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]