Huel Perkins Signs Off -- with a feel good story

Legendary Detroit newscaster and commentator Huel Perkins, along with cohost Monica Gayle, will sign off on their 6 PM news cast today ending their long careers in Detroit television.

The news prompted a warm, but unknown to me, side story about someone with whom I am familiar and one of my Detroit heroes, Kevin Fite, the founder of the Detroit City Chess Club. Fite, a Detroit Public Schools math teacher, has led a citywide spread of chess to over 40 schools, and its students to awards, trophies, and state and national championships. This included convincing the DIA to open it Brush entrance atrium for chess on Fridays, where I met Fite [on the left in the picture below] and became aware of his efforts.

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The story reveals that Fite, a star football player at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, had dropped out after a football-ending injury and ended up back home in Detroit working in the meat department of a store where Perkins shopped in the 90's. He recognized Perkins from Perkin's TV days in Baton Rouge, and struck up a conversation that grew in subsequent visits. Perkins recognized Fite's potential, encouraged him to return to school, and gave him both financial and mentoring assistance. When Fite asked to repay him Perkins told him to pay it forward. Wow. Did he ever.

Below Kevin Fite [red arrow] and the Detroit City Chess Club at the DIA, hopefully to be soon reinstituted after the pandemic shutdown.
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