Two Sophomores Pave the Way

Steve,
I remember this game very well as I was there as the team physician. Todd's kick hit the cross bar and went over to put the Mustangs ahead (the late defensive TD on a Trenton fumble made it 22-13). I still have the game program that I will show you someday.
I remember your days at the helm of the Mustangs as you were a pretty good field general.
Thanks for your input.
Scotty Portis

The post by Terry Brewer (my favorite receiver, by the way) compelled me to go ahead and add one of my memories of Coach Ward. As you all know my parents and their relationship with Coach Ward, I had looked up to him with awe and reverence while growing up in Huntingdon. Yet, with their being close friends with him and with me being friends with Bobby as we grew up, I knew Coach Ward much better than most of the aspiring young Mustangs in Huntingdon. But make no mistake, I still viewed him as a larger than life figure. And, after watching my heroes such as Tim Priest, I could not wait to be a Huntingdon Mustang and play for Coach Ward.

I finally got my chance as a sophomore with the outstanding 1975 team, Coach Ward's last year, as mentioned previously. On to my story. I started fall practice as the third-team quarterback, behind Brian Caton and Jeff Kelly. Unfortunately, after about 3-4 weeks of preseason practice, I had to undergo exploratory surgery because it was feared I had testicular cancer. Thank the Lord it was a false alarm, but I had to miss considerable practice time and the first two games while I recovered. I came back to practice the week of the third game against Henderson. I actually got to play some as we totally destroyed Henderson. As a matter of fact, at the urging of my teammates, we threw the football the first several plays (I was in there with the rest of reserves). That play calling came to an abrupt halt since (A) Coach Ward liked the forward pass about as much as he would have liked a case of the shingles and (B) It is considered very poor sportsmanship to be throwing the ball when you're up half a hundred.

The following week our opponent was McKenzie and we were practicing extra points and field goals at the end of practice. As Terry mentioned, we had not settled on a placekicker. (As an aside, Terry had a very short lived career as a soccer style kicker the next year for Coach Bobby Hayes' first team.) Anyway, the kicking practice was not going well. I was just standing there watching, waiting for the wind sprints to begin. However, my life was about to change. As we got ready for another PAT attempt, the holder (who shall remain nameless) slightly moved the black square tee that was used to place the football after the kicker had counted off his steps. Coach Ward became extremely agitated, to say the least. He ran over to the holder--who was still kneeling--and brought him to his feet by his facemask. We all know Coach Ward had a special affinity for facemasks. He pulled the holder out of the way, turned around and looked at me. "Get down there and hold the ball Stout and don't move the damn tee!!" I had never done this in my life. But, I got down there and thankfully did not throw up on myself or drop the ball. So, I became the holder and was holding for the field goal Todd Hall kicked against Trenton. Looking back, I often wonder if Coach Ward did that so I could contribute to the team in some small way after what I had gone through in the pre-season. I've convinced myself that was the case and he never knew how much I appreciated it.

Steve Stout

Team Physician

Terry, welcome to the blog for Coach Ward. I don't know when we have had more fun in such a sad situation. Coach Ward does not realize it but he continues to walk among us and teach even after he has departed this life. Paul and Bobby have expressed to me on numerous occasions what these contributions have meant to them and their families. I got a very sweet note from Paul Jr.'s daughter, Jill (a teacher herself) in Memphis the other day.

Your story of the 1975 game with Trenton is outstanding and shows the true ability of this remarkable Coach to get "his team" ready for the next "big game". And a premonition that the kicking game could produce a win-wow! As I was back in Huntingdon and very close to this team as the "assistant team physician" under Dr. Atkins (who has dedicated many, many years to the Huntingdon football team), I too remember the hype leading up to the game. Huntingdon was "a buzz" with excitement all week preceding the game. Game day arrived and Dr. Atkins had to be out of town and could not attend the game. This propelled me into the job of "Team Physician"-for this nite anyway. I arrived in Trenton early and very nervous because of the importance of the game (I still get very nervous even today before each Mustang game just like I did when I played-not to the point of vomiting like Steve Barnett-but still nervous) and because of my added responsibility. No sooner had I approached the field house, than one of the managers ran up to me and said come quick as someone had been hurt in the pregame drills and Coach Ward needed me. My knees almost buckled for fear that I was going have to bench one of Coach Ward's important cogs. I don't even remember who the player was and his injury was not that bad (he played).

What a game! As I said in an earlier blog, this was probably the most exciting Mustang win that I ever witnessed with the team being behind in the 4th quarter, then going ahead with the field goal by none other than Todd Hall only a sophomore (Mustangs 15-Golden Tide 13 with the Mustangs scoring a late defensive touchdown to win 22-13). What a game! I don't remember the bash to Coach Ward's head but probably even if it had brought blood, Coach would not have cared at that point.

Again, Terry, thanks for the contribution as your insight added another dimension to a game that is #1 in my book. Your blog did a lot more than just trigger fond memories of a time gone by.

Also, I want to welcome another very special person to the site. None other than one of my very close "girl friends" Miss Melinda Milam Popplewell. Melinda's dad Blake Milam was our head baseball coach (Coach Ward was his assistant) and a very special person to me and the other baseball Mustangs. Coach Milam carried us far, way beyond our collective ability. This man was to baseball what Paul Ward was to football. Every season we won a lot more games than we should have with the talent we had. We were playing Memphis Central (Tim McCarver who was a catcher for the Mets and a left handed pitcher named Guido Grilli) in Memphis once in an important game and Gary Hall one of our pitchers reminded me the other day what Coach Ward and Coach Milam told us before the game "boys, they put their pants on one leg at a time just like you do". Melinda, hope you and Jay enjoy these stories as much as we have.

Again, welcome to all new bloggers to the site. Johnny Radford, the number #1 Mustang sports fan of all time, is feeding me names faster than I can recognize everyone. If I have missed you, sorry. Anyone (like Terry Brewer above) who has a special play, a game, a teammate, a season, or even another sport that eulogizes Coach Ward or someone else, please feel free to share. It will do you good and certainly will do this group good.

Thanks.

Scott Portis

Mustang (1955-1958)