The Logan Daily News Thursday, September 26, 2019 Page B3

Football History
1964 Chiefs were second-ever unbeaten team
Mel Adams-coached squad, featuring John Gasser, George Hummel, Steve Mowery and
Bob Courter, among other standouts, was part of school-record 18-game winning streak
BY SPENCER WAUGH in college, end Steve Mowery was
FOR THE LOGAN DAILY NEWS named to the All-Ohio first team.
The opposite end, Bob Courter,
Editor’s note: The following played at the University of Wiscon-
article is the second of a series of sin.
Logan High School football his- But the men on that team are
tory stories LHS sports historian quick to point out that what allowed
Spencer Waugh is writing for The them to achieve perfection was the
Logan Daily News this season to way each and every man knew and
commemorate the anniversaries excelled in his role.
of the greatest Chieftain football Merle Bell, Leo Schultz, Bill
teams of all time. This story covers Westfall and Stefan Dennis were
the 1964 Chieftain team. Waugh is singled out as underclassmen who
continuing the process of speaking could have played on many teams
with LHS athletes and coaches from in the area but added depth and
all eras and can be contacted either excelled on scout team during the
via email at admin@loganfootball. weekly practices.
com or at 740-974-4531. Gasser continued: “We were
——— great friends. We played all sports
Fifty-five years ago, the 1964 together from young ages (the
Logan Chieftains became just the same group won the 1965 SEOAL
second team in school history to baseball title that spring), we spent a
finish with a perfect 10-0 record. lot of time together and came from
The team delivered back-to-back similar backgrounds. It was a bunch
Southeastern Ohio Athletic League of great guys.”
championships for the first time in Gary Derr, a pulling guard on that
LHS history. team, remembers that, “We just had
The season was the biggest chunk fun, we didn’t have to pump every-
of an 18-game winning streak that one up. We knew Mel was gonna
spanned from 1963 to 1965, a streak chew us out for certain things —
that still stands as the school’s when we deserved it — but we had
longest. The team allowed only 40 fun being together those 10 weeks.”
points during the season, still the Courter remembers the team hav-
second-fewest in school history, and ing very little drama — especially
Dale Brenning (33) turns the corner on one of Logan’s bread and butter plays thanks to great blocking from George
set a then-record scoring pace with compared to some of the stories you Hummel (21) during the Logan Chieftains’ undefeated 1964 season.
338 points, which is still tenth on the hear today.
school’s all-time list. “We wanted to compete to win,” for every 10 tries. thought the home field advantage
“We were like an all-star team,” he said. “I can’t single anyone out. The defensive record is even more would enable the red and white to
quarterback John Gasser recalled We all had our part to play and each astounding when you consider that snap Logan’s victory streak. Or at
when looking back on his junior man did it. His (Adams) leadership two of the six touchdowns the team least that’s what Coach Adams had
football season. “I think I can still made it all possible.” allowed came on special teams, drilled into his team. “From the
name every guy on that team by The Chieftains were champions meaning that the defense allowed preseason, he told us that if we beat
name.” in 1963, overcoming a pair of close only 28 points all season. Jackson we’d be champions,” Derr
“It was such a great team,” former non-league losses to Bexley and End Mowery, tackle Earl Beery, recalls.
Chieftain head coach Dick Mikes Columbus Whetstone to finish 7-2. middle guard Champ, and tackle Logan controlled the clock and
said recently looking back on his And while the team was littered Courter filled four of the six posi- the ball, running 70 plays against
first year as an assistant coach. “Just with underclassmen, the seniors in- tions on the front line with middle Jackson’s 32. Brenning led the way
great kids.” cluded All-Ohio selections Dick Ste- guard Lloyd Simmons and end Dick with 145 yards and a touchdown on
But like any great team, success vens and Robbie Johnson. Johnson, a Fox rounding out the forward line. 26 carries with Gasser adding a pair
didn’t come out of nowhere. And the three-year starter at quarterback and Merl Beery and Denny Baker of scoring runs and a scoring toss to
roots to success started over a half four-year starter at linebacker, would were outstanding linebackers while Hummel.
a decade before their triumphant later earn a starting linebacker spot Gasser, Brandt, and Hummel formed Hummel injured his knee against
season. for Woody Hayes at Ohio State. one of the best trios of defensive the Ironmen. “Doc (Jack) Rauch
Mel Adams came to coach foot- So while the ’64 Chiefs returned backs to ever wear the purple and took me to a specialist in Columbus.
ball at Logan High School in 1957. plenty of experience, there were still white. Hummel was the team’s He was able to fit me with a brace
While he’s remembered today as question marks about who would punter, averaging 37.6 yards per and keep me from needing surgery.
arguably the school’s greatest coach fill the holes left by graduation. A kick, and also returned 10 punts for In that era, if I had needed surgery I
and was an inaugural inductee into seven-game winning streak put a an average of 17.3 yards including certainly would have lost my schol-
the LHS Athletic Hall of Fame, he target on the Chieftains’ back and an 86-yard touchdown return. arship offers. I owe a lot to him,”
took over a program at its lowest the SEO Sportswriters Association The ’64 season opened at home Hummel said.
