Claymont basketball doesn't go on without Jim Carrothers on the clock

Jim Carrothers absolutely loves wearing two hats.

He’s a well-known and highly-respected attorney by day and the very popular clock operator and voice of the Claymont Mustangs at night.

In a career filled with countless honors and awards, he’s enjoying another milestone this winter as he’s in his 50th year as the clock operator for Claymont Mustang basketball. Along the way he also has become the voice of Claymont football and basketball.

“Jim’s the consummate professional, done it by the book for years and years and years and has taken the job extremely seriously,” praised Don Spinell, who was one of the stars on the Mustangs’ state final four boys’ basketball team in 1979.

“To be there for 50 years, No. 1, you love it, and No. 2, you’re loyal — and those are things that are Jim’s strongest qualities. I can’t say enough good things about Jim and his family. I’ll never be able to repay him for all the good things he’s done for me, my brothers and my family,” added Spinell.

Jim Carrothers' temporary job of operating the game clock has become a 50-year tradition at Claymont

Carrothers actually got interested in running the clock while a student at the University of Akron.

“While I was in college I went into ROTC because they were drafting people out of college for Vietnam at the time, so I graduated, got commissioned, went into the service, came back and went to law school,” he explained. “I’ve always liked sports, and I guess Akron wasn’t that far away, although we didn’t have the interstates at the time, so it was a longer drive, but I came back and one of the fellows who was affiliated with the basketball program said, how would you like to run the clock? I said, yeah, I think I can do that. I didn’t know much about it, but I thought I could do it. So I did, and it just went on and on and on.”

“On and on” has turned into 50 years for his labor of love.

“People ask, how long are you going to do this, and I said, when my grandson plays basketball for Claymont, and I can introduce him,” he explained. “Well, low and behold, he became a wrestler and he wrestled for four years for Claymont. So when my grandson wrestled I went to the wrestling matches.”

Carrothers learned dedication and honor at a young age.

He was an officer in the United States Army where he served in Germany and Vietnam. He was decorated with countless military awards, including the Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross and Palm Unit Citation Badge, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device and a National Defense Service medal.

His commitment to detail has continued in his professional life.

He’s a partner in the New Philadelphia law firm of Stephenson, Stephenson and Carrothers. The community and state awards he’s received for helping others reads like a “Who’s Who” of success stories. It would literally take up half a newspaper page to list them all. But just a few include receiving the Twin City Chamber of Commerce “Distinguished Citizen Award” and being inducted into the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. He also served two terms as president of the Claymont Board of Education and is past president of the Uhrichsville Moravian Church Trustees and serves as head usher.

During the day, Carrothers loves helping people as an attorney but he has also found an evening outlet that fits like the proverbial glove — and that’s being the man behind the microphone as well as the clock operator for his beloved Claymont Mustangs.

He earned the ultimate respect of his peers when he was selected to be the timer for the state boys’ basketball tournament in 1989.

“That was quite an honor,” said Carrothers of the experience. “I used to go every year [to watch the state tourney] and I used to tell my children that’s my seat in the first row down there, not ever thinking I would get picked. That was at St. John [Arena]. Jim Jackson was a senior that year up at Toledo [Macomber], so that was quite exciting [to see him play at state].”

Jim Carrothers has many memories of great Claymont basketball teams

But the word exciting doesn’t even begin to describe the many memories Carrothers has experienced in his five decades as the clock operator and the voice for Mustang basketball. He recalls them all in vivid detail.

“I remember the 1979 Rick Cox team that went to the state,” stated Carrothers. “That was with Don Spinell and I think Donnie had something like 17 points down there. He was a good player and we had a number of good players on that team that got beat by Cathedral Latin. It was [Cathedral Latin’s] last year and they had three Division I players on that team but we were competitive with them.”

Carrothers quickly turned to another outstanding Claymont squad.

“The 1986 Jim Riley team went to the state with current Claymont coach Gary Watkins who was a member of that team,” he reflected. “My favorite memory [during the tournament] occurred when we took out Columbus in the regionals. We beat Bexley and DeSales and we weren’t supposed to beat either one. That was nice — that was a really good team with teamwork.”

Carrothers has seen countless generational Claymont players during his time on the clock.

“I remember watching Gary Watkins play, he was two-time first-team All-Ohio Player of the Year and he averaged more than 30 points a game and has a high-point game [record] of 48 points,” said Carrothers. “He still has tons of records at Claymont. Dave Smith was another great player back in that era — he was first-team All-Ohio and state player of the year and both of those guys could really shoot the ball.”

Carrothers reflected on the old Claymont gymnasium called “the pit” where the Mustangs had a great home-court advantage.

“I remember the Jim Riley years when the pit was always sold out,” he said. “That was the old high school gym and you just couldn’t get in. It was a loud place and a fun place. One of my favorite memories there was when we had a 6-7 exchange student from England and we were playing Steubenville: Both teams were tall and aggressive. It was really loud and a rebound went into a group of players and Del [the exchange student] came out with the ball and went straight up and he dunked it.

“The noise got to some incredible level, and you weren’t hearing it — you were feeling it,” he continued. “I turned to the guy beside me and said, what is that? It was so amazing. I went out at halftime and a college coach was scouting somebody and he said, I’ve never heard anything like that — I would never bring a team of mine into this place to play.”

Jim Carrothers also devotes his time at Claymont football games

So how did Carrothers end up being the football clock operator and Voice of the Mustangs along with that dual role in basketball?

“After I was doing basketball maybe four or five years, the guy who was doing football couldn’t get up in the press box any longer, and said, would you consider doing football? I said, yeah, I can do that,” noted Carrothers, “so I’ve been doing football and basketball — football not quite 50 years, probably about 45 years, and this is my 50th year for basketball.”

Carrothers said there are always new experiences as a clock operator.

“I’ve had lots of experiences like when the scoreboard goes out, and I’m in charge of the horn, so I just blow the horn and tell them to come over,” he explained. “We’ve got problems where somebody’s kicked a plug or something. And you always have people yell and scream and I will kid people when I see them, and I know them, I’ll say, just don’t yell at the clock operator,” he laughed.

Carrothers is actually a graduate of Dennison High School, which after his graduation, consolidated with Uhrichsville High to become Claymont. But ask him, and he’ll tell you he’s a Claymont Mustang all the way.

“Jim’s not one of those guys who toots his own horn, he just loves what he does,” said Spinell. “He loves watching the game and watching kids grow up in our community. He’s a true Claymont Mustang — he does everything in his power to support all the student-athletes at Claymont, because he’s part of the foundation where they provide scholarship money. He’s what’s good for the youth in the twin cities.”

Carrothers praised the real hero in his household — his wife, Jeanne.

“My wife is a saint,” he smiled. “She takes care of me and she understands [devoting time at the games] to what I guess you could call my hobby. She is a fine lady.”

Carrothers lives in Dennison with his wife. They have two grown children: Rebecca Stewart of Dennison, and son, Matthew Carrothers of Denver, Colorado. They have three grandchildren in Lauren and Grant Stewart and Theodore Carrothers.

“I think I do a good job, I still enjoy basketball, it’s fun to watch,” said Carrothers. “I would just like to thank everybody for their cooperation. It’s been a fun time and I still enjoy doing it.

“Being the voice of Claymont basketball,” he continued, "at every Senior Night, I tell the seniors no matter where your life may take you — once a Mustang, always a Mustang.”

Just like Jim Carrothers.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Claymont basketball tradition includes clock operator Jim Carrothers