One year ago in November, I was privileged to interview a gentleman named Robert Briggs. Mr. Briggs had grown up in Columbus and actually could remember that when he was about 4 or 5 years old, his Dad took him to Ohio Field to see Chic Harley play. I spent a fascinating hour listening to him talk about his memories of the early days of Ohio Stadium. When I left, I promised him and his family a recording of our conversations.

One month later, I was saddened to learn that Mr. Briggs had passed away. When I went to burn the audio recording for his family, the tape was too big to fit on one CD and I discovered I was going to have to re-tape it and split the file. Time slipped away from me and it was one of those things that despite the best of intentions, never got done.

When I got home this evening there was a message from Robert's son on our machine reminding me that they would still like the CD, and how much the family was looking forward to hearing his voice. Having lost my own father one year at the Christmas holidays, I could identify with their feelings on this first anniversary without him.

Tonight I didn't procrastinate and am delighted to have ready for the mail a CD to Mr. Briggs' son. I hope Mr. Robert's children and grandchildren enjoy hearing their father and grandfather tell about his life and the early days of Ohio State, and that his voice once again brightens their spirits this holiday season.

If I have but one regret in this project, it is that Mr. Briggs is not my first storyteller to pass on before I could finish and get this book out, and I fear he will not be the last. For him and any others, I hope their memories can eventually live on in my work.