Lamar 17 straight District Championships
- Thread starter PapaT23
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My Uncle used to tell me we were going to work on my tackling (castrating hogs).
Got a nickel a bale my senior summer. Was rolling in dough!
I think I weighed about the same as a square bale my senior summer so I would've made like three Nickels!
Back in the late 1970s, GC was a small team in numbers and size but very tough physically. The late Coach Hurst was my favorite teacher and coach. The snake incident on the practice field will always be my favorite memory of Coach Hurst.
I apologize for jumping in ... but I've got to hear this story. I was a sports writer at the Joplin Globe from 1997-2004 and got to know the late Kevin McKenzie (The Professor as we called him at the Globe sports department) when I covered the 1998 boys basketball team (Darin Parker and Company) and its run to the state quarterfinals so I don't know as much Golden City as my former co-workers at the Globe knew, but I do enjoy listening to a good story from our schools in our coverage area.
I am trying to remember most of the details, and some background information on Coach Hurst. This was his first coaching job and he was a Vietnam veteran. I thought this was during my freshman year, but I have others who were a grade younger claiming they were at the practice.
It was during 2-day practices before school started. The number of players out for football was in the low 20’s so we could not practice 11 on 11. We were practicing on the school playground north of the football field. We ran most offensive plays without a defense during the preseason and would huddle up to call a play and go 5- 10 yards. Then huddle up again and repeat the process. As the players broke the huddle to line up one side of the offensive line would not get in the stance as the play was being called. There was a large snake (I think it was a black snake) on the ground in front of them. Coach Hurst was behind the offense to watch the execution of the play and was visibly upset that the players were not getting in their stance. He walked over and in one motion reached down and picked up the snake by the back of the neck area. He continued to walk around holding the snake as he watched the players run more plays. After the players messed up a play for the second or third time he moved to in front of the offensive lineman and was pacing back and forth. He was questioning the manhood of the players and wondering what type of team he had. Then he stretched the snake out with his two hands, holding it above his shoulder, and then lowered the snake and bit in two. He turned his head, spitting out part of the snake, and then asked who was ready to play football.
Coach Hurst was also a science teacher and during that school year, a few students would bring snakes to school in Jars to give to him.
Coach Hurst moved on to Stockton, and Nevada to coach. A fellow teammate and I caught up with him at a MU game several years later and we discussed the snake incident. He admitted that he lost it for a minute and explained that was how they would dispose of snakes in the jungle while in Vietnam.
Thank you for sharing ... I truly enjoy hearing stories like this, it just made my day.
Thats a great/classic story!
Wow, I feel cheated, only got 2 cents 😄 Hauled for a farmer in PC named Mr. Landoll, had several daughters, older brother dated one for a minute, it's how we got the gig. Revno probably dated one too ha.
Remember playing Golden City early seventies, it was usually battle for last place in the old Midwest conf. We weren't very good but only had 15 players. We did hold Lockwood to 45 points in 74 ha, Mike Rader and the tigers won state that year and PC made playoffs under old point system, watched that one in the snow. Rev can correct me if Im wrong on dates. Good times. Also is Doc Fever still with us or no?
Reading the stories about hauling hay in the summer time reminds of my father when he always told me the absolute best offseason workout program for student athletes is hauling hay ... I push mowed as many yards as I could and shoveled snow for a dozen or so elderly neighbors, but I never once got to experience hooking and throwing hay bales. Kind of feel like I was cheated in my youth.
During my time at the Globe Mike Rader (he was head coach at Lamar at the time) treated me very well and was always good to share a story and conversation. I remember covering the 2001 Lockwood team at Class 1 championship game in St. Louis and his son Luke was a running back with that team and Mike was on staff. I feel old thinking how long Luke has been a coach now.
I'm pretty sure Anvil has all the season team records for the small schools who no longer play football like Golden City ... then again he has team records for high schools that no longer exist including places like Weir and McCune in Kansas. When I was tracking down Carl Junction scores and found games vs. Mindenmines back in the 20's, I had no idea Mindenmines even had a high school back then.
The next generation was sent to Lamar, Carthage, Webb, or Carl.... bigger border districts with more opportunity (at least Jasper's issue)... plus farms bought out farms because no longer is hundreds of acres needed for a living, but thousands. So the rural pop has diminished where the farmland is good; few hillbilly pockets in those prairie districts. Yet, for positive, Jasper is finally getting the Double Deuce. It should be a good place for selfies, gas, and grub. The town can at least relive its days of being a Highway 71 Truck Stop hotspot.... again, and this time with the I-49 ID.
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You might have to see if anyone has info on the few years Alba supposedly had football. I think I saw a picture of it ages ago, and it seems Kenny Boyer was a player.
Coach Hurst was my seventh grade science teacher after he left GC. Great man, but you didn't want to upset him!
I heard about the snake story and a few Vietnam stories. Good memories.
Stocktiger82, did he ever turn his class ring around and come up behand you and place his hand firmly on your head. It was an effect move in getting you to straighten up in class.
No, buthe was known as the only teacher that used one hand to paddle because that was all he needed. Did experience him throwing a meter stick across the room. It had a calming effect!
Alba Panthers played up until late 50’s I think. Games were played in Purcell on field north of 3rd street across from old Wooden Nickle bar. Field ran north and south you can make out part of the outline still on Google Earth. Softball field was built on south end of it many years ago
That's interesting. I always knew that ground was the Henry Getz Baseball Field from the Tri-City History books produced in the '80s. Didn't realize that was a football field at one time as well. Did look on Google Earth. Does seem to be a spot that could tell a lot of stories.
Many times I had to run across the street to the Wooden Nickel to tell someone they were up to bat
