|
“Cuban Missile
Crisis”
October 16-28, 1962
It has come to my attention, thanks to advice from a few of our
former classmates, that maybe you guys are actually more
interested in memories and/or stories about what “WE” were all
doing in 1962-63 than, for example, the times Jimmy Hoffa was
here in Nashville being tried for this or that or how close we
came to nuclear holocaust back in 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis.
Okay, on the surface, sharing personal memories on this site may
sound obvious, given that it says in big print at the top of the
page, MADISON HIGH SCHOOL—CLASS OF 1966, but I guess I’m a
little slow sometimes understanding the obvious. Well, with all
this welcomed wisdom at hand, I’ve decided to introduce a new
section to our MHS Class of 1966 blog. You may like it:
PERSONAL MEMORIES OF MHS CLASS OF 1966 [FRESHMAN YEAR]
[I certainly hope many of you will consider offering some
memories along the way. That said, and while I’ve shared a few
of these before, I think they may now be possibly more
appropriate for re-sharing since we are currently
“re-remembering” our freshman year. Also, please understand that
access to other major sources of Madison High students’ actual
experiences of that time (the MHSAA Alumni Room and our old Ram
Pages) are currently off-limits due to Madison Middle School’s
closures during Covid-19.]
I REMEMBER:
-
In Mr.
Shannon’s 1st period freshman English class (I believe Bob
Chaffin (’66) and Judy Lowery (’66) were also students in
this class), we read aloud Charles Dickens’ Great
Expectations and A Christmas Carol. What makes this
particularly memorable for me is that Mr. Shannon asked
members of the class to play the characters in the novels
and to speak our lines using a British accent. This was
actually a fun way of reading the classics…Mr. Shannon was
kind of a cool teacher.
-
Mr. Robert
Wilson (2nd period Algebra I) one day asked all the boys to
go outside our portable classroom while he talked with the
girls about something. We learned later that he’d wanted to
lecture the girls on the proper length of skirts. I’m told
he demonstrated his point by using a ruler to measure the
MHS-appropriate length of the hemline from the knees.
Although the boys, huddled around outside, wondered what Mr.
Wilson was saying to the girls inside, we were all just fine
standing around talking and waiting to be told to return to
class. Some of us later wondered if Mr. Wilson might have
been thinking of segueing into a discussion of the “hemline
index,” the economic theory suggesting that hemlines on
women's dresses are an indication of stock price trends.
We’d heard that in good economies, miniskirts tend to be
popular (as seen in the 1920s), or that in poor economic
times, as shown by the 1929 Wall Street Crash, hems can drop
almost overnight. Who said high schoolers don’t ever think
about the future?!? Actually, non-peer-reviewed research in
2010 somewhat supported the correlation, suggesting that
"the economic cycle leads the hemline with about three
years."
https://web.archive.org/web/20120306100914/
http://publishing.eur.nl/ir/repub/asset/20147/EI%202010-40.pdf
-
Coach Louie
Davidson, in his 3rd period General Science class, was
teaching on electricity one day and he was always big on
demonstrating practical applications of each scientific
principle. That particular day, he taught us how to rewire a
table lamp. I think my parents were nervously impressed when
I demonstrated my newly learned skill for them that night.
-
In 4th period
study hall, I was sitting next to Gary Clayborne (’64), and,
one day, overheard him excitedly telling another of his MHS
’64 classmates that he believed he’d booked the Nashville
Big Band “Louis Brown & His Orchestra” for Madison’s 1963
Prom. I’m sure I had no real reason to doubt him. I’m
thinking that I later learned that he actually had, and that
Louis Brown had accepted. If any of you know for sure if the
Louis Brown Orchestra played for the Madison Prom that year,
please leave a comment to that effect. At any rate, getting
a big band like that for a high school prom was no small
accomplishment. I do remember Gary saying that Louis Brown
just told him they were going to be in Nashville that
weekend and had no place to play that particular night, so
YES. Good timing, Gary!
-
Mrs. Swift’s
5th period Latin I class had been instructed not to write in
our books. In her class, as you might expect, we would read
Latin passages aloud. I think we were reading about Romulus
and Remus; anyway, knowing that Mrs. Swift rarely left her
seat at her desk upfront, I decided to take a chance that
day. Before class, I’d written my translation in my book so
that I wouldn’t forget anything if she were to call on me.
Sure enough, Mrs. Swift called my name that day and I read
my passage, pausing appropriately enough to not seem that I
was reading it. After I’d finished and Mrs. Swift had moved
on, Johnny Moore (’65), who sat in front of me, turned
around in his seat and smiled as he looked down at my book.
