State Champs: 50th Reunion

Saturday night we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our 1975 state championship. We gathered at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in downtown Macon. David Cape organized the reunion, or first in ten years, with help from Roger Jackson and Johnny Crawford. The crowd filled up the banquet room.

I hadn’t seen some of the guys in 50 years. Not too much time to catch up, though I made a point to mingle as much as I could. So good to see Coach Seward (above in white pants). He was always mild-mannered in comparison to the other coaches, always asking how guys were doing. Good to see that he was doing well.

Macon media personality Frank Malloy was master of ceremonies, lending enthusiasm and excitement to the evening. Jesse Anthony had served as an impromptu usher, helping latecomers find seats and handing out programs. Jesse was called on to say an opening prayer. BBQ was served, catered by Fincher’s BBQ, a Macon favorite.

I hadn’t seen David Belote since high school, so I sat with him. He’s played for two years at Clemson, before an ankle injury made him hang up his cleats. Belote was on the Gator Bowl team that played Ohio State – Woody Hayes last game. David married his college sweetheart. Paul Conner and Ken Herndon had been in their wedding. They’ve been married for 46 years. She’s from Conway, and they live just north of Monroe NC outside of Charlotte. Belote admitted that he’d been the one to injury Jolly before the 1975 season, and how McWilliams still hadn’t forgiven him for the freak injury. Belote’s nickname was Wild Man, and his all-out hustle did endear him to the coaches.

David and I shared stories. He remembered how I’d thrown a fit after missing a kick in the season opener. McWilliams pointed me out on the film, running it back numerous times to everyone’s delight (except mine). Belote remembered what I had forgotten what McWilliams called me that day – a spineless yellow worm. We both roared with laughter.

Clement Troutman joined us at our table. After serving in the military, he became a successful business owner in the Washington DC area. The three of us discussed the Northside games, and their standout back Tony Dazvan. Troutman had injured his shoulder and Jeff Stewart filled in a linebacker – and earned player of the week honors. Clement never let jeff forget that. Mike Wager stopped by, and told of how while in the Navy his ship dock docked at the same European port as Troutman’s ship. They passed by each other, but Clement hadn’t seen Wager.

Cape had asked players to share memories about deceased coaches and teammates, which led to several interesting and sometimes off topic stories to be told. I tried to video each speech and hope to transcribe highlights for future inclusion.

QB Mike Jolly shared about Coach Brodie, and shared memories of the season in general. Mike shared how he’d been called up to the varsity as a freshman, and thanked Coach McWilliams for the rides from the Miller building, several blocks away. Jolly pointed out that he’d been in Junior ROTC – and had made sergeant, he said with a smile.

Afterwards Cape called on Brodie’s son Brooks to share. Brooks had grown into a great player himself, later playing college football. He remembered how his dad always said how he loved Macon.

Later Cape shared a story of Brodie’s Tift County team playing in the rain against young Kirby Smart’s Bainbridge team. A fight broke out, and the muscular Brooks was pushing the smaller Kirby’s head down into a puddle. Kirby’s dad was the head coach at Bainbridge. He ran over to Coach Brodie and said “Gene, your boy is drowning my son!” Coach Brodie replied “You didn’t teach him how to fight?”

Gerald Peyton (below) spoke about Coach Reynolds. I've got to add my notes - Gerald told some great stories.

Roger Jackson spoke about Hodges Glover, who we called Mooney. Skinny, but a great athlete. A key player on our team. Made many great plays, particularly on defense. One tome Mooney tried to quit – until his father got involved. The coaches made Glover run wind sprints, and Mooney laughed through the punishment. Roger said that Glover was as good an athlete as any of his teammates in Denver. When the Broncos went to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Roger (below) invited Mooney to tag along with him, but Mooney didn’t want to leave his beloved hometown.

Ray Patterson memorialized his backfield mate Randy Rutherford. They’d played together in 8th and 9th grade, winning city championships. As sophomores Randy played varsity, who went -3-1. Ray played for the B team (who won the city championship), but was reunited with “Randy Rut” as a junior on the championship team. You could feel the love that Ray (below) had for Randy.

Veotis spoke about his longtime friend Johnny Dennis. They’d been classmates in grade school all the way up through 12th. Then Johnny’s son spoke lovingly of his father. Johnny had served in the military then worked as a prison guard. I used to lift weights with Johnny after school, and we had been good friends. He’d been a deacon in his church. Johnny passed away unexpectedly just a few years ago. Below: Ogden Hansford, Veotis Williams, Mike Jolly.

Cape spoke about Jeff Stewart, calling him a champion. They’d first met back in grammar school. Jeff’s father drafted Cape onto Jeff’s Little League team at Vine Ingle, where Jeff and Cape fought over who’d play first base. Jeff won (I also played for Mr. Stewart at Vine Ingle, with Jeff's younger brother Shane). After high school Jeff became a fire chief. He also became a champion bodybuilder, winning the titles of Mr. Macon, Mr. Central Georgia, Mr. Georgia, and Mr. Southeastern United States. Cape (below) recognized Jeff’s widow and son, who were in attendance.

Paul Conner spoke about Danny Kurtz, mentioning that Danny had been an Eagle Scout (all the Kurtz boys had been Eagle Scouts, as had Tom Whatley, whose dad had been scoutmaster. Cape had said of Danny: pound for pound the best player on the team. I hadn’t seen Paul (below) since high school. His sister Cindy had married my good Tech friend Fred O, so we spoke briefly about that.

