Gaffney Indian Football
I didn't play High School football. I played Trombone. But I grew up in a town that is legend for high School football. If Friday Night Lights to TV Series had been filmed in South Carolina, instead of Odessa and Midland Texas, it would been filmed in Gaffney.
Three or four years ago Scott Wright wrote a book about the Sand Rock HS, Alabama football team, Fire on the Mountain about how a 1a School took the state title in 85. Recently sports writer in Spartanburg S.C. wrote a book about the Vikings Tradition. No diss on either school but Gaffney has a tradition out of a Hardscrabble textile town that had a pocket of arts and inspiration in Limestone College and a strong tradition in public school education.
Add the race mixture, somebody can get the exact percentage but at least 35 percent of color, take the story through integration and could be remarkable book indeed. From the Galloping Ghost, through the legendary--I know I'm using the word a lot but It is all Legendary--Bob Prevatte and Wayne Whiteside era, with tribute to Willie Jefferies At Granard, through Johnny Dawkins, Donnie Ray Littlejohn integration era with the assistance of Danny Parker, Jimmy Baker moving the ball and Billy Bolin, Webb Pierce and Robb Sartor opening holes in the line for them to run through on to the Magnificence of Sidney Rice in the early 21st Century and you got a book.
I'm nominating Tommy Martin and Fender Brown to cowrite the deal if they're game. Tommy already has a great intro to a chapter with his story about going to the Thanksgiving afternoon games in the 50s with his Dad.
Here's the kicker. Recently there has been some bubbling up of great anecdotes on the Gaffneyites group Facebook Page. Just a couple days ago Bob Bland, QB 72 put up a pic of him holdin for a Baker field goal attempt, the first soccer style kicker to do such according to Bland.
So, time for a file dday of voluntary memories and anecdotes about gaffney heroes and color commentary from the stands. Have a field day at the Gaffneyites page with stories and we'll see if Martin and Brown are game. Should have this deal kicked out by March of next year. At this point just a matter of collection and editing. All I ask for this great idea is Gaffney's Cracker Barrel, Chic Fil A, McDonalds Fatz, Agegean deli, Brannons Fish Fry andlet me think of 7 more dining establishments go by the Chamber of Commerce and leave 15 dollar coupons with Pam Foxx for me as an appreciations of my contrtribution to this grand tradition. I'll take a 50 dollar coupon from Cracker Barrel as I can redeem it in other states(ha) Oh, one from Bridges in Shelby, not far up there. I'll take 22 from them, two visits, large tray with a side of slaw and sweet tea. Of course the hush puppies are on them.
And in honor of trombone players everywhere-how can you have a pep ralley without a good trombone section,--27 percent of proceeds from the book after Brown and Martin get their cut, go the Gaffney Inidan Band with special allocation to the Trombone Section!
Three or four years ago Scott Wright wrote a book about the Sand Rock HS, Alabama football team, Fire on the Mountain about how a 1a School took the state title in 85. Recently sports writer in Spartanburg S.C. wrote a book about the Vikings Tradition. No diss on either school but Gaffney has a tradition out of a Hardscrabble textile town that had a pocket of arts and inspiration in Limestone College and a strong tradition in public school education.
Add the race mixture, somebody can get the exact percentage but at least 35 percent of color, take the story through integration and could be remarkable book indeed. From the Galloping Ghost, through the legendary--I know I'm using the word a lot but It is all Legendary--Bob Prevatte and Wayne Whiteside era, with tribute to Willie Jefferies At Granard, through Johnny Dawkins, Donnie Ray Littlejohn integration era with the assistance of Danny Parker, Jimmy Baker moving the ball and Billy Bolin, Webb Pierce and Robb Sartor opening holes in the line for them to run through on to the Magnificence of Sidney Rice in the early 21st Century and you got a book.
I'm nominating Tommy Martin and Fender Brown to cowrite the deal if they're game. Tommy already has a great intro to a chapter with his story about going to the Thanksgiving afternoon games in the 50s with his Dad.
Here's the kicker. Recently there has been some bubbling up of great anecdotes on the Gaffneyites group Facebook Page. Just a couple days ago Bob Bland, QB 72 put up a pic of him holdin for a Baker field goal attempt, the first soccer style kicker to do such according to Bland.
So, time for a file dday of voluntary memories and anecdotes about gaffney heroes and color commentary from the stands. Have a field day at the Gaffneyites page with stories and we'll see if Martin and Brown are game. Should have this deal kicked out by March of next year. At this point just a matter of collection and editing. All I ask for this great idea is Gaffney's Cracker Barrel, Chic Fil A, McDonalds Fatz, Agegean deli, Brannons Fish Fry andlet me think of 7 more dining establishments go by the Chamber of Commerce and leave 15 dollar coupons with Pam Foxx for me as an appreciations of my contrtribution to this grand tradition. I'll take a 50 dollar coupon from Cracker Barrel as I can redeem it in other states(ha) Oh, one from Bridges in Shelby, not far up there. I'll take 22 from them, two visits, large tray with a side of slaw and sweet tea. Of course the hush puppies are on them.
And in honor of trombone players everywhere-how can you have a pep ralley without a good trombone section,--27 percent of proceeds from the book after Brown and Martin get their cut, go the Gaffney Inidan Band with special allocation to the Trombone Section!
posted by foxofbama | 4:33 AM
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