The man down along the fence by the goal posts in the end zone by the main gate at Jimmie Trotter Stadium won’t be there in body anymore. But he will be there in spirit.
Jerry Willard Motte, the “superfan” present at countless Mortimer Jordan sports events, passed away Sunday after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 68.
Motte was memorialized in services Thursday as not only a huge fan of Blue Devils sports, but one of the best-known figures in the Alabama music scene, having served as a club owner and concert promoter for more than three decades.
“I told Mrs. Snider [Jordan principal Barbara Snider] that I’d like to buy that section of fence he stood along,” Jon Paul Motte said. The younger Motte was the quarterback for the Blue Devils from 2005 to 2007.
While Jerry Motte was always a big supporter of Jordan’s football team, he grew close to the softball team as well, even though Motte’s daughter’s didn’t play.
“He’d take off in the afternoon to go watch them. He started off just going to watch, and then he got to know them real well. He’d even travel with Police Chief Brian Cochran to away games.”
“I think he liked us because he always liked to promote things that were good as a music promoter,” Devils softball coach Laura Rickman said. “He and Carl [assistant football coach and Laura’s husband] had a good relationship.”
Rickman’s team was decidedly downcast when they played Monday afternoon, their first game after Jerry Motte’s death. Flags beyond the outfield fence were lowered to half staff.
“They knew how sick he was, but they know Jerry is with the Lord. Every time we saw him, Jerry never complained,” Rickman said.
Motte was well known to musicians throughout the South, as both a nightclub owner and a concert promoter. He worked with acts from Jerry Lee Lewis to comedian Jerry Clower, from Garth Brooks to Van Halen, and from Little Jimmy Dickens to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“He had a lot of odd jobs,” Jon Paul Motte said. “He was an auctioneer, and he was a preacher at a Baptist church on Highway 78 in Walker County. Then he became a bodyguard for Jerry Lee Lewis, and worked his way up. He owned several nightclubs in Birmingham, but then he got a family and decided he didn’t want to be involved with the late nights anymore.”
Jerry Motte continued his Artists Management Service until his illness prevented him from working. Jon Paul Motte took the business over, having been by his father’s side on many concert trips over the years.
Jerry Motte, who was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2006, was buried Thursday in Oakwood Gardens in Gardendale.
Local Sports
Jerry W. Motte, 1941-2010: True Blue
Jordan ‘superfan’ was a constant presence
- Local Sports
-
-
Willis’ 6 TD catches ties state record
As the touchdown catches for Ja’Micheal Willis piled up during Gardendale’s 51-26 rout of Bessemer City last Friday, the Rockets’ stats crew wondered if his six scores was a new school record for a single game.
-
Volleyball: Rockets back on track after rough weekend
After being roughed up by some of the metro area’s top teams in a weekend tournament, Gardendale was able to get back to their winning ways Tuesday, defeating an undermanned McAdory squad 25-17, 25-11, 20-25, 25-11.
-
Volleyball: Moody overcomes early deficit to trim Jordan in four games
What started out looking good for Mortimer Jordan volleyball didn’t end that way Tuesday, as they dropped a 25-21, 19-25, 17-25, 22-25 decision at home to Moody.
-
Volleyball: Rockets lose four to over-the-mountain teams
Gardendale’s winning streak hit a wall over the weekend, as the Rockers lost four out of five matches in tough competition at the Mid-South Tournament at Thompson.
-
Gardendale 51, Bessemer City 26: Click Six
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting the same result, then Dallas Tidwell and Ja’Micheal Willis are totally insane.
-
No. 8 Cullman 21, Hayden 0: Bearcats pound on young Cats
One down, one to go. Hayden got past one of the two behemoths in its region pretty much as expected, with the eighth-ranked Bearcats shutting out the Wildcats 21-0 Friday night.
-
Sumiton Christian 31, Fultondale 29: Late field goal lifts Eagles over Wildcats
Fultondale suffered their second lost of the season Friday in the final seconds when Christian Sumiton kicker Trey Collins kicked a 25 field goal to give Sumiton the win 31-29.
-
Walker 42, Mortimer Jordan 8:Carson Roberts has 4 TD passes for Vikings
Although Mortimer Jordan put up a good defense, Walker’s Vikings obliterated the Blue Devils 42-8 Friday night.
-
Corner 23, Good Hope 8: Yellow Jackets defense strong in first victory
The Corner Yellow Jackets came ready to play Friday night. They ran faster, hit harder and played with a level of intensity the Good Hope Raiders couldn’t match.
-
Tabernacle Chr. 38, Evangel Chr.-Alabaster 30: Goodgame’s two late TDs lead to comeback
Tabernacle Christian came from behind on two touchdowns by Frederick Goodgame to capture a 38-30 over Evangel Christian of Alabaster in Christian Football Association eight-man play Friday.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