We took a break and went out into the lobby for a team photo. Cape had forgotten that he’d asked me to speak about Ricky Kurtz, so he’d asked Mike Wager to do so. I spoke to Wager, and he said he was ready to speak. I knew that whatever Wager said would be memorable, so I said go ahead. While the other speeches had lasted 2 or 3 minutes, Wager (below) held court for almost six. Entertaining, but not much about Ricky. Later Ken Herndon told me that Cape had asked him to speak about Ricky. When he called Tim for material, Tim told him that Cape had already asked me. Too funny.

Lee Smith had been a sophomore on the 75 team. Jeff Byrd did a great job with his update. Lee had graduated from UGA and moved to Atlanta to go to law school.

The school and booster club gave out plaques to all the players. The principal told how grades had improved for four straight years. They thought the new football coach would return Central back to glory.

Ogden Hansford was the main speaker. He had starred at Central before matriculating to Clemson. His Clemson photo hung in the Central weight room. My brother-in-law had remembered Hansford from his Clemson days. Later Ogden rose to colonel in the army. Collected a few vintage cars. Stand up guy. Before the dinner I introduced myself to Ogden, telling him that I had married a Clemson girl. “Good decision!” he replied.

Hansford spoke of his days at Central, thanking his coaches for helping him out. I’d had no idea how much the coaches had helped the players along the way. So many came from nothing. Several referred to the coaches as their daddies. Ogden spoke of how hard the coaches pushed us – much harder than other teams in the area. When Hansford got to the military, he said the drills were nothing compared to what he had endured in high school. He closed by reading a verse from Romans.

He rehashed the glory days at Central under Goot Steiner and Gene Brodie…

1972 state semifinalists, one loss, QB Steve Dennis

1973 state runners-up, one loss, QB Steve Dennis

1974 6-3-1 QB Jolly

1975 state AAA champs, one loss, QB Jolly

Cape wrapped things up by leading the team in singing "Sardines and Pork & Beans" and the "V-I-C-T-O-R-Y" song. Hated for the evening to end. 

Interesting how memories differ from player to player. Things I was sure I'd remembered vividly had been retold differently by others. Not sure which was closest to the truth, More information about the team...

10 Johnny Crawford P – on Jolly’s great play on 4th down “I asked coach if he wanted me to punt”. Crawford is a former SEC side judge, and helps out at the HOF.

11 Mike Jolly QB – told of after the Northside loss on the quiet bus, Jolly was jolly, calling out "We’re going to beat them next time!"

12 Randy Griffin QB so good to see Randy after all these years. We used to ride to practice together, until he got his sweet 1976 Camero when he turned 16. McWilliams called him “the Golden Turd”. Randy (below right) had worked overseas for many years. Lives in Newnan.

13 Tom Whatley QB became a lawyer, and now pastors a church outside of Savannah.

15. Wade "Dago" Sullivan QB of the 1974 city champion B team.

20 Hodges Glover WR CB deceased

21 David Murphy K

22 Phil Clark RB – I reminded Phil of his 70 yard TD return against Southwest in 1976, when we won 7-6. That's Phil below on the right, talking to Ray.

23 Earl Wingfield CB not present

24 Curtis Wiley RB DB not present

25 Clement Troutman RB LB

30 Tim Kurtz WR. Quasar. We both remembered singing the tenor part when the team sang V-I-C-T-O-R-Y rolling back into school after a win. Tim and I worked on the school newspaper together.

31 Ray Patterson TB LB – Ray was in good spirits at the reunion. After the military Ray worked at the hospital. He retired after his wife passed away.

32 Jerry Anderson RB. So glad to have been able to spend some time with Jerry earlier this year.

33 Randy Rutherford FB LB deceased.  

34 Robert Stewart RB – good to see Robert after all these years. 

40. Chip Stinnett FB wasn't there.

41 Roger Jackson OLB. Current booster club president.

42 Stan Putnal WR DB deceased. Stan’s family was at the reunion: his widow, sister Zeta, brother Rex, and sister-in-law Wade Mixon Putnal – who’d gone to Rosa Taylor Elementary School with me. I told Rex how I’d worn his number 82 as a sophomore.  

43 Wayne Bowdrey hasn’t changed.

45 Rob Gary RB retired from the DC area, moved to Tampa.

50 Ken Herndon C is retired, lives in Macon

51 David Cape C is retired, lives in Colombia.

52 Paul Conner T

53 Mike Wager C joined the militaty after graduation, is a retired plumber.

60 Johnny Dennis G deceased

63 Jeff Stewart G LB deceased

64 Danny "Radar" Kurtz G LB deceased, though his widow was there

66 Ricky "Sonar" Kurtz T deceased, though his widow was there  

67 Veotis Williams G DT looked good

68 Gerald Peyton OT LB. Mr. Magoo. We used to ride the same school bus.

73 Big Earl Chester OT had a son that played college football.

76 Jody Hubbard OT wasn’t there.

77 Ulysses Hawthorne DT looked good. Wish I’d been able to talk to him. He seemed to keep a low profile.

78 Lee Brannen OT DT wasn’t there

80 Lee Smith deceased

81 Jim Holmes TE wasn’t there.

82 Jeff Byrd WR – “Byrd Turd” didn’t remember how I’d snatched number 21 from him, and given him my old number 82.

83 Judson Guest P came down from Athens.

85 David Belote DE

87 Al Green – was he there?

88 Jesse Anthony TE brought his wife and son, who’d been a toddler at the 40 year reunion.

Cheerleaders Willie Woolfolk and Russell Williams were there. 

Coaches Roy McWilliams and Mike Luzier sat up front. Roy had his son with him. Below: Troutman, Jerry, Ray, and Belote.

Warren Stembridge, Reginald Henderson (below, with Hawthorne), and Johnny Hollingshed were there. Johnny was a freshman in 1975 and played for Central in 76,77, and 78. Thanks to Reginald for some of these pictures.