Being Saved-Bright Lights and Stars

Gerald Byron, two great stories. Coach would have loved them. He wore his "funny bone" on his sleeve and it did not take much to set it off. He loved tumbling and I do not know why. Maybe some one in the group can enlighten us.
The story about my sister is probably true, no one in our neighborhood provoked her (I can feel your pain). Did you see my story of the nite she went into the Lexington dressing room and popped the head of the girl who had been guarding her (and holding her) during the BB game. As I said earlier, she probably could have made the football team. Again Gerald great stories of our Coach and great remembrances of times gone by.
Scotty Portis

Scotty: Johnny Radford forward me all of the emails: I read them this afternoon as Susan drove us to mountains. Great memories!!!! I would like to add a couple if you would be kind enough to share with the group:

Like Charles Rhodes, I was a 98 pound weakling (literally) during high school and so my high school extracurricular activity was relegated to beating the bass drum. (Unfortunately, as Mr. Tate quickly learned, I did not have an ounce of rhythm flowing through my veins’ still don’t.) But I vividly remember P.E. under Coach Ward. I particularly remember the tumbling which Coach Ward loved but which I grew to dread. My Waterloo was the two man tumble when one person laid on the floor with his head between other person ankles and his feet were around the neck of the one standing. The one standing – me – was suppose to roll forward. Being athletically challenged, my roll was more like a swan dive forward until the top of my head contacted the gym floor just beyond the mat. I must have been “saved” at the moment that I hit the floor because I definitely saw a bright light and many stars. When I could open my eyes, there was Coach Ward beside me bent over in laughter! Dodge ball was a different exercise but, for me, had the same result. I always ended up on the other side from Ace Forbess, William Lee Smothers and Steve Neal and would get creamed by one of them, either in the head or family jewels, by a volley ball traveling at least 75 mph. While rolling in the floor, I would inevitably look up to see Coach Ward bent over in laughter.

Coach Ward’s laughter was not malicious, however. As others have so eloquently expressed, he cared deeply about his charges and no one was prouder of my Vandy scholarship than Coach Ward. In retrospect, how could one keep from laughing at some of our antics; I laughed out loud several times today. We were, indeed, fortunate to have persons like Coach Ward, Mr. Pudor, Mr. Tate, Miss Anna Pearl, and others, care for us, mentor us and love us.

In closing, I want to vouch for the fact that your beloved sister, Betty Ann, had a mean streak. On Halloween of our senior year, two groups came together in Mayor Watson’s front yard. My group was armed to the hilt with water balloons which we launched toward Betty Ann’s group. My enthusiasm was cut short when a 6 ounce Coke bottle came whizzing by my ear – Betty Ann had won that round.

Thanks again for getting this started.

Gerald

Rabbit Hunting

Scott Portis Sun, Jan 13, 2008 at 12:53 AM

Welcome to two new "yet old" Mustangs-Jimmy Lumpkin a member of the notorious "Jackson Highway Gang" and David Thompson a very good Mustang fullback. I'll send you guys the other blogs as soon as I get this one typed.

As Gary Hall said in the very first email of this series of blogs "the old memory bucket just keeps on filling up". I want to "toot the horn" of two of the sparkplug players on my team (we played all four years together). Joe Fortner alluded to the prowess of Coach Jerry Robinson in an earlier email. Coach Ward's teams of 1957 and 1958 (the two years after Larry Stewart) went 10-0 and 10-1 losing to Jackson High in the Exchange Bowl 28-12 (we lead this game 6-0 at one point and were in the game til the end. Two interceptions allowed Jackson to score two late touchdowns). In 1958 we played in two bowl games-beating Lexington 35-0 then losing to Jackson.

Marshall "Moose" Smith was our 245 lb. fullback, but do not let this deceive you. The guy could move. Not only was he quick but could "chug" it down the field once in the clear. He led the team in scoring our senior year with about 140 points. When we needed 5 yards for sure, Moose got the ball. He bowled defensive players over. On the other side of the ball, he played middle guard and at times tackle depending on the defensive call. He was almost as good as Blankenship at making tackles all over the field. Coach Ward took Moose and me rabbit hunting one cold Nov. morning after a basketball game (we both played BB also). Both Coach and Moose had killed about two rabbits a piece and were chiding me for missing several shots. We walked a bit further and I sat down on a hollow log and darned if a rabbit didn't run out of the end of that log. I fired from the hip with the blast from the 16 gauge knocking me off the log. The two of them got down on the ground laughing but I had the last laugh when Coach Ward's faithful dog brought the rabbit up (Little Paul I remembered that dog's name for years). Coach Ward was the person who helped Moose and me get our scholarships to UT.

