Thursday's Internet Edition, September 02, 2010.

Delmis and Sandy Tallman hold up a red vest that belonged to Senator Robert C. Byrd, who died last month. It was purchased at an auction in 1982, the year Byrd gave up playing the fiddle. Photo by David Hedges

The Newton couple had just returned from vacation in 1982 and was attending a Democrat dinner at Camp Sheppard in Gandeeville when a fundraising auction started.

The evening’s keynote speaker, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, pulled auctioneer Larry Boggs aside and told him to offer his famous red vest for sale to the highest bidder.

Tallman started bidding, and when the amount got well over a hundred dollars, Sandy began to get concerned.

“We just got back from vacation,” she said. “He started bidding and I was thinking about all the money we had just spent and I about threw a fit.”

Tallman ended up outbidding his friend, Dan Tawney, who had already bid on a hat offered by A. James Manchin that went for $75.

“I paid $210,” Tallman said. “That was a lot of money in 1982.”

Byrd, who did not know the auction was on the program, did not have the vest with him, but said he would send it to the high bidder.

“He had two red vests,” Tallman said. “He said the other one was on display at the Grand Ole Opry.”

Byrd often wore his red vest when he played his fiddle, which he played at the Opry as well as the Kennedy Center and on the Hee Haw television program.

He stopped playing the fiddle in 1982 — the same year Tallman purchased the vest — after symptoms of a benign tremor began affecting the use of his hands.

When the vest arrived a few weeks later, Sandy said it came with a bonus.

“There was a Tic Tac breath mint in the pocket,” she said. “I threw it away.”

But the stains on the vest – Tallman says they are probably from spilled coffee or something the senator ate – are still there.

“”I guess I ought to have it dry cleaned,” he said. “But I’ll probably keep it just like he sent it.”

The 67-year-old disabled coal miner and former Democrat committee member met Byrd on several occasions, including the two times he was named Roane County Democrat of the year and received his award at the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner in Charleston.

He remains a big admirer of Byrd, who died last month at the age of 92.

“He was honest,” Tallman said. “What he told you was the true fact. He was just down to earth.

“And we were dear friends,” he added. “Anytime I would call his office, someone would call me right back.”

Tallman’s wife shares his affinity for the late senator.

“I used to like to watch him at rallies,” Sandy said. “He could really get excited.”

“He’s done a lot for West Virginia,” Tallman said. “There’s no way he’ll never be replaced.”

The same could be said of the red vest, which Tallman said he put on display at the Democrat headquarters several years ago during the W.Va. Black Walnut Festival, until someone told him he ought to remove it before it disappeared amid the throngs of people.

Tallman has two letters of authenticity for the vest, including one from the auctioneer and one signed by Byrd himself.

That would be important if he ever decided to sell it, but Tallman said that is not likely.

“I might donate it to something one of these days,” he said. “But for the time being, I think I’ll just hold on to it.”