No, Mrs. Swift never knew (I think), but I did feel a little
guilty…Mrs. Swift was a very classy lady and we all
respected her.
-
In 6th period
Senior Band, fellow drummer Dwight Moore (’66) and I had
become quite good friends. Jim Baxter (’66), also in the
band, became a good friend as well who used to help me with
Latin assignments (but, that’s another story). Mr. Wade’s
seating arrangements in the band room were determined mostly
by level of musicianship in each section. Band members were
encouraged to instrumentally challenge other band members,
seated higher on ability, for their seats. We would be asked
to challenge (in my case, Dwight) on a particular rudiment
or piece of music. We were judged on drumstick control, use
of proper hand movement (R-L-R-R_L-R-L-L, for example),
tempo control, posture, and such. Most of us would challenge
a few times during the year. Dwight was a pretty good
drummer for a freshman and evidently practiced rudiments and
stuff at home much more than I did. So, he would win most of
the challenges. But, if both of us did well, we both usually
would get a higher grade on our report card. By the way, Jim
Baxter’s main competition was from Rudy Carver (’66) during
that first year in senior band. They were both very
accomplished on the trumpet.
SUCCESSES OF
MHS CLASS OF 1966—FRESHMAN YEAR
Let’s just first state the obvious…Our class was successful,
even during our freshman year.
“Successes of Our Early Months of Freshman Year”
-
Somehow, we
were able to locate each of our classrooms in the
five-minute breaks given in-between classes.
-
Most of us
were able to get enough sleep at night.
-
Most of us
suspected that one test grade (good or bad) would not
determine our whole future.
-
An unofficial
study by classmate Dennis Duke found that an astonishing
94.65% of us DID NOT run in the hallways. Disclaimer: I
never saw class member Hots Pate run in the halls; I did
notice that he walked really fast to the lunch room most
every day during 4th period.
-
• We all knew
someone in each of our classes who we could ask for help in
answering questions we might have. And, we successfully took
advantage of this resource.
-
We stayed in
our lane, once we found our niche.
-
When teachers
gave us advice, we were wise enough to take it or scared
enough not to.
-
The night
before a major test seemed sometimes almost traumatic, but
we learned to get through it.
-
WE
SUCCESSFULLY BALANCED SCHOOLWORK WITH THE OTHER PARTS OF OUR
LIVES. WE KNEW WE NEEDED LOTS OF TIME TO RELAX.
-
WE KEPT OUR
OLD FRIENDS CLOSE, BUT MADE NEW FRIENDS AS WELL. WE TRIED TO
BE SOCIABLE.
--THANKS TO SHREYA
RAVICHANDRAN FOR HER ARTICLE, “31 TIPS THAT HELPED ME DURING
FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL,” THE ALPHARETTA COMMUNITY NEWS,
JUL 11, 2017, ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS
SECTION.
MADISON HIGH NEWS
“Madison’s Acapella Choir Attends Lipscomb College Clinic”
November 16-17—Madison’s Acapella Choir joined 10 other
Davidson County high school choral groups for a choral clinic at
Lipscomb's Alumni Auditorium. Joining Madison were Maplewood,
Litton, Central, Stratford, Antioch, Cumberland, Joelton,
DuPont, Glencliff and Hillsboro High Schools.
Dr. Lloyd Pfautsch, choral director of Southern Methodist
University, conducted the clinic sessions on Friday and Saturday
and directed the mass choral program on Saturday night. Last
year the first county choral clinic was held. It is now an
annual event.
I don’t know if the members of the Madison Senior Chorus or Glee
Club attended as well, but some of the members of these choral
groups were freshmen. From our Class of 1966, were Connie
Smiley, Patricia Burroughs, Czarina Knight, Janie Robinson,
Sandra Warren, Gracie Martin, Susan Culwell, Linda Nipper, Linda
Kendall, Ruth Miles, David Layhew, Billy Freeland and Bobby
Williams. –The Tennessean, 18 Nov 1962, Page 19
“Judy Marie Eberhart (MHS ’63) To Compete for Nashville’s
Miss Datesetter 1963”
November 18—Madison senior Judy Marie Eberhart (’63) will
compete with 24 other Castner-Knott Teen Board models for the
title of Nashville’s Miss Datesetter, 1963. Castner-Knott & Co.
