A special night in Tiger Stadium: School honors Hammond and football team wins
Lemoore Principal Rodney Brumit presented his son, Jim, and the rest of the family a token of Lemoore’s appreciation.
Wins and statistics don’t tell the whole story however, as Coach Hammond, a man of few words, led his teams by his example of honesty, integrity and accountability. During his recent illness the family has heard from several former players who have attributed much of their success in life to their coach. One former player echoed the sentiments of many when he said, “He took boys and made them men…not just a coach…a maker of men.”
In 1971, Jim and wife Cathy started the Hammond Swim School, where Jim brought his patience and calm presence, as well as his famous whistle, to teach swimming (and life lessons) to scores of Kings County youth. The school, which remains in operation today under daughter Mary Hill, has turned out over 25,000 new swimmers.
After retiring, Hammond continued to follow football, rarely missing a Tiger game and spending much of the season in front of the television. He always watched as a coach, never a fan, never rooting for a particular team. He loved to see the game played well.
Lemoore’s 2014 team won the game Friday night, beating visiting Monache 28-24.
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