The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Cook's passion for sports always on display
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: July 24, 2008
The maize and blue throw blanket folded neatly over the back of the couch in the front living room and the bobbleheads of Bo Schembechler and Ernie Harwell on either side of the television are the first clues that Jerry Cook is a sports fan.
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A visit to Cook's basement, however, makes it an open-and-shut case that he's a big fan.
Signs of his passion line the walls, fill shelves and hang from the ceiling.
The 1951 graduate of Milan High School has a mind-boggling collection of sports memorabilia that he has gathered over the decades from attending University of Michigan football and basketball games, Detroit Tigers games and Milan High School games.
He has signed programs, autographed books, posters, game balls, a vial of dirt from Tiger Stadium, and pieces of the backboard shattered by Michigan's Robert "Tractor" Traylor in a game against Ball State in 1996.
As he walks around the room, Cook takes a visitor from one shrine to another.
In the U of M corner are books autographed by Don Canham and Mitch Albom. In the Detroit Tigers section are two original bleacher seats from Tiger Stadium. On the far wall are mementoes from Milan High School athletics, including Cook's most prized possession.
He shows the clock and certificate he received in 2002 when he was inducted into the Milan High School Hall of Fame.
"That's pretty good for not having played," Cook says.
Over the decades, Cook has become revered as Milan's No. 1 fan. He religiously attends volleyball, basketball, softball and football games, not only at home, but on the road as well.
He has been attending Milan High School athletic games since he was a freshman himself in 1948, the historic year when the boys' varsity basketball team won the state championship. That year, Cook missed only the last two games of the season — because he had to peddle papers.
"I don't know why," he says. "No one was in town to read them. Everyone was at the game."
He continued to make high school games when his three children, Paul, Sharon and Stephen, ran cross country or played basketball or volleyball. After his children graduated, Cook kept right on attending the games, drawn particularly to softball, volleyball and girls' basketball.
"The girls are still 'we' and 'us.' Girls, as a rule, still have the team concept," says Cook. "They're fun to watch."
Each year he gets carnations for the players on the basketball and volleyball teams, the sports his daughter played.
Despite having ushered at U of M football games and at Crisler Arena for 37 years and having watched hundreds of college football and basketball games, Cook says his preference remains watching high school athletics.
They're still about the game and the love of the sport. They're more personal, too.
"I get to know these kids," Cook says. "I get invited to graduation parties. I've been to a couple weddings."
In the basement, over by his Hall of Fame clock, he has autographed pictures of himself with Milan teams. He has gifts players have presented him at end-of-year banquets.
It's down here that he likes to come to catch a game on television.
"It's like I'm in a different atmosphere than upstairs," Cook says.
He is surrounded by memories of games past.
He has boxes of programs from high school games, U of M games, and Tigers games dating back to 1957. He has a program and tickets from the Michigan-Ohio State game in 1968 dated Nov. 23, though the game was actually played a week later because of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
He has what he calls a "smorgasbord" of memorabilia.
"What my kids are going to do with this stuff when I'm gone, that's their problem!" he says.
In a folder on a table near the center of the basement, Cook pulls out the high school schedules for the fall.
He's ready for the season to start. He's already penciled in some games on his calendar.
Cook assures departing visitors he will see them around.
"I'll be seeing you at ball games," he says.
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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