& Celanese will present "DATESETTERS U.S.A." on Monday, November
19th, 7:30 p.m., 2nd Floor. The 24 pretty contestants for Miss
Datesetter will model an exciting holiday collection of Celonese
party-perfect fashions. Guests will vote for their favorite
model. The Miss Datesetter winner will receive a $100 wardrobe
and will become an entrant in the national Miss Datesetter
contest. --The Tennessean, 18 Nov 1962, Page 57
“Senior Mary Evelyn Head Bids for Clinic Bowl Queen”
November 19—Madison senior Mary Evelyn Head (MHS ’63) is
among the 28 candidates for queen of the 1962 Clinic Bowl. The
queen will be selected from among candidates from 28 schools in
the Nashville Inter-scholastic League and crowned at the Clinic
Bowl Ball, to be held at the Hippodrome Arena from 8 to 12 p.m.,
Nov. 21, the night before the football game. Admission to the
ball is free with a ticket stub to the game. Brainerd and
Madison compete in this year’s Clinic Bowl to be played at 2
p.m. Thanksgiving Day on Vanderbilt’s Dudley Field. Proceeds
from the game go to the Vanderbilt Hospital Physical Therapy
Clinic. --The Tennessean, 19 Nov 1962, Page 13
JR. HIGH BASKETBALL [GIRLS]
“Madison Beats Dupont, 14-8”
November 21—Madison’s Jr. High Girls basketball team beat
rival Dupont, 14-8. Madison scoring: Herod 6, Zipperer 4,
Hutchinson 3, Barron 1, Potter g, Carver g, Bechtold g.
JR. HIGH BASKETBALL [BOYS]
“Madison Beats Dupont, 29-16”
November 21—Madison’s Jr. High Boys basketball team beat
rival Dupont, 29-16. Madison scoring: Beavers 24, Livingston 3,
Pigue 2, Traylor 0, McAnally 0.
VARSITY BASKETBALL
“Bill Swain Named Dell Magazine’s High School Pre-season
All-American”
November 14—Madison coach Bill Brimm's mail has picked
up. "Bill Swain evidently has been named in Dell Magazine as a
high school pre-season All American, and I've been flooded with
letters from college basketball coaches," he said last night.
Swain, a promising 6-6 senior, still has his leg in a cast from
an early-season football injury during the Jackson game. The
cast is set to come off Monday, but it probably will be some
time before it's known if he can play this winter. –The
Tennessean, 15 Nov 1962, Page 49
BOWLING
“Chip Pearson (’66) & Sybil Pointer (’64) Roll High Games In
AJBC”
November 10—Chip Pearson (MHS ’66) rolled the high game
(192) for the week in the American Junior Bowling Congress’ (AJBC)
Senior League-Boys Division at Madison Bowl. Sybil Pointer (MHS
’64) scored the high game (191) in the Girls Division. –The
Tennessean, 11 Nov 1962, Page 38
BOXING
“Madison’s Tommy Brew (’66) and Joe Woodson (’66) Are On
Season's First Boxing Card”
November 21—Madison freshmen Tommy Brew (’66) and Joe
Woodson (’66) are among those boxers scheduled to participate in
the first amateur boxing card of the season held at the Franklin
High School Gymnasium. Ten matches are on the card. Tommy is up
against Paul Beaty, a 118-pounder from Franklin. Beaty was a
champion last year, copping laurels in the 118-pound Novice
class. Tommy has been in training several weeks. Joe will face
James Anderson from Franklin in the 147-pound class. Their
eventual goals are to fight in the Mid-state Golden Gloves
tournament sponsored by THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN. .–The
Tennessean, 22 Nov 1962, Page 23
VARSITY FOOTBALL
“MADISON PLACES THREE ON ALL-CITY TEAM”
By Jimmy Davy
November 11—The annual TENNESSEAN All-City team is
dominated this fall by Madison's Big Eight Champion Rams. The
Clinic Bowl-bound Big Orange placed three men on this year's
squad, including two members of the backfield: fullback Butch
Cartwright and quarterback Chuck Boyd; Madison also placed
tackle Danny Fisher, 192-pound defensive captain, in the
All-City line.
The '62 All-City backfield packs offensive power. Junior Chuck
Boyd is the local prep loop's most promising collegiate
prospect, running the option with perfection and passing capably
when called upon. He scored 67 points this fall.
Teammate Cartwright, another in a long line of fine Madison
fullbacks, doesn't have great speed, but he packs a wallop at
195 pounds. Scoring 74 points, he’s been at his best in key
title games; and, is a punishing runner.
