Rannie Cooper was much more than the Bluegrass boss

To most people in Ashland, Rannie Cooper was the man behind the legendary Bluegrass Grill, the hometown restaurant where great food and great memories were served side by side.

But to generations of boys growing up in Ashland, he was simply Coach Cooper.

He spent years coaching Little League baseball and elementary basketball, pouring his heart into young athletes. He taught them fundamentals, expected them to compete, and celebrated their victories with Bluegrass milkshakes. For a lot of kids, those milkshakes tasted even sweeter after a win.

He was also one of the Ashland Tomcats’ biggest supporters. Rannie often made sure players had meal tickets after big games—maybe before that was officially allowed. His son, Randy, was a dynamic receiver for the Tomcats, and few things made Rannie prouder than seeing him cross the goal line at Putnam Stadium.

Rannie Cooper in a 2006 photo from The Daily Independent photographer John Flavell as he was preparing to close the famous Bluegrass Grill in Ashland. Cooper died early Friday, June 19,2026

The relationships didn’t end when the seasons did. Rannie stayed connected with many of the boys he coached as they grew into high school athletes and adults. They remembered not only what he taught them about sports, but how he treated them.

Scott Walter, who played for Cooper’s Tigers in Ashland American Little League, summed him up perfectly in a Facebook tribute Saturday.

“He loved to win as much as anyone, and he certainly helped prepare us to compete by instructing us and teaching us the fundamentals of the game,” Walter wrote.

Rannie passed away Friday morning. With his passing, Ashland lost not only a legendary businessman but also a mentor whose influence reached far beyond a ball field.

As a businessman, Rannie did something remarkable. He didn’t just survive the fast-food explosion of the 1960s and 1970s — he thrived through it.

The Bluegrass Grill remained the place to eat in Ashland. At lunchtime, regulars packed the booths. After dark, teenagers filled the parking lot. Countless first dates began there. More than a few marriage proposals happened there. It was one of those rare places where good food became part of life’s biggest moments.

When Rannie closed the restaurant in 2006, it wasn’t because business had slowed. Quite the opposite.

After nearly 50 years of working 12- to 14-hour days, the 65-year-old was simply ready to retire. Customers were still lining up for Flying Saucers, Twinburgers, chili, spaghetti, onion rings, fresh pies and all the other favorites that made the Bluegrass famous throughout the Tri-State.

For many of us, the Bluegrass was also the headquarters of cruising culture. We’d circle through the restaurant, head down Winchester Avenue, then turn around and do it all over again. Long before social media, that’s where you saw your friends on a Friday or Saturday night.

Rannie had earned every bit of that success.

He started at the Bluegrass in 1956 as a 15-year-old carhop. After graduating from Ashland High School in 1959, he went to work there full time. In 1971, he purchased the restaurant from Michael Riggal, grandson of founders Arch and Frances Riggal, who opened the Bluegrass in 1946.

Along with the business came its treasured recipes. Rannie often said he promised the Riggal family those recipes would remain with him until his death. His son, Randy, and daughter, Annette Ryan, who both worked in the restaurant for years, never made that same promise.

This menu stand from the Bluegrass could just make your mouth water. Rannie Cooper, who operated the Bluegrass from 1971 to its closing in 2006, died on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Even today, it’s common to see people on social media reminiscing about the Bluegrass and wishing they could have one more meal there. Everyone had a favorite.

Mine was a Twinburger with onion rings and a slice of strawberry pie.

My connection to the Bluegrass started before I was born. My father worked there as a carhop in the late 1940s and often brought home a box of hot dogs for him and my mother to enjoy after work. Maybe that’s why the Bluegrass always felt like home to me.

I came to know Rannie well during my years at the newspaper. He was always straightforward, deeply rooted in his faith, and never shy about sharing an opinion —especially when it came to the Ashland Tomcats. It didn’t matter whether it was football, basketball or baseball. He cared about those teams because he cared about the young people wearing the uniforms.

Ashland has been blessed through the years with men who invested their time in coaching boys. Rannie Cooper was one of the very best.

The Bluegrass Grill remains one of those places that lives on in conversations, family stories and hometown nostalgia.

And Coach Cooper lives on in the countless boys who became better athletes — and better men — because he took the time to coach them.

My deepest condolences go to the Cooper family, especially to Charlene, his wife of 67 years.

Having a ball: Tom Clay gets a surprise gift with some Cincinnati Reds history to it

When Tom Clay pulled into a gas station the other day he got a surprise – and he said it wasn’t that he had to “give my first born to get a gallon of gas.”

