HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE - MY HAYWOOD FOOTBALL HOME PAGE

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE I WAS BUILT IN 1952. I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE TIRED LATELY, BUT I REALLY DIDN’T THINK I WOULD BE DEMOLISHED. WELL, I GUESS 56 YEARS IS KIND OF OLD FOR A STRUCTURE LIKE ME NOWADAYS, AND I HEARD I WAS UNSAFE.

I REMEMBER OPENING NIGHT LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY. I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN I HOSTED THE FIRST TOMCAT GAME ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1952 AGAINST FAYETTE COUNTY AT 8:00 P.M.

THE CROWD WAS TREMENDOUS AND THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE WAS A HAPPENING THING BACK THEN. BROWNSVILLE DEFEATED THIS SOMERVILLE TEAM 12-6 TO OPEN THE SEASON AND I WAS READY TO HOST GAMES FOR JACK HAINES AND 5 MORE COACHES DURING THE NEXT 55 YEARS.

THE FOOTBALL FIELD WAS BUILT BEFORE ME IN 1949, BUT I WAS ALWAYS THE ONE THAT EVERYBODY NOTICED.

I REMEMBER THE SINGLE STORY PRESS BOX THAT FIRST YEAR THAT RESTED AGAINST MY BACK WALL. IT BECAME A TWO STORY BUILDING IN 1963. I CAN STILL SEE THE FRED T. JONES SILVER AND WHITE AMBULANCE PARKED AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE WITH SILAS WILSON OR ROY SULLIVAN POISED TO GO IN A MOMENTS NOTICE. I VIVIDLY REMEMBER THE CROWDS STANDING ON THE L & N RAILROAD TO GET A BETTER VIEW.

I CAN ALMOST HEAR THE RING OF THE WHISTLES FROM OFFICIALS LIKE LEO MARTINDALE, JOE NUCKOLLS, MOSES AMMONS, OR BENNIE MORRISON. MEMBERS OF THE CHAIN GANG: JACK SINCLAIR, BUDDY SMITH, L.Z. HURLEY, MILTON BLACK, EDDIE FERRELL, SKIPPER MOSS, ROBERT HENRY, FLOYD STEWART, AND CARL NAYLOR METHODICALLY DID THEIR JOB.

DR. GENE YOUNG MANNED THE CLOCK FOR 20 YEARS IN MY PRESS BOX. I SAW IT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN A BUSY PLACE. A FUN TIME.

I REMEMBER THE TEAM DOCTORS THAT KEPT OUR PLAYERS READY TO PLAY EVEN WHEN BANGED UP: J. K. WELCH, LUTHER CRABB, AND DON SPENCER.

THE P. A. ANNOUNCERS STILL RING CLEARLY IN MY EARS: ROBERT MOORE, L. Z. HURLEY, JIM KEATHLEY, GREG VANSTORY, AND WALTER BATTLE.

MARTHA ANN LANIER WAS CROWNED HOMECOMING QUEEN MY FIRST YEAR AND I REMEMBER THE BUZZ WHEN ELIZABETH GASKINS GOT THE NOD TWICE (1955 AND 1956).

I SAW THE UNVEILING OF THE SPLIT-T FORMATION IN 1952 AND THE FIRST USE OF A FACEMASK THAT SAME YEAR. THESE HELMETS LOOKED RATHER STRANGE TO ALL OF US WITH THIS NEW-FANGLED DEVICE IN FRONT.

MY SECOND YEAR WAS THE LAST FOR ANY MALE CHEERLEADERS AT HHS. JACK BANKS AND NICK THORNTON WERE THE LAST MALES TO LEAD US IN SIDELINE CHEERS AND THEIR VOICES STILL RING OUT AS I REMINISCE ABOUT MY YOUNGER DAYS.

DIXIE FILM COMPANY CAME TO VISIT IN 1955, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY PRESENCE, A CAMERA WAS USED TO FILM A GAME. THE RIPLEY TIGERS WERE FOREVER CAPTURED ON 16 MM.