Madison's Fisher, who backs the line defensively, has been the
leading defenseman in the Rams’ drive to its greatest football
heights.
Other Rams made the second team, third team or honorable
mention: Tackle Ronnie Sloan (2nd Team), Center Baby Graves and
End Bobby Sloan (3rd Team), and Guard Bernice Christy and Back
Dickie Davis (Honorable Mention). –The Tennessean, 11 Nov
1962, Page 37
“FIVE RAMS NAMED TO ALL - BIG EIGHT TEAM”
November 11—Madison placed five players on the “All-Big
Eight 1st and 2nd Teams. Tackle Danny Fisher, Quarterback Chuck
Boyd and Fullback Butch Cartwright were named to the 1st team;
tackle Ronnie Sloan and center/end Bobby Sloan made the 2nd
team. –The Tennessean, 11 Nov 1962, Page 37
“RAMS’ & REBELS’ QUARTERBACKS & HOMECOMING QUEENS APPEAR
DURING CLINIC BOWL BLITZ DAY”
November 14—The beauties and the boys from Chattanooga
Brainerd and Madison got together at the Junior Chamber of
Commerce's annual luncheon kicking off "Blitz Day" for Clinic
Bowl ticket sales. Giving a boost to the affair were from
Brainerd quarterback E. G. Cline, Madison queen Mary Evelyn
Head, Brainerd queen Tina Jones and Madison quarterback Chuck
Boyd.
“It’s amazing how much those two boys are alike," Chattanooga
Brainerd coach Ray Coleman said standing on Dudley Field
yesterday. He was watching his quarterback, E. G. Cline, and
Madison's All-City field general, Chuck Boyd, romp around for
the photographers. "Both boys are exceptionally fine students."
Coleman says. "E. G. always makes A's and I'm sure Chuck is
still the brilliant student he was at Brainerd." Cline has
quarterbacked the Brainerd team for three years.
Things of interest about the Brainerd Clinic Bowl team:
-
Senior
halfback Gary Tucker, a 5-9, 180-pounder, has scored 138
points this season;
-
Brainerd has a
senior class for the first time;
-
The Rebels
tied their first varsity game last fall and since have won
20 in a row.
-
Brainerd is a
city school.
-
The Rebel
record is 10-0-0.
--The
Tennessean, 14 Nov 1962, Page 23
“WHATEVER YOU
DO, DON’T HOLLER ‘SLOAN’!”
–By Jimmy Davy
November 18—Step out on the Madison practice field and
yell "Sloan" and you're apt to be run down in a stampede. The
program for Thursday's annual JCC-NIL Clinic Bowl at
Vanderbilt's Dudley Field lists four “Sloans” on the Madison
side and that's not the entire list. There would have been a
fifth donning orange Madison togs for the big collision with
unbeaten Chattanooga Brainerd had not Tommy Sloan, a junior end,
been hospitalized last week with a fractured arm. Tommy is a
brother of Ram captain and second-team All-City end Bobby Sloan.
Another second-team All-City lineman is guard Ronnie Sloan, a
155-pound brother of Ram sophomore quarterback George. Then
there is the lone wolf of the Sloan clans, a promising sophomore
tackle named Mike.
The amazing thing, since they all live in the same community, is
that there is no uncle-cousin-nephew relationship. The three
families are of no kin. "That's a lot of Sloans," Ram coach Bill
Brimm laughed when he listed them one by one. "But, the way
these kids play football I hope they keep coming." "The names
Sloan and Cartwright (Bull, Butch, Bobby, etc.) are big family
names in the history of football at Madison,” Brimm pointed out.
The Sloan boys should do wonders for program sales at the Clinic
Bowl. And, Brimm is counting on a lot of activity down on the
field, too.
Madison held a rugged workout yesterday morning. Everyone was
present except Butch Cartwright, who was a guest at the Ole
Miss-Tennessee game in Knoxville.
Brimm says that “looking at the film and scouting reports, I’d
say Brainerd is the best club we’ve played this year.” “This big
Tucker boy is out of this world,” he went on. “He is tied for
the state scoring lead with 134 points and could be leading by a
mile. He only played a complete game against three teams.” "He
is the second fastest boy in Chattanooga and weighs 190 pounds,"
he added. "I don't know how well stop him."
“Rams Clinic Choice by Less Than A Point”
November 20—Madison’s once-beaten Rams, playing what the
Nashville Tennessean Action Ratings consider a tougher overall
schedule, are favored in Thursday's JCC - NIL Clinic Bowl by
less than a point over unbeaten Chattanooga Brainerd.
