Jim Muir with former Christopher Bearcat and later University of Illinois standout, TJ Wheeler before a NJCAA tournament game in Danville for Rend Lake College who were National Champs that year. TJ’s father Tom, has been Muir’s long time color man. (Tom Wheeler photo form the Buckner Garage)
(Click on the link to read the press release from the IHSA on September 8th.) Jim, who has spent over 25 years as voice of the Benton Rangers, will be presented with this award tonight from the Illinois High School Association. After spending twenty years in the coal mines, he changed careers to be a journalist and publicist. He covered news and sports, wrote OpEd pieces, and was an investigative reporter for the Benton Evening News and Southern Illinoisan. He was the publisher of Southern Illinois Sports Connection magazine for five years. The presentation will be before the Benton/Sesser-Valier game at the Benton Invitational Tournament tonight at 6:45. He is a graduate of Sesser-Valier High School and currently lives in Sesser. He is a former long time resident of Benton. He will be stepping down from the booth this year, he was elected as Franklin County Circuit Clerk in November. Benton is currently 14-1 on the season and was sixth in the last AP Class 3A poll. Muir wanted to come back and be “the voice” of this special group. Anything I am about to say is unsolicited, and it is the express opinion of me. Jim is in high regard among all coaches, players, and members of the media that I talk to. He is one of the most humble and gracious individuals I have ever met. This is the second time he has taken a chance on someone who was and still is so poor in the English language, that took his ACT four times to try to get the score to a 25 to be come an Illinois State Scholar and to avoid remedial English at RLC. I wish I could be there, but I will be six miles to the south waiting for the Redbirds and Eldorado Eagles to tip it up in Max Morris gym. It is a well deserved award. I apologize for the huge run on paragraph. It would break the link if I broke this up.
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