Wallace "Wade" Pinkley was our tailback those two years-all 145 lbs. Wade was slow as molasses (I could beat him 10 yds in the 100) but he never took a direct hit. If he had had the speed to match his quickness and ability to fake (give you a hip then take it away), he would have been everybody's All-American. But his ability to run the ball was not even his strong point. He was the best field general (calling plays in the huddle) I ever saw. He had an uncanny nack for calling the right play (right 48 sweep then come back with a fake sweep and pull up and throw a bullet down field). If things were not going well, then he made up plays in the huddle that actually worked. In the Jackson bowl game he moved Climan Smith from fullback (Moose had been hurt) to quarterback and me to fullback for a screen pass that worked for a TD. Wallace went on to the University of the South where he was a very successful tailback-starting all four years at that position. In his very first game as a freshman Sewanee was behind Rhodes College (Memphis) and Coach Shirley Majors inserted Wade in the second half and he pulled the game out with his running and passing. Coach Ward was instrumental in getting Wallace to Sewanee where he not only excelled in football but played baseball and was a gownsman (honor society).

Anyone with a good story about Coach, a fellow player, or a specific team lets hear it. Benny Roberts (1975, #58) emailed me and said that these blogs were better than any Rx he ever got from a doctor. Those of you who have not read Ned Priest's blog on Johnny Compton (Comptonian Physics) let me know. You have got to read it.

Scott Portis (1955-1958)

FIRST POST - 41 Wind Sprints

Hello all - this is the first communication in a chain of emails that began about Coach Ward, and his passing in November of 2007. I am attempting to put all the contents of the emails in here to archive what has been written, and provide you all a starting point from here forward.

smp (Scott M Portis)

From: Gary Hall

To: John Pitts ; Wallace Pinkley ; Scotty Portis ; Ronnie&Nancy Rice ; Fred Holladay

Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:34 AM

Subject: Coach Ward

Sorry to hear of the passing of Coach Ward. When I saw he was 81 it made me think how fast time has gone by. In 1953 at the age of 24 he started coaching at Huntingdon and the rest is history. He was one of the class sponsors for our graduating class of 1958. I will never forget the tears in his eyes on graduation night when we went by to say goodbye and thanks for his guidance through the years. Guess I wasn't expecting to see tears from him after observing his stern, but caring demeanor through our school years. The memory bucket just keeps on filling as time goes by.

On Nov 28, 2007, at 1:25 AM, ScottyPortis wrote:

Gary, very well put. This was the first time that I had tears in my eyes at a funeral in a long time.

Let me tell the others what you and I witnessed at the class reunion (Johnny had just left the Civic Center and missed this). Several weeks ago during the Saturday session of the "Combined Class Reunion-1940 to 1959" someone was up speaking and Coach Ward slipped in and sat in the row right behind Gary and me. I leaned back in my seat and shook hands with him and this created a small commotion and several people looked that way-when they realized it was Coach Ward, as a whole, the entire body of former students (500) rose up and gave him a standing ovation. He was visibly shaken and embarrased, but I am sure pleased (or as pleased as Coach Ward could be). A week later his medical problem started.

What a tremendous individual. Someone once said that he probably kept many of us out of prison. Gary, Johnny, Wallace, Ronnie, and Freddie, I only wish you five could have been at that funeral full of grown men crying. Larry Stewart had to be helped off the podium after he spoke. Coach John B. Tucker the famous former Milan Bulldog coach had tears in his eyes. I told Coach Welch that he was now the head coach. His reply, "Scotty, I don't think I can handle it".

Coach Ward had a blood clot to the blood supply to his intestines and had to have his entire small and large bowel removed during three different surgeries. He even had a cardiac arrest after one of the surgeries.He lived the last month on venous feedings (hyperalimentation) only. Tim Priest drove all the way from K'ville to be here (even after the very emotional Vol-Wildcat game in Lexington Sat).

I called Coach Ward two weeks ago and told him "Boy, get out of that bed". He told me no one wanted out any worse than he did. A very tough individual to the very end.

I am certainly glad that I passed his way and that he was able to help shape my life as he did. I think that he taught us all to "take a lick" get up, brush ourselves off and go again.

He was a Giant among men. God rest his soul.