THE NEXT YEAR (1956) I SAW ALLEN KING BEGIN CLIMBING A POLE TO FILM THE GAMES FOR JOHN HOOPER AND THE TOMCATS. RAIN, COLD, WIND, OR HEAT DID NOT SLOW DOWN KING WHO GOT HIS TRAINING ON THE JOB. HIS WAS A LABOR OF LOVE THAT LASTED FOR 30 YEARS. AFTER KING’S RETIREMENT, THE VHS MODE OF FILMING WAS USED.

HOW CAN ANYONE EVER FORGET THE MAGICAL FALL OF 1957? THE FIRST UNDEFEATED SEASON (11-0) IN HAYWOOD HISTORY AND I GOT TO SEE 5 OF THEM. EVERY GAME THE CROWD WAS LOUD AND ENTHUSIASTIC. (I ALWAYS THOUGHT HAYWOOD PLAYED ITS BEST AT HOME.)

THE FIRST TIME I SAW A REGULAR SEASON GAME THAT WASN’T PLAYED ON A FRIDAY NIGHT WAS IN 1958 WHEN THE HALLS CONTEST WAS BROUGHT TO ME ON MONDAY.

USUALLY MY THANKSGIVING DAYS WERE QUIET AND PEACEFUL, BUT THAT CHANGED IN 1956 WHEN I HOSTED THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. COVINGTON DEFEATED RIPLEY 31-14. I DIDN’T MIND, AND I ACTUALLY ENJOYED THE COMPANY EVEN THOUGH BROWNSVILLE WASN’T INVOLVED.

I WAS INTRODUCED TO TWO NEWCOMERS ON THE SIDELINES IN 1958. CROWDER CHAPMAN, JR. AND BILLY COX WERE ADDED TO THE PURPLE AND WHITE AS HELPERS. ALREADY IN PLACE WERE JOHN HOOPER AND RICHARD ROSS.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN I SAW MY FIRST TIE GAME. MURFREESBORO OAKLAND DEADLOCKED HHS 8-8 IN 1972. THERE WERE 3 TIES THAT YEAR, BUT I ONLY SAW TWO.

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT MY HOUSE. DO YOU REMEMBER THE 14-GAME HOME WINNING STREAK IN 1957-1958? RIPLEY ENDED IT WITH AN 18-6 VICTORY IN 1959.

HAYWOOD ALSO HAD A 20-GAME STREAK THAT INCLUDED THREE YEARS (1960-1962). I NEVER SAW A LOSS DURING THAT STRETCH.

THE LAST TIME I SAW HHS USE THE SINGLE WING WAS AGAINST FAYETTE COUNTY IN 1959.

I SAW THE FIRST ALL-AMERICAN (DAVID EVANS, 1957) AND THE LAST ALL-AMERICAN (DARYL BOWLES, 1978).

I WAS AS SURPRISED AS YOU WERE WHEN THERE WAS NO NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYED BEFORE THE COVINGTON GAME IN 1960.

DON’T LOOK AT ME; I WAS ALREADY DOING MY JOB.

I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD WHEN I WAS CALLED ON TO HOST PRESEASON JAMBOREES IN 1960 AND 1963.

I WAS PLEASED WHEN THE PURPLE AND WHITE DEFEATED BGA IN 1962 FOR A 23-GAME WINNING STREAK.

MILAN FANS WERE NOT HAPPY CAMPERS WHEN WE THEY SAW THE CATS PUT UP 88 POINTS AGAINST THEM ON THURSDAY NIGHT IN 1963. THE BULLDOGS WERE SO UPSET THEY DIDN’T PUT HAYWOOD BACK ON THE SCHEDULE FOR 24 YEARS.

