicking here.
Posted on July 24, 2005 5:00 PM
Is this going to be a trend?
Will there be Skip Alston and Earl Jones bobble-heads given away when the International Civil Rights Center and Museum opens?
That is probably one of those types of things that you just do after the fact rather than announcing in advance.
At least if they had made Dick Grubar bobble-heads, they could have used a likeness of his Tar Heel basketball playing days.
And Grubar's birthday is only a couple days away, July 26, so there could have been a multiple tie-in of sorts ("We thank you for helping to make the stadium a reality, we honor you as a former Tar Heel basketball player, and we wish you a happy birthday!").
Of course, Grubar may share Arnold Schwarzenegger's attitude toward bobble-heads.
Just thinking about the possibilities and the future controversies this could stir locally is mind-bobbling.
Posted on July 24, 2005 5:08 PM
Hey, how do I get Billy The Blogging Poet Bobblehad Dolls? I'm sure people love me more than Melvin.
Posted on July 24, 2005 5:10 PM
The next bobbing head we'll likely see is the marketing director. At least I'D be yelling, "Off with his head!"
Posted on July 24, 2005 5:41 PM
If I were blessed with the use of monies and power afforded Jim Melvin, Greensboro would be a much poorer community. I wonder who could say they loved their community more than him.
We are all better off for having leaders like Jim Melvin among us. I don't know if he has always been right about every project, (like the stadium), but it is clear that he has spent his professional life for Greensboro's greater good.
Posted on July 24, 2005 5:59 PM
Actually, I am really a fan of Jim Melvin. I agree this community is much better off because of his leadership. He has done a great deal for this city, for a very long time.
HOWEVER, this bobble-head thing is a PR mistake! If Jay Leno or David Letterman knew anything about Greensboro, they would have a field day! Since they won't be dealing with it, Greensboro's blogger will run with it.
Sorry, Jim. This was just plain WRONG. (and silly!)
Posted on July 24, 2005 7:48 PM
Tell the Bobblehead he made the news at Blogsboro.com.
Posted on July 24, 2005 8:24 PM
Wow...I need to write about bobble-heads more often.
Wharton: Thanks for the link to the e-bay site. I was kind of hoping I was kidding about that, but th free market is as the free market does. However, as of midnight tonight there were no bids.
Chip: No doubt Melvin is a major figure in this community and, whether like what he's tried or not, he's tried to make the city a better place in his own way. Still, I don't know how many former mayors can say they've been immortalized as bobble-headed dolls...it's a bit unorthodox.
JW: I'm pretty sure that you're right, a bobble head of the grasshopper would have gone over better with the kids.
-binker
Posted on July 25, 2005 12:11 AM
I doubt Jim Melvin had anything to do with the bobblehead. It just isn't his style. Unless... if he knew it would really get under the skin of an opponent... he's a real practical joker.
Posted on July 25, 2005 9:23 AM