News Articles – April 15, 2001

By Kathleen O’Dell
Springfield News-Leader
4/15/01

CLAFLIN, Kan. — There was great joy in Jackie-ville on Saturday. After celebrating its hometown hero’s record-breaking basketball success from afar this year, Claflin finally got to throw a big-hearted, welcome-home party for Jackie Stiles. Claflin Mayor Barbara Logan declared April 14, 2001, as “Jackie Stiles Day.” And what a day it was. Three whole smoked hogs and a bathtub-sized serving of baked beans. An hourlong parade of tractors and trailers and muscle cars that snaked through the streets of Claflin. And a rally in the Claflin High School gym that ended with Jackie’s signature invitation: Stay for autographs, she told the estimated 2,500 fans. “I’ll stick around and sign everything you need me to sign. I’ll be here a long as it takes.” She finished signing autographs two hours later, and her offer further boosted sales of $10 Jackie Stiles T-shirts that Claflin ordered and re-ordered for Saturday’s bash. She thanked the crowd repeatedly and told fans Jackie Stiles Day rated right up there with all the other awards she had amassed this year. The next thrill could be WNBA draft news on Friday — “Hopefully somebody will take me,” she said, which set off a groan throughout the gym. Will her famous pre-game rituals and superstitions follow her there? “Oh sure,” she said. “I’ve got enough Big Red (gum) from Springfield to last me through my career.” Scores of volunteers had decked the gym and the town in purple and white balloons — Claflin Wildcats’ colors — while others strung long vinyl banners across Main Street and hung “We love you Jackie” signs in storefronts and front yards around Claflin. The day began at the Claflin High School gym with lunch on the bleachers with about 500 people and Jackie in the spotlight, always surrounded by picture takers and children asking for autographs. When Jackie was busy, kids surrounded roommate and Lady Bears teammate Carly Deer, who made the trip from Springfield with Jackie. “I don’t know why I’m signing autographs,” Deer said, laughing. “This is Jackie’s day.” Outside in the hall, a Great Bend, Kan., radio station was selling $7.95 CDs with the song, “Thank You, Jackie,” written by Springfield musician and music producer Nick Sibley. Part of the proceeds are headed for a Jackie Stiles college scholarship fund. Southwest Missouri State University Lady Bears Coach Cheryl Burnett, who flew in for the morning ceremony with other SMS officials, got everyone’s attention with her famous whistle, then reminisced about the first time she’d heard about the Claflin 12-year-old who was ripping up the courts. “For those of you who have dreams, Jackie Stiles is an example of what it takes to build that dream,” Burnett told the crowd. Burnett was the first in a long line of people who paid homage to her humility and her talents — words that made Jackie weep. But Claflin was quick to put a smile on her face — a parade of some 60 “floats” celebrating their hometown hero. Fans from as far away as Wichita and Liberal — and several from Springfield — lined the six-block parade route from Main Street to the high school. “We’ve followed Jackie for four years,” said Springfieldian Thelbert Gott, who drove to Claflin with his wife, Lorene. Jackie, riding in the rumble seat of a Ford Model A, led off the parade behind a Kansas National Guard color guard, then was delivered to a reviewing stand where she and Carly Deer and Jackie’s parents, Pat and Pam Stiles, watched the rest of the parade. Before the honored guest passed some of Claflin’s best: The Claflin Wildcat football team — four years of 51 straight wins until their defeat at the state championships last year. There was Claflin’s purple-and-white ambulance, fire trucks, Christian motorcycle club, Claflin Preschool, and a giant Wheaties cereal box on a fork lift driven by grocery store owner Troy Bailey. “We’ve always joked that one day we’d see her on a Wheaties box,” Bailey said. “So someday at Bailey’s Food Bin you’ll be able to purchase the Jackie Stiles Wheaties box.”