By ERIC VICCARO

bnewssports@sbcglobal.net

The late Vernie McWhirter, who died in November 2013, was devoted to the City of Saint Jo.
Now the city he loved so much has honored McWhirter with a basketball court currently under construction in Boggess Park.
The court will be operational in time for a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, which is slated to take place on July 4, during the city’s Independence Day activities.
“It’s exciting,” said Ronny McWhirter, Vernie’s son. “He’s helped so many in the community and this will make it easy to always remember him.”
Dick Cain, project chairman, said, “This is what we decided to do, instead of flowers.”
McWhirter served as the municipal judge from 2006-2013, and he also was the treasurer for the Saint Jo Chamber of Commerce.
“Judge McWhirter’s Court,” as the locals have called it, will play as a 40×70-foot court. See more on this story in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.

Hoops Dallas employees Angel Lopez (left), Ben Nichols and Larry Lang mount a pole for the new Judge McWhiter Court at Boggess Park in Saint Jo on Wednesday. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)