Scott Portis

Number 15

Mustang Quarterback-1955-58

To: ScottyPortis

Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 5:20 AM

Subject: Re: Coach Ward

SP, do you remember the only 'paddling' I got in my thirteen school years in Huntingdon? You got one too. We were seniors at HHS, on the football team and pretty special, according to us. Coach W's habits were very familiar, so we were sure there was enough time before he finished lunch and had a cigarette to shoot a few baskets wearing our street shoes. This was strictly forbidden and the punishment was known to all. The paddle hung in the equipment room of the gym, it had holes bored into a pattern and was an ominous reminder of the serious even handed justice that has shaped us.

Why doesn't someone start a blog of Coach Ward stories?

I have gotten several from the notices I sent to family and HHS folks.

jp

On 11/29/07 Scotty Portis wrote:

Johnny, I think you have started it. I don't know if you know this or not but we have a famous "Blogger" among us. None other than Charles Rhodes "Class of 1960". Charles, can you help us out here? Charles has written several very funny stories about life at HHS and could probably pull a few out about our famous Coach.

Also, such people as Ray Ivy and Duck Priest are good "yarn spinners". So any of you guys or gals who feel so inclined to tell a Coach Ward story jump in. It will be appreciated.

Here goes mine. Guys on my team (1958) will remember the famous "after practice" #41, 100yd wind sprints we ran for staying out after the 10PM Halloween curfew. As Johnny alluded to below, Coach Ward was the master of discipline with the "my way or the highway" mentality. Justice was usually swift and to the point, but sometimes could be painfully slow and agonizing. Your status on the team made no difference. After a very hard practice (for what reason we did not know at the time), Coach Ward lined us all up across the field from side line to side line. He said "anyone who was out after 10PM last nite step forward". No one did (he had our names). Then after repeating the command more forcefully the second time, Johnny Pitts, Walter Brown, Paul Allen, Marshall Darrnell, Ronnie Pritchard, Moose Smith, Wallace Pinkley, and I stepped forward-then one by one the whole team stepped forward-guilty or not. This made him very angry, so we started running 100yd wind sprints. We ran and we ran and at about the 25th sprint someone, I think it was Paul Allen or Ronnie Pritchard let out a "warwhoop" and the whole team started cheering." Oops", wrong move. I remember his face was as red as a hot poker. Anyway, we counted #41 sprints (hard sprints) that day. I think my dad had to carry me up the steps that nite to bed. Lesson learned-If Coach Ward says to be home by 10PM you had better by damn be home by 10PM.

I had spent time with Coach Ward during my years back with him in Huntingdon. Wallace Pinkley would come to town and we would call Moose over from Camden and we would take him out to lunch or cook a steak on the grill. We would watch film (usually of the 1957 Exchange Bowl Mustangs 25 vs. Parsons 7) with Wallace grilling Coach Ward on, "Coach, why didn't we pass more"? You all know the answer to that one. Johnny, will even remember the trip to K'ville to see the VOLS play in which we invited Coach Ward but his legs were bothering him so much that he could not make the trip. Wish he had. As Gary Hall says "the memory bucket just keeps on filling".

I think that Coach Ward has taught all of us more than we realize and that we will carry forward these lessons that he gave us. May be, just may be, we can impart these lessons to those we love and hold dear.

Thanks.

A Mustang to the End(1955-1958)

Scott Portis

On 11/29/07 Wallace Pinkley wrote:

Great memories. I absolutely agree with the sentiments of the budding correspondents; Scott, John, Fred, Gary and Tim. Coach Ward pulled me out of study hall one morning our freshman year after summer practice was already over, and told me he had convinced my mother that I should be on the field that afternoon all 115 lbs. It was a tough year (0-9-1), but it prepared me for the next 7 years.

I'll always be grateful for his encouragement as John Williams, Euell Bouldin and Coach Ward again rather late my senior year drove me to Sewanee to meet Coach Majors about late entry to Sewanee. Coach Ward gave a film to Coach Majors, and I squeezed in. Late registration had already closed, and I had to rush to Memphis to take an SAT test. It was so late I had to live at Coach Major's house the first semester. Quite a family. Coach Majors had many of the traits that Coach Ward had; discipline, down to earth wisdom, consistent, excellence, encouragers, leaders.

Fred's story reminded me; Coach Ward leaned down on his knees belly laughing when he looked at my front tooth that was just broken in half one afternoon at practice. After that I had a 2 bar face mask. It was the same laugh when I spun the wrong way one day as a freshman and Kenny Walker flattened me over the zero hole. It was like a freight train; I remember Kenny as being taller and faster than Warren Blankenship.

I do remember well the Halloween sprints. When I finally literally got my second wind I thought we could just keep going, but I don't believe I was the one of those who did an Indian war cry. Hope to hear more.

Go Mustangs and keep the legend alive.

Wallace [Pinkley]