point since Red Longley was hired narrowly voted Logan the league against Bexley, who had won seven A visit from Nelsonville was next.
in 1931. favorites over a strong Athens squad. straight against the Chiefs. After a The two clubs shared a familiarity
Logan was a dismal 9-25-2 from Each team received five first-place scoreless first half, it looked like the — many of the players were friends
1953 to 1956. Not only were the votes. jinx might continue. But a second- off the football field — but the
Chieftains losing at a record pace, Gasser moved from halfback to half blitz by the Chieftain ground Chieftains weren’t friendly hosts,
they had tied Nelsonville in 1955 quarterback while Dale Brenning game buried the Lions. Hummel was belting the Greyhounds 34-6. With
and lost to the Greyhounds in ’56 for and Hummel returned at fullback the catalyst, running 36 yards off Hummel on the mend, Brenning and
the first time since 1930. and halfback, respectively. Jim left tackle for the opening touch- Brandt carried the load for LHS,
But Adams would quickly return Brandt, a defensive starter in ’63, down and on the next possession combining for three of five touch-
Logan to the top of the mountain moved into Gasser’s halfback posi- gained 31-yards on the same play to downs. David Miller scored and saw
and start a string of seasons where tion. set up Brenning’s 4-yard score. increased playing time in place of
Logan would not finish with a losing Brenning would lead the Chiefs “Nine more to go,” Adams told Hummel. Coach Mel Adams, pictured here pa-
record again until 1974. with 1,214 yards and 12 touchdowns trolling the sidelines during a game
The Logan Daily News. With their 14th consecutive vic-
Adams arrived in the summer on 211 carries (5.8 average) and the against Pomeroy, led the Logan
Visiting Maysville was the second tory annexed, the real meat of the Chieftains to an undefeated 1964
and, as was customary at the time, SEOAL with 92 points (12 TDs, 10 victim, falling 34-6. Hummel ran schedule was now in front of them.
the coach was also the city pool season. Regarded as one of Logan
two-point conversions) while Gasser for a 46-yard score on a sweep and Co-SEOAL favorite Athens had High School’s all-time greatest
manager, allowing him to keep an would score 14 touchdowns and returned a punt 86 yards to spark already dropped a pair of league coaches, Adams was voted into the
eye on his players and earn a little two rushing conversions to finish the purple and white. He ran for 110 contests to Jackson and Pomeroy, LHS Athletic Hall of Fame’s inaugu-
supplemental income. Two of the second in the league with 88 points. yards on just nine carries. Gasser, but was still dangerous. ral class in 1976.
first young men he would encoun- Hummel ran for 726 yards and four Brandt, and back-up quarterback Played at the old Athens High
ter after taking the job were Gene touchdowns on 116 attempts (6.5 Mike Walsh all added touchdown field, where McCracken Field sits Gasser scored on a pair of runs, but
Morgan and Lynn Strait. average). runs. today on Ohio University’s campus, the highlight was a 49-yard scamper
They were lifeguards at the pool, “Jim Brandt was the most impor- In this era, the league schedule Logan raced to a 24-0 halftime by Hummel late in the third quarter
and during some down time the new tant cog in our backfield,” Hummel rotated forward one week each year, lead before a second half letdown that put the game on ice.
coach told the pair, “you know, this recently explained. “He was such a meaning you opened league play brought the final score to 44-22. “Tremendous, tremendous,”
is funny, but when I took this job, smart football player. While he was with the last team you played the The 22 points marked more than was the way Adams described his
they told me there was no talent at more of a blocking back, he knew season before. The 1963 season end- half of the team’s season total, but defense’s effort that night. “The boys
this school,” Morgan added. how to read opposing defenses. If ed with a 56-6 pasting of Gallipolis, did include a 75-yard kick return on were disappointed with themselves
Adams’ first team with Morgan they were cheating to take away one which meant the first league foe in a reverse by Dick Adams. Gasser last week. But they made up for it
and Strait went 5-3-1 and won a running lane or another, he would ’64 would be the Gallia Countians. scored three times and Brenning tonight.
league title in his second season adjust on the fly to open the holes The Blue Devils had been undefeat- twice for the purple and white. “They play together so well, it’s
while recording a 7-2 record. for Brenning and me. I think Coach ed champs in ’62, and in addition to “We knew they’d be tough,” Derr just impossible to single any of them
“He just changed everything,” Adams knew he could count on Jim two ties, the loss to Logan would be recalled. “We ran Brenning off tack- out,” the old grid boss added. Pome-
Morgan remarked, recalling the ar- to make the adjustments for us.” their only league defeat in ’64. le really successfully in that game. roy never advanced past Logan’s
rival of the long-time grid boss. Logan’s split-T offense scored 338 Derr recalls that when the team They played a roaming defense to 46-yard line.
