The Auburn High School gym has been officially renamed the “Teel” gymnasium after two longtime athletic supporters, Bull and Lee Teel. Pictured at the presentation on Monday are Auburn Principal Chris Stewart, Gene “Bull” Teel, Lee Teel and Athletic Director Paul Dominy.
By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Auburn High School Monday honored two longtime athletic supporters with the naming of the
school’s gymnasium after their family. Bull and Lee Teel will never have to pay for admission as they were presented with lifetime passes to any future athletic events. For the most part, the two can usually be working at some aspect of any of Auburn’s sporting events.
Bull has worked 223 football games over the span of 44 years as part of the chain gang. He was honored last year for that feat. He has also kept the clock at basketball games since December 4, 1970, checking off 1,380 games and still running this season.
His brother, Lee, helped to maintain the football field for close to 35 years.
“It was an awesome feeling to be honored in this way. In no way did we deserve it,” Bull said after the unveiling of a sign in the gym that bears the “Teel” name.
Athletic Director Paul Dominy said the two brothers have done everything over the years.
“We had always gone to games, growing up and attending the old Auburn High School. So, after
graduation, we just started doing things to help the athletic program,” Bull said earlier this week.
Lee worked for several years opening the school’s gym on the weekend to allow area
children to play basketball. “He even mopped the floors,” Bull said.
The Teel family has also been involved in the development of the new school grounds, and a former family farm is set to become home to a new Riner Fire Station and future park.
For now, Bull doesn’t plan to slow down and will not need that lifetime pass anytime soon as he plans to continue operating the clock during basketball games.
“Our hearts will always be in Riner and with this school,” he said.
And he doesn’t have any plans to use those poster-sized passes for free admission the brothers are pictured with at Monday’s ceremony. “They’re too big. I can’t put them in my pocket or anything,” he said with a chuckle.