There were five or six bikers around, trying to get respite from the rain. A man came over to him and, without introducing himself, said “I’ve got something I want you to have. I figured it was a fish net or lure or something. Then he said, ‘I have a signed baseball for the entire Cincinnati Reds baseball team from the early 1960s. I wanna give it to you.’”

Clay said, “Can you give me a lottery ticket, too?”

The man was Brent Dickison, who grew up across the road from Clay’s grandfather. Dickison, now 56, told Clay he had received the baseball years ago while playing outside as a child.

Tom Clay with Brent Dickison, who gave him a baseball that Tom’s grandfather had given him years ago from the 1962 Cincinnati Reds.

“Clay said Dickison told him my grandfather came outside with the baseball and wanted to give it to him,” Clay said.

The story only deepened the mystery.

“The surprise to me is, I don’t think my grandpa is a Reds’ fan,” Clay said. “Shelby Jean, his sister, she is a Reds’ fan. Shelby took her older brother, Randy, to Crosley Field. If the ball came from there, I don’t know. I know dad went to Crosley Field and took his mother. I don’t recall the ball being on the mantle or anything.”

A few days later, Dickison tracked Clay down again and handed over the baseball.

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson’s signature came be seen on this 1962 Reds’ team ball

That’s when the detective work began.

Clay started comparing signatures against old Reds rosters and quickly realized the ball wasn’t from the 1961 National League pennant-winning team, as he first suspected. The giveaway was pitcher Jim Maloney’s signature. Maloney was a rookie in 1962, and the rest of the names lined up with that season’s roster.

The baseball includes signatures from Reds legends such as Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, Joe Nuxhall and manager Fred Hutchinson. Despite being yellowed with age, Clay said the ball remains in remarkably good condition for being 64 years old.

Being a fan of “Antique Roadshow,” Clay naturally looked into what the baseball might be worth. Thanks in part to the Robinson and Hutchinson signatures, he found estimates ranging from $750 to $1,000.

“Of course, that’s if you can find somebody who will give you that much for it,” Clay said.

The baseball also led to a little good-natured family humor.

Clay told his mother about the discovery, and she had her own response.

“Does this make up for me throwing away all your ball cards?” she told him.

Clay said he appreciated Dickison thinking enough of him to return the baseball after all these years. Not many people stop at a gas station and leave with a piece of family history.

And even with today’s prices, that’s worth more than a gallon of gas.

Tom Clay with family members at a Reds’ game this season.

Morehead State University HOF broadcaster pens fictional baseball book to inspire kids to read more

Congratulations to Chuck Mraz, a member of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame and the longtime radio voice of the Morehead State Eagles football and basketball teams, on penning his first book. Over the years, Chuck has become not only a respected broadcaster, but also a good friend.

Now, he’s taking his storytelling talents in a new direction with his book, “Baseball Stories for Kids,” a collection of five fictional baseball stories aimed at encouraging elementary-age children to read more. The 220-page book features well-developed characters, relatable situations and stories that are both fun and meaningful.

In a world where children — and plenty of grandchildren, too — spend so much time in front of screens, books often get pushed aside. That concern was one of the biggest motivations behind Mraz writing this collection. He wanted to create something wholesome and engaging that could help spark a love of reading again. The stories are family-friendly and G-rated, free from the negativity and divisive issues that seem to dominate much of today’s media.

Baseball has always been one of Chuck’s greatest passions. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Rowan County High School baseball team, and he drew from some of his own childhood experiences while writing the stories. Anyone who grew up in the 1960s or 1970s may especially enjoy the nostalgic feel woven throughout the book.

While the stories are written with younger readers in mind — perfect for elementary school libraries or family bookshelves — adults who remember their own sandlot baseball days will likely find themselves smiling along the way. Beyond baseball, the stories carry positive lessons about teamwork, perseverance, friendship and growing up.

Chuck said his hope is that the book motivates children to pick up more books — not just his — because reading remains “the foundation for academic careers.”

For years, Mraz used his voice to paint vivid pictures during Morehead State football and basketball broadcasts. He was always prepared, professional and passionate about his work. Now, he’s using those same storytelling skills on the printed page, hoping to encourage young readers to turn pages instead of scrolling screens.

Chuck Mraz

Although the book isn’t focused on teaching baseball fundamentals, it places its fictional characters in situations that young athletes — and their parents — will easily recognize. The messages are positive, the stories flow naturally from one to the next, and the overall reading experience is enjoyable from start to finish.

The project truly became a family effort. Chuck’s wife, Joni, and daughter, Megan, assisted with editing, while Megan also designed the cover and handled the page layout.

