Police, firefighters take to gridiron in fundraiser game

CHAMPAIGN – Champaign police Detective Joe Johnston was smarting Saturday night from the drubbing that his team of police officers took from firefighters on the football field earlier in the day.

"Chief Finney did say I'm done. I've lost my defensive coordinator job and I'm going to midnights," joked Johnston, who sported a houndstooth hat in the style of Bear Bryant and chomped a cigar for his role as coach of the police officers.

Defeated 24-16, the police were gearing up for a rematch with their fire-fighting brethren in what has been billed as the "Guns and Hoses" competition. It featured a fire honor guard and the playing of the bagpipes by Champaign firefighter Todd Hitt, who quickly changed from his kilt to his flag-football belt to help his team to victory.

The real winners were the citizens of Champaign, who stand to gain a more fitting memorial to their fallen police officers and firefighters. The about $1,000 raised from Saturday's event at Tommy Stewart Field will help defray the almost $100,000 cost of a new memorial for West Side Park.

Connie Finney, wife of police Chief R.T. Finney and chairman of the fundraising committee, said about $30,000 has been raised so far.

"I think a community this size needs a recognizable memorial," she said. "It's a tribute to those who did give the ultimate sacrifice and to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day. We want a lasting tribute to those who have come before and those who will come after."

Finney, who moved here from Carbondale six years ago, said she was disappointed when she saw the current memorial in the northeast corner of the venerable city park.

"I said, 'That's it?' From the street side, it looks like a light pole," she said, adding she told her husband more than once that he needed to do something.

"He said, 'Why don't you do something about it?' and I said, 'I will,'" she said.

A committee has been at work since August 2007 and several components have already been bought and are ready to be installed. However, the construction company willing to donate the labor may not be able to get to the job until spring, Finney said.

The granite memorial will feature the Maltese cross for the firefighters and a badge for the police officers along with the names of fallen police officers Thomas Dodsworth, killed in 1913, and Robert Tatman, killed in 1967, and firefighter Edward Hoffman, killed in 1960.

Finney said the area will be landscaped with brick pavers, available to buy for $100 and $200 through the group's Web site, www.brickrus.com/order/memorial.

She said the plan is to later add life-size bronze figures of a firefighter and a police officer at the site.

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