Timpson High School Football History
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Left End Willie Witcher Timpson High School Left Tackle Ben Sapp Football History Left Guard Elvis Perry By Ralph Corry & David Pike Center Lovis Todd Right Guard John T. Ramsey 1920s Right Tackle Wilber Compton 1st Installment Right End Oran Wilson Quarter Back Ben Law Timpson Tigers Left Halfback Jack Hartsfield Right Halfback Clinton Youngblood 1920 - 1923 Fullback Norris Todd Substitutes John Richard Clement ? Whitender Only two players on the team had even seen a football game, Ben Law and Wilber Compton. Only three games were played that first year.” From Lone Pine Memories, December 20, 1939 [school newspaper] [ages shown are as of 1920 Census] Timpson Bears Ben Powers Ben 17 yrs 1924 - Present Lewis Todd Louis 14 Buddy Boatner James K. 17 or Berthold 15 Ben Sapp Forest 17 [no Ben listed] Ben Laws [Laws not found] Jack Hartsfield Oren 16 Wallace Kristensen Wallace 14 Joe Ramsey Joseph 13 Oren Wilson R. O. 15 Harvey Brittain Harry 16 John T. Ramsey John T. 17 Finis McDavid Finis 12 From the pages of the Timpson Weekly Times... Ervin Neel Ervin 15 Timpson’s First Football Team Henderson 6 Longview 14 Henderson 7 The Timpson Tigers Timpson 0 Timpson 0 Timpson 0 The following account is from a letter written by The following is an account of that first season by Clinton McClellan and Elvis Perry. [Mr. Tom Elvis Perry: “The first game we played in overalls McClellan sent the letter to David Pike, co-author and khakis as our uniforms had not come in. In the of this history.] In the fall of 1920 a Mr. Crim [J. P. first game I had the breath knocked out of me three Crim] from Henderson, Texas was elected times. After the game the 200 pound guard I played Superintendent of the Timpson School System. He against said “this is the first game what I never got a organized, and coached, the first football team. I tackle. You had those long arms and legs around me was only 14 years old at the time, and I witnessed so that I couldn’t move.” In the Longview game the first game on the school campus. I had two Jack Hartsfield started around the right end. When cousins that were on the first team, Elvis Perry and he saw he couldn’t go, he reversed his field and John T. Ramsey. They did not have uniforms, and started around left end, but couldn’t make it, so he played in the clothes they wore to school. The started running in the backfield. He must have run following lineup played the whole game: fifty yards, sometimes toward one goal and sometimes toward the other. Both sides were trying In 1922 there were only 11 Timpson Tiger Football to tackle him. He finally ended up with only about a players on the team. [One player was not identified one yard gain. Longview couldn’t run on us, they in article, and W. Christen in article was Wallace beat us with a trick play, a fake pass, and the Kristensen. If anyone knows the name of halfback took the ball and ran for the score. The unidentified player please notify the author.] other touchdown was made with a pass. In the last quarter John T. Ramsey was moved to fullback, and 1924 Timpson Bears we drove to the two yard line and fumbled. That was the closest we came to scoring.” [Author’s Note: If you have been reading our articles in the Timpson and Tenaha News, you may remember earlier accounts of Timpson’s first team and those of 1922 and 1924. There are some discrepancies between the newspaper listings of the players and those of Mr. Clinton McClellan and Elvis Perry. We are running the earlier articles below.] Lone Pine Memories, Football Introduced at Timpson in 1920. December 20, 1939. In the Fall of 1920, Superintendent J. P. Crim introduced football Photo courtesy of Bruce Samford to THS; the first team that Timpson had, and their 1924 Team: October 14, 1960 – Timpson name was The Timpson Newspaper. Cecil Worsham, Crawford Bailey, Espy Tigers. The Tigers played Wedgeworth, Wilfred Whiteside (captain), Gooch their first game with Henderson. The Tigers of 1920 Motley, Charles Bussey, Marcus Andrews, Harold consisted of the following: Ben Powers, Lewis Beasley, Tulley Allen Tribble, Wilford Hawthorn, Todd, Buddy Boatner, Ben Sapp, Ben Laws, Jack Marcus Powers, Paul Evans, Joe Ramsey, Gaston Hartsfield, Wallace Kristensen, Joe Ramsey, Oren Stevenson, Calvin Hammer, Beverly Langhorne, Wilson, Harvey Brittain, John T. Ramsey, Finis Wyatt Nelson, Wade Zorn, J. P. Kyle, Ollie McDavid and Ervin Neel. Boatner, Chink Davis. Coach was Wallace Kristensen. See different accounts on team members above - 1924 Bears 1922 Timpson Tigers Timpson & Tenaha News, October 24, 1991 Backfield L