We are honored to induct Nelle Fine and Mary Waldroup into the Legends section of SORSN.com. These women were two of the most faithful, energetic fans to ever grace the Green Wave sidelines. Rarely did they miss a game, home or away. They were there to support the players, question the coaches, and voice their opinions to the referees.
The interviews and information below was taken from an article written by Alan Owen in a 1984 Roane County Newspaper titled Senior Supporters Remain Faithful.
Nelle Fine and Mary Waldroup are resurrectors of a wilting practice – team loyalty.
In an age in which playing the latest video game has replaced supporting the hometown football team on Friday night, the enthusiastic pair continues to file into the Midway stadium and gymnasium on nights the Green Wave are in uniform, their allegiance unchanged by the times.
Both women enjoyed the same pastime, watching Midway sports. They had a love for Midway; between them they had 13 children to attend or graduate from there.
Their overall love for athletics is apparent by one very illustrative example. Once Fine drive from Middlesboro, Kentucky to see her niece play in a South Young-Powell basketball game. Her husband decided he wouldn’t go so she struck out for Knoxville by herself. So what’s so unusual about that? It was her wedding night. “Our marriage lasted 28 years, and I don’t know if that had anything to do with it or not”, she said.
The pair traveled anywhere a Midway team could be found. Bad weather was seldom a deterrent.
“We went to Loudon for a basketball game one time and there was a flash flood going on outside”, Waldroup said. “We’ve been on roads so icy you wouldn’t think a car would go on it. And we’ve been out when it was snowing so hard you couldn’t see to drive. But we’ve always made it there”.
Once, however, they almost didn’t make it.
They drove to Tellico Plains together for a basketball game. They gym was empty when they arrived. Upon checking they discovered Midway was playing Meigs County in Decatur. Added Waldroup, “We still only missed a little bit of the girls’ game.”
Fine, who was the driver on all the trips, said she is particularly vocal at the Wave games. She confessed to second guessing coaches and officials.
“We don’t agree with them (coaches) all the time,” said Fine. “And those referees – WOW! I wonder sometimes how they got their striped shirts and whistles. Nobody can out holler me at a ballgame.” Waldroup interjected, “I’ll shake your hand on that.”
Waldroup is more reserved. “I’m a little bashful, but Nelle hollers enough for the both of us,” she said. Following a heart attack, she was told by her doctor to “calm it down”. “I asked the doctor if I could still go to the football games and he said that I could if I didn’t get cold. I told him I didn’t go to the ballgames to get cold. At some of the football games I’ll have on six or seven layers.”
The highlight of each year is the athletic banquet. The couple would have standing invitations each year.
Both spent much of the time laughing as they reminisced about their adventures. “We’ve had a lot of good times on these ballgame trips,” Fine said.
“We sure have,” Waldroup added.
Nelle Fine (left) and Mary Waldroup (right)
I recently spoke with Mary Townsend, “Mary T”, daughter of the late Mary Waldroup. Mary T shared a story with me involving Nelle Fine. It was basketball season and the Waves were playing in a tournament at TSD. Nelle worked 2nd shift at a seat belt manufacturer in Knoxville. However, work didn’t stop her from missing the game. She kindly commented to her boss that she had to leave and go watch her team play and that she’d be back when the game was over.
Sadly, these two lovely women are not longer with us. The two have since passed away. However, their passion for the game and love of their Green Waves will always be remembered.