Madison, boasting an 8-1-1 record and the NIL's Big Eight
championship, is ranked No. 6 in the state ARs with a rating of
84.8. Brainerd, which has won 20 games in a row is rated seventh
in Tennessee with an 84.5 tabulation. This makes the Rams the
favorites by exactly three-tenths of a point! Tickets for the
JCC-NIL Clinic Bowl game are going well, especially at Madison
High School. If the weatherman gives the JCC a break Thursday,
attendance should be above 20,000. –The Tennessean, 20 Nov
1962, Page 29
“Pep Meeting at Madison Helps Students Ready for Clinic Bowl”
November 21—The Madison High School Gym rocked with
cheers yesterday as students staged a pep rally for their Clinic
Bowl battle with Chattanooga Brainerd High School at 2 p.m.
today at Dudley Field. The gym was packed with students, all
screaming in unison, while drums boomed and pretty cheerleaders
in orange and white uniforms leaped high in the air. "If school
spirit can win a football game, then we haven't got a worry in
the world," Alma Callaway, captain of the cheerleaders, said.
Signs on the gym walls said "Rampaging Rams Clinic Bowl Bound,"
“Beat Brainerd," and "Run the Rebels Ragged." At the end of the
rally, the students stood and sang the school alma mater. Then
the band, obviously ready to go, burst into ear-splitting
renditions of Broadway show tunes. –The Tennessean, 22 Nov
1962, Page 1
“THE 1962 CLINIC BOWL—MADISON VS CHATTANOOGA BRAINERD”
“20,000 FANS NEAR RECORD”
--By Sarah Taylor
November 22—A bright, windy, and cold Thanksgiving Day
(clear skies, winds of 21 mph, and temperatures in the low 50s)
physically challenged the more than 20,000 who came to Dudley
Field to watch Chattanooga Brainerd score a 13–7 victory over
the Madison Rams in the 13th annual Clinic Bowl.
The Madison cheerleaders, in orange and white, and the Brainerd
cheerleaders in baby blue, kept the crowd's enthusiasm running
high with screaming, leaping and cheering. At half-time the
three Clinic Bowl queens were introduced. They were Tina Jones
of Brainerd; Mary Evelyn Head, Madison; and Pam Melton,
Hillsboro, chosen queen of the Clinic Bowl Ball on Wednesday
night.
The Madison band and majorettes went through their paces with
the lilting music of Broadway! The Brainerd High band boasted
not only majorettes, but a girls’ drill squad dressed in brief
Confederate uniforms to carry out the "Rebel" theme.
Madison High brought along it’s mascot, a ram, who proudly wore
the school colors ruffled around his neck as he stood on the
sidelines looking ferocious. The game was covered by WSM 650 AM
for those unable to attend. –The Tennessean, 23 Nov 1962,
Page One
“THE GAME”
By Jimmy Davy
CLINIC BOWL LINEUPS
(Chattanooga Brainerd)
Left ends—Barnes, Kaset
Left tackles—Clark, Morris, Jennings
Left guards—Lyle, Stewart, Chambers
Centers—Adcox, Masters, Johnson
Right guards—Crowe, Perry
Right tackles—Goldsmith, Buher, Waugh, Lockhart
Right ends—McCamish, Ball
Quarterbacks—Cline, Denney
Right halfbacks—McCoy, Abercrombie, Puckett
Left halfbacks—Turner, Reese, Griscom, Nave
Fullbacks—Verhev, Lyle
(Madison)
Left ends—B. Sloan, Clinard
Left tackles—Brumbach, Apple
Left guards—R. Sloan, Hinkle
Center—Graves, Bumbalough
Right guards—Joyner, Christy
Right tackles—Fisher, B. Cartwright
Right ends—Reynolds
Quarterbacks—Boyd, Wiles
Right halfbacks—Brady, Buchanan
Left halfbacks—Davis, Webster, Smith
Fullbacks—Cartwright
November 22—State
scoring leader Gary Tucker smashed Madison's defenses for two
second half touchdowns and helped carry unbeaten Chattanooga
Brainerd to a 13-7 win in the 13th annual Clinic Bowl. The
190-pounder scored the winning touchdown just 52 seconds from
the final horn and helped extend a Rebel win streak that now
stands at 21 games. Tucker, bidding for All-State honors and
apparently locking up the 1962 individual state scoring title
with 150 points, took a beautifully-executed pitchout from
quarterback E. G. Cline and swept end for 13 yards with the
decisive score.
