From: The Tuscaloosa News, Sunday, April 9, 2000

A big thing
                   By: Ben Windham

Tom Tarleton was never one to think small.

He had a tremendous career as basketball coach at Tuscaloosa High School. In 17 seasons, he racked up a .860 winning percentage, including a streak of 58 straight wins. He's in the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.

That's big. But think of this: He's throwing a party this summer and inviting, oh, about 20,000 people.

"What if 5,000 people actually came?" Tarlton said, rolling his bright dark eyes with delight at the prospect. "Where would we put them all? That would be a problem. But it would be a good problem."

Tarleton is planning what may be the biggest high school reunion ever around these parts. He's inviting everyone who ever attended Tuscaloosa High School.

"We're calling this the 'Tuscaloosa High School Black Bear Reunion,' " he said, "We want everyone who attended to come whether they graduated or not."

The reunion is set for Saturday June 3, at Bowers Park beginning at 9 a.m.

"There will be no cost, and we'll have full concessions available," he said.

Tarleton, 71, was head basketball coach at THS from 1960 to 1976. The school became Central High in the fall of 1979 under a desegregation order.

He says he got the idea for the reunion last year at a party to mark his retirement as Tuscaloosa Academy golf coach. Many old friends from THS attended.

"Five hundred to 600 people were there," he said. "They were glad to see each other. Since they had such a good time there, I thought they would enjoy spending three or four hours with their other classmates."

Tarleton said he floated the idea of mega-reunion, but I didn't get a whole lot of encouragement until I talked to Bo Fields. He said it was doable, and he's done a whole lot of the legwork."

Fields has gotten a mail campaign going and is recruiting more volunteer help. He may be contacted at 758-4504. Others working with the reunion planners are Pete Pierson, 752-7667, and Letitia Roberts, 759-1424. Tarlton may be reached at 553-6927.

"We really need about 10 people in each class to work with us," he said. "I hope some of  them will volunteer to help their classmates."

He has rented all of Bowers Park for the event. Classes of the 1930's and 1940's will meet in one of the two gyms at the park recreation center. Classes from the '50s will meet in the other gym. Classes from the 1960's will gather at the Minnie Sellers Pavilion, immediately behind the softball fields' and '70s classes will meet at the park's first pavilion to the right off Hargrove Road.

The reunion will last until 1 p.m. Then there will be a walk through the old school buildings - Central High on 15th Street and the school board office on 21st Avenue-with a tour of Bryant-Denny Stadium at 3 p.m. to wrap things up.

"Hopefully, we'll get a couple of thousand of people to show up," said Tarlton. "Our biggest problem is that we have no way to estimate how many people will come."

He is seeking out Tuscaloosa High Faculty, with the help of Lucrecia Beverage. Working to invite former school faculty will be Emily Patterson and Woody Bristo, Eastwood; Archie Hitson, Verner and Marjorie Wiggins, Northington, he said.

Again, it's a big project. But Tarlton wants a low profile.

"I want to emphasize this is not about me," he said. This is something I want to do for the students who went to Tuscaloosa High School.

"It was a really good place to go to school. It was warm and comfortable but also disciplined. We loved and cared about each other," he said.

"The biggest thing with this event is the enjoyment of people getting back together and seeing old faces. I just wan it to be a pleasant affair for a good group of folks."

That is a good thing indeed. A good, big thing.

        Mega-reunion
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