This photo sure isn’t old Oxford. and it certainly isn’t me and and my father, Jack Cofield, but it’s close.
When Dad was University photographer, there were times when he had to fill in and take the practice and game films for the Athletic Department. And there was no short tower. He would climb an empty Hemingway Stadium to the top southwest corner and set up there.
I’d help haul the heavy equipment when I wasn’t in school. Dad hated it, I loved it! During the OM basketball games I had a free pass to wear on my belt, and we would climb the catwalk to the very top of The Tad Pad and film from there. Dad hated it, I loved it!
Developing the film was even better. The developing machine was the size of a small house and was kept in the bottom of Miller Hall. So while Dad was down there working away, I was upstairs in the dining hall eating steaks with Gentle Ben and the rest of the team. Dad hated it, I loved it!
And while he was finishing up downstairs, I was running the halls of Miller and hanging out in the player’s rooms and getting jerseys. I bet my brother and I had more Ole Miss jerseys than Swayze Alford and Kip Crawford.
And that was the only part of the deal that Dad didn’t hate, and I loved it.
-J
