A South Carolina high school football jacket that was once worn by a beloved and honorary team member has been returned to his football family after being found in the remains of a fire at his home 20 years ago.James “Radio” Kennedy was a fixture on the sidelines of all T.L. Hanna High School football games since he was a teenager in the 1960s. The developmentally challenged teen always had a transistor radio with him, which was how he got the nickname.In 1964, former T.L. Hanna football coach Harold Jones befriended Radio and later made him a permanent member of the team.The video above was published on Oct. 19, 2016, when Radio turned 70.The story of Radio’s friendship with Jones was the subject of the film “Radio” in 2003, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Kennedy and Ed Harris as Jones.That same year, Radio and his family lost their home to fire.Alan Taylor found Radio’s football jacket among the ashes. Taylor said he restored it and tried to return it to Radio, but Radio instead signed it and gave it to Taylor.Radio died in December 2019 at the age of 73.On Tuesday, Taylor gave the jacket to T.L. Hanna High School, where it will be displayed in one of the school’s glass cases and dedicated to Radio’s legacy.
A South Carolina high school football jacket that was once worn by a beloved and honorary team member has been returned to his football family after being found in the remains of a fire at his home 20 years ago.
James “Radio” Kennedy was a fixture on the sidelines of all T.L. Hanna High School football games since he was a teenager in the 1960s. The developmentally challenged teen always had a transistor radio with him, which was how he got the nickname.
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In 1964, former T.L. Hanna football coach Harold Jones befriended Radio and later made him a permanent member of the team.
The video above was published on Oct. 19, 2016, when Radio turned 70.
The story of Radio’s friendship with Jones was the subject of the film “Radio” in 2003, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Kennedy and Ed Harris as Jones.
That same year, Radio and his family lost their home to fire.
Alan Taylor found Radio’s football jacket among the ashes. Taylor said he restored it and tried to return it to Radio, but Radio instead signed it and gave it to Taylor.
Radio died in December 2019 at the age of 73.
On Tuesday, Taylor gave the jacket to T.L. Hanna High School, where it will be displayed in one of the school’s glass cases and dedicated to Radio’s legacy.