Bob Courter, who was one of a points in 10 games and averaged 5.5 walked down from the locker room, try and neutralize our tackles. It The Chiefs played one final non-
handful of underclassmen to start on yards per play and ran the ball 500 they turned to a scoreboard that really ended up pretty wild with all league game, a 46-0 thrashing of
the ’64 championship team, remem- times (out of 561 offensive plays) for read “Gallipolis 56, Logan 6” the the scoring.” Hillsboro on the Hilltop gridiron.
bered that Adams was “an educator 2,672 yards. inverse from the season before. Courter noted, “There was always It was a coronation of the champi-
first. He was a teacher. He expected An excellent offensive line paved Logan scored in all four quarters a special energy to beat Athens. We ons and a 17th-straight victory for
you to perform in the classroom. He the way for those dominating rush- and limited the blue and white to six made special efforts. To beat them Logan’s outstanding seniors.
could be exacting, but he gave clear ing performances. Courter was an first downs, winning 44-0. meant more… and to lose was the The Chieftains won their opener
instructions and we all knew the HM All-Ohio selection as primar- “That was the springboard. That absolute worst.” in ’65, beating Bexley 16-6, but the
expectations and responsibilities.” ily a blocking end while Mowery was when we knew we were gonna The win over Athens set up a winning streak was snapped the next
“He was a tough coach. A smart caught six passes, four going for be champions again,” Derr remem- championship game between Logan week in a 14-6 loss to Hilliard.
coach. A motivating coach. One touchdowns. Twin brothers Earl and bers. and Pomeroy, who both sported The league winning streaked
of the earliest but also very best Merl Beery played tackle and guard, A trip to Wellston the following perfect 6-0 league records. The still survived, with Logan beating
coaches I had. I respected the heck respectively, with both winning week ended up being the toughest Panthers were a bit of a surprise Pomeroy 30-6, but that streak ended
out of him,” added Gasser, who All-SEOAL honors and Merl also test of the season for the Adamsmen. outfit under Coach Charles Chancey. the next week when Gallipolis beat
went on to play collegiately for Ara winning All-District and HM All- It had rained all day, turning the They were not only unbeaten in the Logan 22-20 on the Hilltop. Athens,
Parseghian at Notre Dame. Ohio selections. Guy Champ and field into a muddy mess. On top of league, but also had a pair of non- a juggernaut in ’65, finished 9-0
“He was very demanding. But the Derr played the tackle and guards that, the Rockets would finish with league wins under their belts as well. overall while Gallipolis, Jackson,
kids respected that,” Mikes contrib- opposite with Jack Fox handling a fine 8-2 record behind their excel- A near-record crowd in watched and Logan all finished 5-2 against
uted. snapping chores. lent fullback Terry Ervin. Ervin the contest. The school sold tickets league foes.
George Hummel, the team’s star “Champ and the Beerys — heck, would go on to play at Ohio State. at Risch’s Drugstore, selling the first Adams left to take the coaching
halfback, felt lucky to play with that the whole group — were excel- Players recall that the field was 320 reserved seats in just 45 minutes job at Zanesville following the 1965
group of athletes and for a coach lent fundamental blockers who so water-logged that when they got while another 119 reserved seats season. He successfully recommend-
like Adams. understood our system,” Hummel down into a stance the mud would solid out in 10 minutes just two days ed his young assistant Dick Mikes
“He allowed us to excel. I looked recalled. ooze out of the ground and cover later. for the job.
up to them (coaches). Not just Coach But as good as the offense was, their fingers. A pair of special teams Chancey, the Panther coach, “Even though it meant me getting
Adams, but the whole staff. I didn’t the defense was even better. miscues by Wellston helped the declared “We’re going up there to my first head coaching job, I felt bad
know I would coach but once I The D allowed only 40 points Chiefs secure a 16-0 win. win. We must contain their running when he left,” Mikes remembered.
started, they are the guys I emulat- in 10 games and opponents were Logan notched their 12th straight game, and we must play error-free “I tried to emulate him in many
ed,” Hummel added, also mention- held to just 3.4 yards per play (441 win by defeating an overmatched offensive football.” ways. It meant a lot when he recom-
ing Jim Myers, Dick Mikes, Brooks for 1,479) and managed only 77 but hard-working Middleport While the Pomeroy defense was mended me for the job.”
Adkins, Marion Allen, Bob Combs first downs. On rushing plays, the team 32-0. It set up one of the first as advertised, the Logan defend- Summing up that magical fall
and Bill Nardo. defense was even stingier, holding championship showdowns with the ers were even better. The Panthers season, Derr declared “We were the
Like any great team, the ’64 opponents to 928 yards on just 305 Jackson Ironmen. managed just four first downs and best of the best. I know Logan has
Chiefs had their share of outstand- carries (3.0 per carry). They inter- The Ironmen had given the 76 yards of total offense with the had some good teams since then,
ing individuals. The entire backfield cepted 14 enemy passes out of 136 Chiefs a battle the prior season, and Chieftains snaring three Pomeroy but from top to bottom none of them
earned scholarships to play football attempts... nearly one interception prognosticators in the Apple City passes. Logan won the game 18-0; could beat us.”