Billy Shaw

From 3-6-15

Being with Ted Turner brought back many memories of one of the all-time great basketball players that I coached--Billy Shaw. His family was a basketball loving unit, as sisters Nadia & Kay, his brother, Phil, all played for the Newton Rams. Out of respect, one of our sons, Bill, was named for Billy & Billy Dean Rutledge. In four years on the varsity basketball team, Billy never missed a practice, & was usually the last player to leave the gym. On numerous occasions he would tell me that he was going to make me proud of him. Billy won more games with a last-second shot than any player I ever coached in my 50- year career. Reminiscing with Ted Turner reminded me that after graduating from college, Billy married his high school sweetheart, Sherry Jefferies who played on the NCHS girls team. It wasn't long before Billy had a job working in my old hometown at the Scottdale Mills. One day, he received a phone call, and the person calling said (in a booming voice) "This is Ted Turner, and I want you to come and head up my personnel department for me." Billy knew that Stan Edwards, or one of his other old friends, was "pulling his leg". Billy replied, "You're crazy! Who is this?" It WAS Ted Turner, and Billy spent the rest of his working career with Ted Turner as Senior Vice-President. And yes, Billy Shaw---you have always made me proud!