I HAVE HOSTED GRADUATIONS, CONCERTS, AND RELAY FOR LIFE EVENTS. CAN YOU REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN WE HELD PURPLE AND WHITE SPRING FOOTBALL GAMES? I EVEN ENJOYED THE SAUNDERS, NOWELL, AND SILLS HHS BAND NUMBERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MAJORETTES ANYWAY? (I ALWAYS DID ENJOY THE TWIRLING.)

MY 1964 SEASON WAS DELAYED WHEN THE LIGHT POLES HAD YET TO BE INSTALLED, AND THE HALLS GAME WAS MOVED TO LAUDERDALE COUNTY.

I SAW SIX BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES. HOWEVER, I NEVER SAW HAYWOOD WIN ONE. THE TOMCATS WON CROWNS AT HUMBOLDT (STRAWBERRY BOWL) AND JACKSON (ROTHROCK).

I ALSO WITNESSED SOME TOUGH TIMES. THE 1963 RIPLEY GAME, THE 1966 COVINGTON LOSS, AND THE 1996 FAYETTE-WARE DEFEAT ARE PAINFUL REMINDERS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR EVERY GAME EVEN AT MY PLACE.

I SAW IMPROVEMENTS TO MY STATELINESS TOO. THE SOUTH END CONCESSION STAND WAS FINISHED IN 2001 AND THE PEPSI SCOREBOARD REPLACED THE COCA-COLA BOARD IN 2002.

A RUBBERIZED TRACK WAS INSTALLED JUST IN FRONT OF ME IN 1965.

WROUGHT IRON MARKERS WERE ERECTED AT MY ENTRANCES IN 1964.

I WAS THRILLED WHEN GORDON PERRY INITIATED THE BROWNSVILLE RELAYS AT MY PLACE ON APRIL 15, 1967. COLLEGES AND HIGH SCHOOLS WERE REPRESENTED.

THE WEST SIDE STADIUM WAS BUILT IN 1963, BUT I STILL HAD 34 MORE SEATS THAN IT DID. I FELT BETRAYED WHEN IN 1969 THE HOME SIDE WAS MOVED TO THE WEST SIDE. I STILL CHEERED FOR THE CATS EVEN THOUGHT I WAS PROVIDING SEATS FOR THE ENEMY.

MY PRESS BOX WAS TORN DOWN IN 1991 AND THE WEST SIDE ADDED THEIR VERSION THE YEAR BEFORE. IT WAS CONFUSING TO MOST PEOPLE ABOUT HAVING TWO PRESS BOXES FOR ONE YEAR, BUT I KNEW ALL ALONG MINE WAS NOT EVEN USED.

THE JUNIOR HIGH LAUNCHED THEIR FOOTBALL PROGRAM IN 1987 AND I WAS THERE WITH COACH MIKE YOUNG.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS OCCURRED IN: 1964 (JACKSON 14-12); 1968 (DYERSBURG 48-19); 1969 (JACKSON 15-6); 1987 (MILAN 6-3); 1994 (BRENTWOOD ACADEMY 7-3); 1995 (HENDERSONVILLE BEECH 24-17); AND 1999 (MEMPHIS MELROSE 19-18). HERE’S WHY:

> THE GOLDEN BEAR FANS WERE SO DISTURBED BY THE LOSS THAT THEY ACTUALLY DAMAGED MY GOAL POSTS AT THE NORTH END ZONE.

> STEVE STOOTS WAS BETTER THAT DANNY JEFFERIES IN THE DYERSBURG CONTEST; AND AS PLANNED #1 DEFEATED #8. SOMETIMES I MISSED A HAYWOOD SCORE WHEN I LOOKED AWAY.

> THE HHS VICTORY OVER #1 JACKSON IN 1969 PROPELLED THE CATS INTO THE #1 RANKING THAT LASTED ALL YEAR.

> JOHN TUCKER SUFFERED THE FIRST OF FOUR DEFEATS AT THE HANDS OF HAYWOOD IN 1987.