In a game played in too much wind (21 mph), Madison appeared to
have a 7-7 tie with less than three minutes to play when end
Bobby Sloan intercepted a fourth-down pass on the Ram goal line.
He sped down the left sidelines and a wall of orange-shirted
blockers escorted him on what developed like a touchdown run.
However, a Brainerd tackler slipped through to haul him down at
the Madison 48. The ball slipped from his grasp and Brainerd
guard Mike Crowe came up with the pigskin. The Rebels were back
in business offensively, but a long way from the end zone with
just 2:30 left to play.
It took the Rebs just five plays to get the touchdown, set up by
a 27-yard pass from Cline to halfback Joe Abercrombie. The
aerial put the ball on the Ram 14 and Tucker covered that
distance in two carries. Brainerd's Richard Penney missed his
second of two conversion attempts, but the Rebel cheering
section was too busy whooping it up to notice.
Nashville’s Big Eight champs had a six-game win streak snapped,
but played a marvelous defensive game. Madison enjoyed a 7-0
lead at intermission as the result of two miraculous catches by
Bobby Sloan, one for 32 yards and another for 28 on passes from
Ram quarterback Chuck Boyd.
These two stabs, both leaping catches, put the football on the
Brainerd one. Madison fullback Butch Cartwright bulled over from
there with :51 left in the half. Dale Brady's kick made it 7-0.
Heroes were many in one of the finest games staged for the
Vanderbilt Physical Therapy Clinic, but none outshone Brainerd's
Tucker. He was every bit as good as his press clippings, scoring
the first Reb TD in the third period on a romp of 35 yards. Held
to only 31 yards in eight carries by an aggressive Madison
defense in the first half, he broke loose in the last two
quarters for 84 yards. He wound up the game's leading rusher
with 115 yards and ended his senior year with a total of 1,183
yards.
Tucker was by no means the whole show for the East-state
visitors. Cline, an All-Chattanooga quarterback who went to
grammar school in Madison, completed 12 of 17 passes for 107
yards. Boyd, a mid-winter transfer from Brainerd, was the big
offensive gun for Madison, completing four of 12 passes for 70
yards. He also was the Rams' leading rusher with 52 net yards,
including the game's longest run, a 48-yarder in the first half.
Brainerd’s beefy defense, held Cartwright and Boyd—both All-City
this year in check. The Reb defense was led by Abercrombie, who
played defensive end, and alternate captain Crowe, an
All-Chattanooga guard who captured a key fumble and blocked a
punt. Abercrombie was the man who nabbed Boyd from behind on his
long run in the first half. Madison, finishing with an 8-2-l
record, got tremendous defensive play with two key fumble
recoveries and two intercepted passes.
Bobby Sloan at end and sophomore tackle Kenneth Apple made
spectacular plays for the Rams as did Ronnie Sloan. Madison,
loser for the second time in its last 31 games, went into the
game ranked sixth in the state by THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN
Action Ratings. Brainerd, winding up 11-0-0, was seventh and is
due for a deserving move up. –The Tennessean, 23 Nov 1962,
Page 58
“TUCKER, SLOAN TOP CLINIC BOWL STARS”
By JIMMY DAVY
November 23—Chattanooga Brainerd halfback Gary Tucker and
Madison end Bobby Sloan were named the outstanding players in
this year's Clinic Bowl football game. Tucker received the top
vote of newsmen covering the game, drawing attention with two
touchdowns and 115 yards rushing in Brainerd's 21st win in a
row.
Sloan was the No. 1 choice for the Rams by catching aerials
thrown by both teams. He made two spectacular catches of "Alley-Oop"
passes to set up Madison's only TD and momentarily stalled a
Brainerd scoring thrust with a fourth-quarter pass interception
at the Ram goal.
A stiff wind blowing from north to south at Dudley Field was a
factor in the game. Brainerd punter Richard Denney averaged 36.3
yards on four kicks and Madison specialist Ken Wiles 35.8 in
five boots. But the Ram kicker needed a booming 68-yarder,
kicked with the wind in final quarter, to up his average. A
15-yarder by Wiles in the third period, booted into the teeth of
the wind, put the Rams in a second half hole they never got out
of.
One of the most surprising performers of the game was Madison
tackle Kenneth Apple, a 163-pound sophomore. His play was
spectacular and he was high in the MVP voting. The Rams will be
tough again next year. A rundown of the Clinic Bowl roster
reveals that Butch Cartwright, All-City fullback, is the only
senior back and only six Ram linemen are in their senior years.