“Baseball Stories for Kids” is “Baseball Stories for Kids” is available on Amazon or by contacting Chuck Mraz at cmraz240@yahoo.com

FLASHBACK: Love and devotion

This was written back in 2014 following the death of Herb Conley’s wife, Janice. It is a tribute to her but also to every coach’s wife. They go through more than you think. Herb called Janice his “inspiration” and the thought of them reuniting made the sting of his death easier to bear.

Here is the column:

Nobody ever pushed around Herb Conley. Nobody ever dared.

He was tough as nails. As a kid growing up. As a blossoming athlete. As a coach. As a father. Always, tough as nails.

He was a Beast, and this Beast had a Beauty.

Her name was Janice.

Janice was the love of his life, the one person who could tame this Tough Guy who would become a football coaching legend in his hometown.

She could melt him with the batting of her eyes.

She had him at hello and, boy, was he ever glad she did.

Whenever things were tough, and they weren’t always easy for Herb Conley, he had Janice.

Always there to lift him up.

Always there to tell him how proud she was of him.

Always there to keep him in line.

Whenever Herb Conley needed a boost, she was there for him. She could pick up his spirit like he picked up weights. Effortlessly.

They lived a storybook life, these high school sweethearts did. That’s because anything they did together, they did well. They were soulmates who raised three boys in their hometown. Grew old together, yet still loved each other like school kids.

She had one of the toughest jobs on earth, that of being the wife of a high school football coach, in a town that expected a lot from its team. Every week. Every game. Every minute.

We’re with you win or tie, they would say.

Conley was no newcomer when he became Ashland’s head coach in 1968. He was a former star player for the Tomcats, a member of their last undefeated team in 1958, and had been an assistant the prior two years under Jake Hallum. The ’67 Tomcats won a state championship and Herbie was a big reason why.

But when you step into that head coaching position, the pressure intensifies. Ask anyone who has coached here where your fate is determined every Friday night.

When the Tomcats weren’t winning like the fans thought they should be winning, the fingers started pointing and they were pointing in Herb’s direction in 1970.

Legend or not, they were ready to run him out of town.

Ashland had lost to Russell for the first time in school history and angry fans trashed Conley’s yard and home with garbage.

“Herb wasn’t always the legend he is now,” said longtime friend Bill Tom Ross. “Early in a coach’s career, you have difficulties. I had the same thing at Boyd County (his first head coaching assignment).

“Imagine being Herb Conley’s wife? The toughness, the mental toughness, raising three sons. That house was overflowing with testosterone.”

But Ross remembers Janice as being upbeat in the face of adversity. She was that to the end.

“I remember back in those days she was never down, never depressed,” said Ross, who credits his wife Brenda with his coaching success.

The life of the high school coach’s wife is never easy. The divorce rate is high. The criticism you hear from fans can be cruel.

“Not only in the stands but, when you’re coaching at a high-profile place like Ashland, you can’t go to the grocery store or the bank without hearing something,” Ross said. “Somebody is always talking about the game.”

But the wife must bite her tongue, smile and take it. They must be there for their husband and their family. They better be strong.

“I’m not sure in that household that Janice wasn’t the toughest one of the bunch,” Ross said.

Back in 1970, when things were tough, a letter came to the Conley’s house. Inside it had a cartoon drawn of a man with a noose around his neck with another man leading him out of town.

Janice never showed it to Herb, but he found it rummaging through a drawer a couple of years later.

“What’s this?” he asked her.

 “Oh, where do you find that?” she said. “I thought I threw that away. It was nothing.”

She told Herb it had come a few years ago, but she didn’t want to bother him with it. Truth is, Janice was protecting her man from one more dart being thrown in his direction.

The rest of the story went well for Herb Conley after he survived that 1970 season. The Tomcats took off on a six-year run that produced 56 victories, a state runner-up finish in 1972 and the 1975 state at-large championship.

Guess who was there cheering him all the way?

She loved her Tomcats. Always. Even in her last days of a losing battle with cancer, when she was mostly unresponsive, when Herb was wearing a Tomcat shirt she would look down at it and then up to his face. Down again and up to his face.

It’s been a difficult 19 months for the Conleys, who were set to enjoy a long retirement together with long walks on the beach. They loved their stretch of paradise on Myrtle Beach.

They enjoyed life together, right to the end. It was a never-ending love story like you wouldn’t believe.

Coaches’ wives are given something special inside. They are patient and thick-skinned. They know the importance of supporting their man through the good times and bad.

Janice Conley was like that for Herb.

“They were the ultimate team,” said Ross. “He didn’t lose her. He knows exactly where she is. He’s got that peace that passes all understanding.”

And he’ll never stop loving her.