Loran Smith’s Sports Column: Orlean Castronis

Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, July 17, 2024

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Orlean Castronis is a retired former journalist, the widow of one of the

most popular players and coaches ever to wear the Red and Black, and

likely is the only living person to have seen Harry Mehre coach a game live

between the hedges of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium.

 

You see, this delightful, sanguine and energetic co-ed of yesteryear is

100 years old. “Yes,” she smiles. “I have reached the century mark,” but

certainly not making a fuss about it. Her genuine modesty won’t allow that.

Looking much younger than she is, she does not own up to a secret

potion for longevity, but when you become aware of her daily routine, you

most likely would maintain that exercise certainly must be a consequential

factor.

Every day, she arises at her place of residency, Talmadge Terrace, on

Athens’ Westside, gets in her 2007 Honda and drives herself to the Athens

YMCA where she exercises for a couple of hours: half an hour on the

treadmill; half an hour on the “stepper,” and a half hour, lifting weights. It is

a relaxed routine with brief rests in between, but consistency is her

hallmark.

 

She rarely takes a day off. When exercise ends, she might go

grocery shopping, depending on what’s on the menu at her residence at

Talmadge Terrace. She has faith that fresh fruits and vegetables will keep

her going.

There is a big smile which accompanies disclosure that as the

evening shadows encroach, she ends her day with a couple of vodka

tonics. “I certainly have an affinity for sipping casually as I watch the news.

I have always been a fan of the news although I don’t care for some of the

characters who dominate the nightly news.

“When I started to work at the International News Service after

graduation, I wore heels to work at the office which was right downtown at

the corner of Marietta and Broad Streets. That meant that when the

legislature was in session, I had to walk over to the Capitol to cover the

political scene. That was pretty good exercise. I enjoyed that experience,

and I keep up with the news. I guess you could say I enjoy politics but

there are a few politicians I don’t like.”

 

A native of Augusta, she came to Georgia as a freshman in 1941 and

enrolled in the Henry Grady School of Journalism. World War II soon was

raging on two fronts which meant that opportunities for women was off the

 

charts by the time she was graduated in 1944. She always enrolled in

summer school which allowed her to graduate early.

Because her husband-to-be, Mike Castronis, was declared 4F owing

to a pickup softball game injury. As a catcher he was blocking the plate

when the baserunner collided with him and “caused his kidney to explode,”

she says.

 

While he did not have to go off to war, he was cleared to play football,

which was pretty much his decision. He lettered in 43-44-45, a three-time

All-SEC lineman. He had an outstanding year for the Bulldogs as a senior

in 1945 as the Allies gained the upper hand in bringing the war to a close

with Germany and Japan.

 

Interestingly, Mike was chosen All-America in 1945 by the

International News Service, Orlean’s employer, but she says she did not

influence the wire service’s decision.

“All his teammates accused me of getting him recognized, but I was

not able to do that. I was happy that he made All-America which was a

great honor. I think he deserved it, but he didn’t get any help from me.”

“Coach Mike,” as he was called, became one of the most beloved

personalities in history of Bulldog athletics, but he was best known over the

 

state for his work with the Athens Y camp at Tallulah Falls. He was so

popular and well known that his friends felt that if he ran for governor that

he would have been a cinch at the ballot box.

Every home game Saturday, you will find her in Sanford Stadium,

cheering the “Dogs/Dawgs,” and never fussing about the weather. She,

along with her daughters Mary and Helen, and son, Mike, show up “rain or

shine.”

“We really like the night games,” she says, “I was happy to see them

name the field for Coach (Vince) Dooley. He made arrangements for us to

keep our tickets, and we will always be grateful for that.”

While she did not say so, her favorite song probably is Bob Hope’s

popular anthem, “Thanks for the memories.” She has enjoyed countless

memories in her lifetime—one of them being a phone call to the entertainer

while working at INS. “There was a rumor that he had been in a plane

crash in the Tampa area, and I was advised by an editor to ‘find out.’ So, I

got him on the phone and asked him. He laughed and said, ‘No, I am sitting

here, enjoying talking to you.’”

 

Now that she has reached the century milestone, she says, “I think I’ll

go for two hundred.” Don’t bet against her. I hope she makes it, and also hope I’ll be there to interview her.