LETTERS: `SALTY' ZIMMERMAN REMEMBERED

To the editor:

The death of Advance resident Lyman "Salty" Zimmerman brought back a flood of memories. Wonderful ones. His wife, Thomza, and my mother, Jean Bell Mosley, corresponded for 21 years in a series of letters published in the newspaper and entitled "From Dawn to Dusk." Many readers remember them.

A few weeks ago I was discussing "Salty" with a Sikeston resident and Advance native. He speculated that "Salty" had probably seen more high school basketball games than anyone in the history of Southeast Missouri. I had no reason to doubt that.

There was one game I'll never forget. It was 1962. I played for the Cape Central Tigers. Is was midseason, and we were undefeated. But we knew we had to play Advance on their home court. Before we knew what was happening, we were behind 20-5. In an attempt to regain our composure we called time out. I remember looking at "Salty." He was sitting in his spot, arms folded, with a smiling but empathetic "I told you so" expression. Still, somehow, some way, we came back. At one point we even took the lead. In the end we came up short 71-60.

After the game, "Salty" knew I was down. He cheered me up with an untrue "Nice game, Steve" and a true "You boys have a real good team." We did. So did they. "Salty" knew, perhaps better than anyone, that you can't beat Southeast Missouri basketball. Now or then.

STEVE MOSLEY

Sikeston