RON SEIBEL: Hamp Smith a community treasure, as witty as ever

Every community has someone who can light up a room by his or her presence.

In Albany, Hamp Smith, the longtime former Albany State football head coach who was honored last week with the inaugural playing of the Hamp Smith Classic high school football game between Lee County and Dougherty, certainly fills that role.

Prior to Monday’s pregame news conference, I had not found the opportunity to cross paths with Hamp in the year I’ve worked in Albany. But when we met at that news conference overlooking the Albany State Coliseum, we quickly made up for lost time.

“This is a start, the start of something big and something good,” Hamp said. “People are going to talk about it year-round. Football in the Southeast, everybody loves football.

“Football in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, it’s No. 1. Florida, Tennessee, it’s No. 1. Everything else is No. 10.”

He’s quite fond of telling stories. Put a microphone or a recording app in front of Hamp — we’ll go on a first-name basis here — and asking a question won’t even be necessary.

Someone who is well into his 80s is going to have a lot to say. Hamp isn’t shy about doing so … or coming up with the right one-liner.

Hamp saw Friday’s game as an opportunity to bring people together. Relationships haven’t always been the greatest between the two participating counties, and Hamp, along with Lee County head coach Dean Fabrizio, saw the game as an opportunity to bridge that gap.

“It’s bringing people together, having better understanding,” Hamp said Monday. “People are looking forward to this ballgame. It makes people feel better, gives them something to do, lets them get to know each other. And the players, after the game, they shake hands.”

I wasn’t at the game, going instead to Hugh Mills Stadium for Monroe’s season-opening win over Jordan. But from video clips and photos that I’ve seen of the crowd that filled the Coliseum, Hamp and Fabrizio were right on target.

It was a game Hamp, who dreamed of having a high school game of the week in the Coliseum when it was built, wanted to see for some time. He got his wish.

When Dougherty, whose record in recent years has been no match for the machine Lee County has become, scored first, there had to have been a thought, at least for a second, that the inaugural classic could have instant classic potential.

Alas, the Lee County machine kicked into high gear, and Lee County won big.

“The Lee County program has improved 2,000 percent,” Hamp said Monday. “They’ve got a program that’s second to none.

“They’re making it better for everybody. When I first came, Lee County football was more or less biding their time. But now they’re a power. They’re in the playoffs, and guys are going to college and all. It’s a tribute to the coaches over there at Lee County.”

It was great to see the Albany area turn out in droves to see a high school football game. People in the Albany area will support something if given the right reasons, and they certainly had the right reasons Friday.

The night certainly made a dream Hamp had come true.

“Dougherty can’t do without Lee County, Lee can’t do without Dougherty,” Hamp said. “Both need each other.”

Contact sports editor Ron Seibel at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RonSeibel.