Smith: The tradition and excitement of Wimbledon

With the Wimbledon finals coming up this weekend, I will be watching not just for the tennis, but also the grounds, the faces in the crowds, the television coverage of off-the-beaten-path profiles, and the behind-the-scenes vignettes that reflect the attachment and lore of the championship.

Smith: Former MLB coach Ned Yost enjoying content life

The contentment in Ned Yost’s life today could not be more striking and fulfilling as he farms, hunts, fishes, puts up for the winter, and cooks and cleans on a 500-acre spread.

Smith: Appreciating all things Irish

I have always been told my forebears were Scots Irish, but I have never had the urge or the time to explore the past, although it would be nice to know that, perhaps, one of my ancient kin tossed the caber with Rob Roy or enjoyed a wee dram of Bushmills with Michael Collins.

Smith: Harmon Wages honest about his roller coaster life

Harmon Wages was a football player and a very good one, often underrated, but always with a flair for the dramatic, turning heads and causing headlines to sometimes drip with hyperbole. Even when there was a faux pas, it seemed to make him more popular with the Atlanta Falcons’ fan base.

Smith: Brian Jordan, a Brave, a Falcon, and a model citizen

If you’re an Atlanta Falcons fan, you likely know about Brian O’Neal Jordan.

Smith: New life for hometown newspapers

Lately, I’ve been hanging out with a few newspaper publishers who remain convinced print journalism is not dead. They are not doomsayers. They are intrepid entrepreneurs.

Smith: Remembering Missouri summers

Owing to a golf friendship, there was an annual trip to Kansas City in June for several years, which allowed me the opportunity to explore the Show Me State, which reminded me so much of our own Peach State. Missouri and Georgia feature almost identical geography.

Smith: Red Grange

Red Grange, the great Illinois halfback, who scored six touchdowns against Michigan in 1924, lived out his life at Indian Lake Estates in Central Florida, about a hundred miles south of Orlando.

Smith: The multi-faceted Fred Barber

This is a flashback to the times of Fred Barber, Georgia’s classic fullback of yesteryear, one who could have originated the time-honored football term: “Hardnosed.” A native of Bainbridge, Barber grew up with equal helpings of emotional capital for the outdoors and Friday Night Lights.

Smith: Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron and reflecting on America's pastime

The original Yankee Stadium, “The House that Ruth Built,” was constructed one-hundred years ago for the opening of the 1923 season. The Yankees had been playing their games at the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants.