1956 - The Tipping Point

[Editors note: Sorry these are not in chronological order: Dad sent me some more stories yesterday that I was not originally copied on. smp]

From: Fred Holladay

Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 8:01 PM

Subject: RE: Coach Ward

It has been very interesting to read the blogs in reference to Coach Ward. I was fortunate to know Coach in several dimensions. I first knew him as sponsor of the class of ’58 (1955-1958). I then knew him as Coach and was privileged to play on his first two regular season undefeated teams, 1956 and 1957. Later, at the encouragement of Billy Portis (Scotty’s father), I ran for and was elected to the board of the Huntingdon Special School District and was privileged to serve with both Mr. Pudor and subsequently Coach Ward. Coach Ward’s sister, Hazel, was a key employee of mine for 20 years while in the retail furniture business in Huntingdon.

Many memories course through my grey matter as I read the blogs. I remember, as though it were last week, when Billy Yeager broke my nose (obviously before face masks were standard issue) at football practice and Coach fell to his knees in hilarious laughter. He told me not to reach to touch it because “it was all over my face”. Coach went with me to Wilson Clinic and stayed until I was released to go to a specialist in Jackson. Then there was the game, against Paris, I think, that was played in the rain on a very muddy field when the field was lined with limestone instead of chalk. All of the team was burned with limestone and again, characteristically, Coach Ward went with us to Wilson Clinic to have the limestone burns treated.

Although most of the recipients of this blog appeared later in Coach Ward’s very successful tenure, the “tipping point” year was 1956. The team of 1955 was 9-0-1[actually 0-9-1 ed.], scoring only 79 points in ten games, losing 9 games in a row before tying Northside at 14 in the final game. Larry Stewart joined the Mustangs for the 1956 season and the team went 10-0 scoring 300 points before losing to Paris in the Exchange Bowl 12-6. I think that the team of 1956 absolutely changed the character of football in Huntingdon for generations to come. Someone inquired about the offensive line for the 1956 season: Bobby Churchwell-right end, Walter Brown-right tackle, Bendell Wilkes-right guard, Warren Blankenship-Center, Bobby Crossett-left guard, Dale Lewis-left tackle and Ronnie Rice-left end. The single wing backfield was Dewey Williams, Barton Williams, Jerry Parish and Larry Stewart. That was the year that Dixie Carter was Football Queen, Paul Ward was Coach of the Year in West Tennessee and Larry Stewart was the state’s leading scorer. The team of 1957 was 9-0 in the regular season scoring 240 points and then beat Parsons in the Exchange Bowl. Offensive line was Ronnie Rice-right end, Walter Brown-right tackle, Bendell Wilkes-right guard, Warren Blankenship-center, Fred Holladay-left guard, Sammy Lankford-left tackle and Lance Kee-left end. The backfield was Jerry Parish, Scotty Portis, Marshal “Moose” Smith and Wallace Pinkley.

I remember the “Jackson Highway Gang” but how many remember the predecessor “Saturday Morning Pudor Field Gang”? Each Saturday morning there would be a game at Pudor Field in which boys lived their dream of Friday Night Football. Two of the regulars were Jimmy McKinney and Johnny Wayne “Pain” Clifton. “Pain” would always show up with a new, shiny, leather football since his father, W. W. Clifton, owned the Western Auto store. Pain thought that we should play by his rules since he always furnished the new football. One Saturday morning, Pain said that if we did not play his way he would take the ball and go home. Jimmy McKinney, who had as much as he could stand, told Johnny Wayne to “take your ‘ole football and go home. We don’t need it anyway.” We then finished playing with an old football, with no white markings, on a field with gold and blue crepe paper strewn along the sidelines and chalk lines marking the playing field.

Coach Ward showed no favoritism to the players. He would always entrust some player with the “football car” who was charged with the responsibility of taking players home to “the country” and then was privileged to drive the car to school the next day. (Can you imagine that happening in 2008?) He would take promising young men like Warren Blankenship and Ray Chandler, focus his attention on them, give them an opportunity to excel, and prepare them for life in a larger world. During my high school years he would retreat to the “boiler room” with J. Leroy Tate for a smoke. He demanded strict adherence to team rules such as no smoking, no soft drinks and a strict 10:00 pm curfew. Later, as Superintendent of Schools, he would make the hard decisions necessary to keep the Huntingdon Special School District operating at peak efficiency and confront teachers whom he felt needed confrontation.

Thank you, Coach Paul Ward, for the extraordinary influence you have had on the lives of hundreds of people and for an influence that is certainly felt among the children and grandchildren of your players.

Fred Holladay

Huntingdon Mustangs (1955-1957)

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Freddie, another great story from yet another great Mustang lineman. What would the backs be without you guys "knocking" those giant holes in the line. I well remember your senior year and my junior year on the same field together. What a great season. Your senior team was one of the best all round teams I think Coach Ward ever had. To show his coaching genius, as you will remember, we started the "belly series" that year (switch from the single wing as we had less speed in the backfield but more power) with a lot of the plays coming over you at left guard (belly 35 with Moose over left guard or Parish left 47 off tackle) always for yardage.

I do remember Yeager breaking your nose-it was rather flat. Yeager laughed about as hard as Coach Ward did.

Just another thought of support for the athletic teams. I can remember the support of the cheerleaders. I can recall one incident on the baseball team (yes Coach Ward was the assistant BB coach- Blake Milam was the head Coach and a good one). We went to play Palmersville in an away game (don't know if I could find Palmersville today or not without a Garmin) but several of the cheerleaders came all the way to the game-Kay Watson, Judy Barger, Mary Louise Barrow, Mary Ann Coleman, and Judy Morris. There were no stands to sit in at their field and the girls sat two back to back for support. Funny how you remember the smallest details. The point is that Huntingdon has always had great support from the student body, cheerleaders, and our fans. My senior year we met Lexington in the important 6th game of the year with both teams being 6-0. There were so many fans at the game that the crowds were 5-6 deep all around Pudor Field (the old High School). Johnny Pitts (left defensive half back) and I (safety) ran a Lexington back into the crowd on their side and we could not get out. Their fans were shoving, kicking, and pounding us with their fists. The chain gang had to come in and rescue us. Our big game then was with Lexington (beat them twice that year 46-7 in the above game and 35-0 in the Vol Cof. play off game in Lexington). The Lexington guys were always good but dirty. One of their defensive linemen stuck his finger in my mouth after I had been tackled and I tried to bite his finger off. He ran to the ref and showed him his bleeding finger and the ref told him he should not have stuck it in my mouth. My wife often asks me "Scotty, how in the world do you remember so much detail"? I just tell her that events that mean so much to you just stand out in your mind, and playing football for Paul Ward and for the Huntingon Mustangs is one of the those things.

Again, Freddie so good to hear from you and your good story and memories of Coach Ward. I know everyone is getting a kick out of these. I just got one from Betty Robinson (former Mustang cheerleader and Coach Robinson's wife and a good friend of mime). Jimmy Lumpkin another Mustang QB also sent a very good story.

Scotty