to R: B. Boatener (Tuff), H. Harbuck, [Ms. Mary Lee Witcher told me [David Pike] in a W. Christen (Tubby) and E. Neal. Linemen L to R: phone conversation, that her class of 1924 named E. Watson (Shoo), O. Hooper (00), John T. Ramsey the team “the Bears.” Apparently the school had a (Butter Boy), W. Whiteside (Hoss), Marshall contest to give the football team a new name. Her Hooper (Dock) and M. Andrews (Dusty). class (of 1924) won with The Timpson Bears.] October 29, 1926 - Football. The high school football season has gotten away to a flying start this year, and is romping down the field to a grand finish. To begin with, on October 1, they utterly demolished the invading team from Tenaha, to the merry tune of 19 - 0. While two weeks later, they could not seem to get going, and fought the same team to a 0 - 0 tie away from home, many of their best linemen were out of play. And you ought to have seen them tear Nacogdoches subcollege to pieces last Tuesday, making two touchdowns, against a squad of 30 men, and again Friday, as they ripped the Logansport line for substantial gains time 1926 vs Carthage after time. The score, 32 - 0, shows how our boys Looks like someone’s pasture. outclassed their opponents. Now Friday, in their Note water tower top left. race for district championship, a greater team than any that has so far met them, will come on the stage. Though the Timpson goal line has not been crossed this year, yet Carthage is strong. The battle Friday will be hard fought and thrilling to the end, but the script is predicting another glorious victory. Let’s be on hand to see the outcome! What say? [The next five pictures were submitted by Tom or Larry McClellan.] ??? 1926 Timpson vs Carthage 1926 Timpson vs Carthage 1926 Timpson vs Carthage November 5, 1926 - Junior and Senior Entertain. The Junior and Senior classes of Timpson high school entertained the Carthage and Timpson football teams last Friday night in armory hall with McClellan maybe? a costume Halloween party. The hall was attractively decorated in pink boughs, autumn two grades, assisted by Mrs. G. C. McDavid and leaves, jack-o-lanterns, sugar cane and paper Mrs. F. A. Steadley. About twenty Carthage guest streamers in Halloween colors. As the guest arrived, were present and about sixty Timpson boys and each had to jump over a broom for good luck. From girls. the “chamber of horror” came many shrieks and much laughter. Those who passed through its doors September 30, 1927 - Timpson Football Team Has returned the wiser. Another feature of the Good Schedule for Season; Opens Friday. entertainment was a unique football game in which Following is the schedule for the Timpson high everyone participated. The Carthage pep squad, school football team this season. The first game on under the leadership of Jane Oxshier, and the the schedule will be played in Timpson Friday Timpson rooters led by Ila Mae Clay, tried to afternoon, Tenaha coming here for the contest: surpass each other in the supporting of their team. Further fun was had in pinning eyes on a jack-o- September 30 - Tenaha at Timpson lantern, ducking for apples, eating popcorn and October 7 - Tenaha at Tenaha apples from strings, eating sugar cane, peanuts and October 14 - Logansport at Logansport ginger cake men. Lemonade was served throughout October 21 - Carthage at Timpson the evening. Among those in attractive costumes October 28 - Rusk at Rusk and masked was Mr. Glass, who was dressed as a November 4 - Lufkin at Lufkin girl and answered to the name of “Gladys.” The November 11 - Center at Timpson success of the party was due largely to the work of November 18 – Carthage at Carthage the entertainment and decorating committees of the November 24 - Center at Center two grades, assisted by Mrs. G. C. McDavid and Mrs. F. A. Steadley. About twenty Carthage guest Timpson high school is looking forward to a great were present and about sixty Timpson boys and season, with nine letter men back to form a nucleus girls. for the big squad of twenty-seven men. Come out to the game with Tenaha Friday and see a good game. November 5, 1926 - Junior and Senior Entertain. Season tickets good for both basketball and baseball The Junior and Senior classes of Timpson high and only $1.50. school entertained the Carthage and Timpson football teams last Friday night in armory hall with 1927 Timpson Bears a costume Halloween party. The hall was attractively decorated in pink boughs, autumn leaves, jack-o-lanterns, sugar cane and paper streamers in Halloween colors. As the guest arrived, each had to jump over a broom for good luck. From the “chamber of horror” came many shrieks and much laughter.