Drop us a message online at: staff@thepress-sentinel.com or visit our Web site at: www.thepress-sentinel.

com

Jesup, Georgia 31545

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

75

When my friend, Dan Kaufman, handed me The Red Terrors, the story of Glynn Academys drive to football glory in 1964 Georgia by Jesse Tullos, I knew what Id read first. My thumb spun the pages to chapter 75, Game 5: Glynn Academy vs. Jesup. The paperback turned the pages of my mind, all the way back to Oct. 9, 1964. If you wore Coach Clint Madrays gold helmets, how could you ever forget? The Red Terrors were riding high, ranked Number 6 in the polls. I can still smell nearby Hercules Powder Companys pine-stump smoke that hung over Lanier Field, as if the Brunswick gridiron were a pool room. I can see Big Clint stalking the sideline, spitting chewing tobacco before he growled commands. He would have rather choked on his Beechnut than lose. And if you wore red and white, you dont forget that night either. Glynn Academy was on its march to a state title, but the Terrors were down 0-14 at halftime. The final score was 14-14. Thatd be the only blemish on Coach Harold Hendersons AAA championship teams record. The other day, Dan and I compared notes on how high school football got us in shape for life. Dans a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. In Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism. Wounded twice, he owns two Purple Hearts. He later served as the chief academic officer of his alma mater. The retired brigadier general is now president of Georgia

The Yellow Jackets terrorized Glynn Academy in 1964

Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, and he looks fit enough to strap on a helmet, football or Army. As for me, Coaches Clint DINK Madray and NeSMITH Ben Park Chairman instilled the grit to battle the ups and downs of business for 40-plus years. During our visit, we swapped memories of the rivalry between our hometowns. Without looking at the roster, I could rattle off Ed Avera, Chickie George, Nick Mavromat, Galin Mumford, Richard Robinson, Mike Strickland, Harry Woolley and Chris Reichenbach, who was killed in a car wreck after the season. By 1965, two Red Terror stars had become Yellow Jackets. Coach Bobby Dodd recruited quarterback Tash Van Dora and running back Johnny Tullos to play for Georgia Tech. Dan could remember much of Jesups roster, too. Quarterback Carl Cowart was hobbled with an ankle injury, so Marcus Waters led our team. Joe Phelps and Pete Hires were tackles. Dennis Brannen and Carl Lane filled the guard spots. Eddie Driggers was center, with Davis Abner and Walt Nix at the ends. Ben Leaphart, Danny Johnson and Bobby Hilliard ran the ball. Ray Barbee kicked

My Opinion
MMM

extra points. Other names were Butch Bennett, Floyd Ratliff, Frog Woods, Bobby Miller, Dennis Kirkland, Hugh Strickland, Bobby Johnson and Carey Bennett. They were on defense with Yellow Jackets who played both ways. Ironically, we would lose one of our teammates, Carey, also in a postseason wreck. In chapter 76, Glynns Mavromat said, Carl Lane was the toughest man that I had to go against ; hitting him was like hitting a John Deere tractor. Where was I during the game? Well, I was on the sideline, below The Tractor on the depth chart. Glynn Academys second-half comeback kept the grass and mud stains off my gold and white. But I liked the late Bill Holts memory of my performance. For years at Touchdown Club meetings, before the Glynn Academy game, he congratulated me on the corner-of-the-end-zone catch to put us up, 13-0. That was great, the way you pulled it in, he said. And I would say, Thanks, Bill, but that was Walt Nix who caught the pass. Year after year, Bill would praise me, and Id say, Thanks, Bill, but that was Walt Nix. Every time he said it so convincingly. Bill almost had me believing I had. Walt, in the book Dan gave me, history gets it rightpage 247. On the final play of the first half, the nimble Nix outjumped two shorter Glynn defenders to gather in the ball. But I can still hear the roar of the crowd.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com