Lawrence, MA (February 24)– NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and longtime radio voice of the Atlanta Hawks Steve Holman have teamed to pay tribute to James Schofield in the most recent installment of the Lawrence World War 1 Project (“Project”).
Schofield, who was killed in action in France during World War 1, is the subject of the short video tribute by Wilkins and Holman that followed his life from his birth in Boston, his youth in Lawrence, and then his time in the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. A park in Lawrence is named in Schofield’s honor.
Holman, a Lawrence native and graduate from the city’s high school, was drawn to the Project because his great uncle, Frank Rowell, died from injuries suffered from the war. Last year Rowell was featured in the Project and he also has a park named after him.
“It is my honor to participate and contribute to the Project,” said Holman. “We must never forget Schofield and the others who paid the ultimate sacrifice. To me it’s personal. My great uncle died in the war, and now I have a chance to pay tribute to another hero from my hometown.”
Wilkins, whose father and grandfather served in the military, was also enthusiastic about the Project.
“This is a great project,” said the NBA legend. “It really pays homage to the people who stood on the wall for us and some of those forgotten names of people who have been forgotten over the years. We are always looking to pay tribute to the people who took care of us.”
Marc Laplante, the Project’s creator, was delighted to have both Holman and Wilkins highlight one of Lawrence’s military heroes.
“History is meant to be learned and shared,” said Laplante, who is also a Lawrence city councilor. “Bringing Steve and Dominique’s star power to the Project means that more people will likely watch the videos and learn about our heroes, history, and the price of liberty.”
Approximately 200 Lawrence residents died in WW1. The Lawrence World War 1 Project is a video initiative that tells the stories of the 36 Lawrence residents who died in the war and who received some official recognition with a bridge, building, corner or park named after them.
The Schofield segment can be found at this link: James Schofield, Lawrence WW1 Project