The Madison band and Brainerd's fine band and fetching drill
team in Rebel uniforms put on a dazzling halftime show. Clinic
Bowl queens were Tina Jones of Brainerd and Mary Evelyn Head of
Madison. Also recognized at halftime was Clinic Bowl queen, Pam
Melton of Hillsboro. --The Tennessean, 23 Nov 1962, Page 60
“COACH TALK”
--By RAYMOND JOHNSON
"Madison did a real fine job of defensing us," said Ray Coleman,
the Brainerd coach, beaming with joy. “It took time for us to
adjust. We stopped pulling our guards after intermission. They
stopped us very effectively until that adjustment.” “We have
nothing but compliments for the Madison boys. They gave us the
toughest game we have ever had. "Playing in the Clinic Bowl was
the biggest thrill our boys have had," volunteered the youthful
Brainerd mentor in showing his appreciation of the invitation,
the first for a team outside the Middle Tennessee area. "The
Clinic Bowl folks operate very efficiently. We are proud to have
had a part in it."
"When we got in a hole in the third quarter, we couldn't get
out," said Madison's Bill Brimm, whose team was playing in its
first Clinic Bowl, but seventh postseason game since 1955.
"Brainerd has a fine team. We knew we had to throw because they
were so big we couldn't run on them.”
Madison lost two regulars in the second half and that hurt, no
doubt . . . Ronnie Sloan, senior guard, hurt his shoulder, and
Baby Graves, senior center, also was helped from the field,
bruised and battered. --The Tennessean, 23 Nov 1962, Page 58
“A Tale of Two Quarterbacks”
–By Jerry Boyd (MHS ’66)
(Part 3)
Game day at home was intense with our folks managing the
logistics of lots of extended family getting to the game, where
people planned to sit, parking, post-game plans, etc. Hovering
over it all was a vague amalgam of excitement and nervousness.
It was my first trip to a college football stadium, but I was
struck more by the size of the crowd than the size of the arena;
it was certainly a different experience than watching a college
game on tv. Someone let me borrow a cow-bell to accent my school
spirit. So, properly suited-up (Ram jacket) and armed (cowbell)
for battle, I made my way to the student section!!
I don't remember a lot about the actual game details, just a
sense of a really close game and the vacillating exuberance and
noise of "our side" and "their side." I watched the Brainerd
band's half-time performance carefully, trying to locate friends
& former bandmates on the field. But I have no recall of their
performance...couldn't "see the forest for the trees."
I knew that band members typically were allowed a third-quarter
hiatus after their performance, so I made my way over to the
concession area. I had some nice reunion moments with some of my
trumpet-section buddies and lots of brief greetings in small
groups of kids exchanging "Hey!" without much in-depth
conversation otherwise. I enjoyed a close-up look at their new
uniforms that replaced the temporary
red-sweaters-with-white-pants "uniforms" that we wore in my lone
marching season in 8th grade. Then we said our goodbye's and
waved; I headed back to the orange side of the stadium, and they
began to reassemble in the blue zone.
My more persistent memories are of the end of the
game...disappointment that we lost, some sadness for Chuck & the
team, and considerable pain from the near-fatal blisters rubbed
on the 2 middle fingers of my right hand from my fanatical
cowbell ringing!! (Aside: the SNL "more cow bell" skit featuring
Will Ferrell is still one of my favorites. Makes me laugh just
thinking about it.)
We lingered in the stadium after the game, my folks chatting
with both Madison & Brainerd friends, waiting for players to
exit the locker room, lots of hugs & "stiff upper lip" moments.
The drive home was somber, just Mom, Dad, Jackie, and me;
occasionally Dad would provide some post-game analysis or Mom
would recount some personal conversations she had. By the time
we got home, there was a house-full of (mostly adult) folks for
more post-game commiserating, sharing, encouraging, supporting,
and eventually laughing and joking once again ("misery loves
company").
When Chuck got home later that night, he endured more "play by
play" questions and assessments from Dad and other family &
friends who had lingered. He also recounted some of the
exchanges he had after the game with his former coaches and
teammates—some just normative displays of good sportsmanship,
but other more personalized compliments, encouragement, and
friendly banter between friends who hadn't seen each other for a
year. I remember that he ended this "debriefing" with Dad et al
by saying, "...ready to start 'round ball' now...." Football
season was over, basketball season was next, the sun would come
up again tomorrow...