> I WAS GLAD TO KNOW HHS COULD DEFEAT THE DYNASTY OF BRENTWOOD ACADEMY. THIS WIN WAS ENJOYED BY EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE STATE. (I LIKED IT TOO.)

> POSSIBLY THE MOST EXCITING GAME EVER PLAYED IN FRONT OF ME WAS THE BATTLE WITH BEECH. WINNING PUT HHS INTO THE TSSAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN 1995.

> ANY VICTORY OVER A MELROSE TEAM IS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT. THIS OVERTIME WIN ALMOST MADE MY CONCRETE SHIVER.

I WAS EXHAUSTED AFTER THE FRIDAY NIGHT PLAYOFF GAME WITH CBHS IN 1986. IT WAS POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT. WE EVENTUALLY LOST. IT TOOK ME ALL SUMMER TO RECOVER.

IN 1998 I BECAME JOHN B. HOOPER MEMORIAL STADIUM. I LIKE THE WAY THAT SOUNDS. WHY NOT? I SAW THIS MAN COACH THE LONGEST, AND WIN MORE TIMES.

MY RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. IN 56 YEARS I HAVE SEEN 333 GAMES. MY TEAM WON 233, LOST 96, AND TIED 4.

MY FAVORITE SEASON WAS 1987. HAYWOOD PLAYED AT HOME 7 TIMES THAT YEAR. I WAS A BUSY BOY.

I REMEMBER WINSTON GAFFRON GETTING HIS EYEBALL SCRATCHED AGAINST JACKSON NORTH SIDE IN 1965. JIM WADDELL BROKE HIS THUMB VS. TRENTON THAT SAME SEASON.

I ALWAYS ENJOYED THE LITTLE COTTON BOWL WE HAD AT MY HOUSE. FROM 1952 TO 1968 I ENJOYED HOSTING THESE 12 BOWL GAMES. TWO OF THESE CONTESTS ALLOWED OUR LOCAL TEAM TO PLAY.

SOME OF THE BEST COACHES IN THE BUSINESS PAID ME A VISIT: KEN NETHERLAND, CARLTON FLATT, DAN BLAND, JOHN TUCKER, TOM FANN, WALTER KILZER, JACK CAIN, JIM POTEETE, JAKE RUDOLPH, MAURICE KELLY, JOHN GULLEY, JAMES COUNCE, PAUL WARD, AND GRANT SHIPLEY.

IN HIS 12^TH YEAR AS COACH, I SAW JOHN HOOPER DEFEAT DYERSBURG FOR HIS 100^TH VICTORY IN 1966.

I STILL CHUCKLE WHEN I THINK ABOUT HARRY AND LARRY BADDOUR AND THEIR BATTLE WITH THE HARDIN COUNTY KICKER JOE BARKER. BARKER NEVER STOOD A CHANCE.

I WAS THERE EVERY MOMENT OF THE 19-GAME HOME WINNING STREAK THAT ENDED AGAINST COVINGTON IN 1970; AND I SAW A LOT OF THE LONGEST HHS STREAK OF 29 WINS THAT CONCLUDED AT MBA THAT SAME YEAR.

I HAVE SEEN 24 TSSAA PLAYOFF GAMES.

I ENJOYED SEEING THE #1 TEAM IN THE STATE THREE YEARS RUNNING (1968-1969-1970).

YOU SEE, MY TIME MAY HAVE COME AND GONE, BUT NOTHING WILL EVER TAKE MY PLACE. METAL BLEACHERS, THE WEST SIDE STANDS, NOTHING HAS THE SAME RING TO IT AS THE CHEERS WE ALL HAD DURING MY TIME OF EMPLOYMENT IN HAYWOOD COUNTY. I MAY BE GONE FROM SIGHT, BUT CERTAINLY NOT FROM MEMORIES. IF YOU WISH TO REMEMBER MORE ABOUT ME AND HAYWOOD SPORTS HISTORY, BE SURE TO PAY THE HAYWOOD COUNTY MUSEUM AT COLLEGE HILL A VISIT.