Years later when my own kids were involved in sports, I'd be
involved with other parents in intense post-game
analyses..."replaying" the good, bad, and ugly moments of some
competition, complaining about the refs, deconstructing the
team's effort, execution, and performance. With few exceptions,
while the adults were still huddled-up in a quasi-therapeutic
"group session," I'd notice that the kids had already moved
on—they were laughing, joking around, acting goofy, bugging each
other, etc. On the ride home, I'd try to throttle back my
intensity and find other things to discuss, or just enjoy the
silence and take cues from my kid. I wish I'd been more
successful with those efforts.
But for us MHS freshmen in November '62, there would be other
games, other bowls, other victories & losses in our lives, many
of them more exhilarating, challenging, and disappointing than
anything happening on a playing field or court. Getting through
the smaller moments, I think, helped to prepare & arm us for the
larger moments that were unknowable to us as adolescents. Those
mostly good-natured rivalries with our neighboring schools (I'm
thinking especially Goodlettsville, Litton, Maplewood, DuPont)
allowed us, win or lose, to appreciate the competition, fostered
loyalty to "our side" and respect for the "other side," and
equipped us to develop and sustain friendships with those
wearing different school colors. We knew those kids, went to
church with them, ran around and eventually dated some of them,
worked summer jobs and were actually related to some of them!
Now, my 72-year-old self remembers those kids more clearly than
the games we won or lost...and thinks we probably could still
use more cowbell...please!
MADISON HIGH ALUMNI NEWS:
“UT Who's Who Lists Bill Robinson (MHS ’59)”
November 18 (Knoxville)—At the University of Tennessee,
this past week was a week of honors, as members of “Who's Who in
American Colleges and Universities” were announced. Former
Madison High’s Bill Robinson, Jr. (’59) was one of those so
honored. “Who's Who,” perhaps the university’s top single honor,
this year listed only 11 mid-staters out of the 36 chosen
overall. Robinson, president of Sigma Nu fraternity, is also
president of Tau Beta Pi and is a Scarrabean, UT’s honor
society. –The Tennessean, 08 Nov 1962, Page 17
“HISTORIC MUSICAL FACT”
LITTLE PEGGY MARCH, BORN MARCH 8, 1948, WAS ONLY 14 YEARS OLD
(OUR CLASS OF 1966’ AGE) IN 1962 WHEN SHE RECORDED “I WILL
FOLLOW HIM.”
Peggy March – “I Will Follow Him”
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=JGPMYQTINNK&LIST=RDQRGLJZFHA40&INDEX=17
“SHAMELESS ROMANTIC SECTION”
The Wonder Years – “Night Out Ending”
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=X41PWNI29YI
WHERE WERE YOU IN ’62?
Submitted: Jerry Armour (MHS ’66)
On November 30, 2020
REFERENCES:
In addition to my own memories as well as those from other
former classmates, material for this project is borrowed from
the following:
American Graffiti Movie:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704/
Billboard Charts Archive:
http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1966/hot-100
Brainerd Rebels Were New Kids on the Block in 1962—Posted 11-0-0
Football Record, Friday, August 10, 2012 - by B.B. Branton
–https://http://www.chattanoogan.com/.../Brainerd-Rebels-Were-New...
Chattanooga High School Football:
https://chattanoogahighschoolfootball.com/.../1962-the.../
History: www.history.com
Madison High School Alumni Association (MHSAA) Archives: Ram
Pages, yearbooks, trophies and photos
MHSAA Website: http://www.mhsaa-rampage.com/
Movies of 1962:
https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/year/1962
NASHVILLE MEMORIES FROM THE 1950's, 60's & 70's:
http://www.nashlinks.com/remember.htm
On This Day:
https://www.onthisday.com/
The People History: What Happened in This Year--Important News
and Events, Key Technology, Cost of Living and Popular Culture:
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1965.html
THE TENNESSEAN-ARCHIVES: NEWSPAPERS.COM
HTTPS://WWW.NEWSPAPERS.COM/IMAGE/111875363/
The Tennessean Nashville Then:
http://www.tennessean.com/.../nashville-then.../28422303/
Wikipedia-World Happenings (By the Month):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_1965...
Wikipedia—Year in Music:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965_in_music#December
Weather Underground:
https://www.wunderground.com/.../1966/1/22/DailyHistory.html
The Wonder Years-TV Episode & Music Guide:
www.wonder-years.tv/episodeandmusicguide.html
YOUTUBE.COM
The Wonder Years - Night Out Ending
One of the more memorable Kevin and Winnie moments.
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