Sports Opinion: Random Musings April 23
Well the inevitable has happened and the dangled carrot has been taken away. The final hope of salvaging any part of the high school spring sports season was dashed when the Governor declared that all schools would be closed for the remainder of the school year. The UIL had no choice but to cancel any thought of restarting. The next question will be when or if the sports programs will be allowed to begin the new school year.
In the world of high school wrestling, a Dripping Springs wrestler added to his honors list. Chase Warden, a two-time state champion made the All-Centex team selected by the American-Statesman.
Just read an article where the heads of the national youth organizations were lamenting how many millions were being lost by the stoppage of sports. Although the loss of fun and play for the youth is not good, the silver lining is the youth may have to rediscover sandlot games and the parents will get to keep those millions at a time when they probably really need it.
Back to the past. The 1930's was a productive decade for sports at Dripping Springs. Good athletes seemed to abound and they were very competitive in all sports. It was a time when the district had begun to grow. It came from natural growth and transfers from surrounding small county school districts that only went through seven or eight grades and from consolidation with other nearby county school districts. Until 1942, Dripping Springs was an eleven-grade school. Eighth grade students could compete on the high school teams to give them four years.
Boys basketball was a formidable foe in the county meets each year. Part of the problem each year was San Marcos. They were the largest school in the county and held a major advantage in talent. The 30-31 team led by Norman Breed and P.D. Lindsey lost to them in the finals. The Dudley Lindsey led team in 34-35 lost 20-12. Lindsey returned the next year only to lose 15-7 in the finals. In 36-37, E.E. Myers and Leroy Johnson joined Lindsey but even though they were the second best team, the schedule pitted them against SM in the semis and they lost 32-20. Finally in 37-38 the long-awaited title came. MVP Johnson and all-tourney Myers were joined by Damon Hollingsworth. They turned back SM 24-21 (OT) in semis and took down Wimberley 32-25 for the title. A repeat was not in the books when Buda edged the Tigers 37-35 in the semis described as the best game in the tourney. In 39-40, Hollingsworth and Ed Gray got back to the finals only to lose to SM 41-17.
Other students that played during the decade were: John Spillar, E.B. “Pete” Glosson, Chester Franklin, Leland Lyle, Syd Hall, Rex Cavett, Crenshaw, Joe McNair, Edwin Schneider, O.S. Brumley, Jr., Tommy Turner, JWT Goslin, Cecil Maxey, Duard Lindsey, Ed Gray, J.L. Glosson, Dale Glosson, Ernest Williamson, Jay Spillar, Tombaugh, W.E. “Bill” McNair, Truman Cauthen, James Brumley and Travis Garnett.
Girls basketball had the problem of gender. There were enough that believed girls should not be participating in strenuous activities to convince the UIL to drop sponsorship in 1928. However, it did not stop Dripping Springs from having teams and playing others of like minds. The 30-31 team played at least eight games. Players on that squad were Clell Basket, Angeline Lindsey, Alberta Puryear, Louella Johnson, Lillie Susan Miles, Ethel Lindsey and Ila Mae Miles. In the 38-39 San Marcos tourney finals the Tigerettes lost to SM 45-19. Making all-tourney were Edith Goslin, Lois Huey, Juanita Schneider. The next year Goslin was named all-tourney at Dowdy. Delores Haster (33-34) recalled having skinned knees the entire season from playing on the dirt courts.
Other players representing DS in this decade were: Doris Breed, Merle Glosson, Ruth Champion, Eloise Brumley, Evelyn Brumley, LaRue Sansom, LaVerne Crenshaw, Erlene Hall, Allie Lee Lester, Willie Mae Wilson, Eloise Butler, Dimple Spillar, Wilma Gale Glosson, Willie Edna Puryear, Gladene Crenshaw, Wilma Goslin, Clarene Williamson, Louella Williamson, Irene Combs, Lillian Hollingsworth, Cleo Nell Gage, Helen Williamson, Glenda McIntyre, Lila Thielepape and Lula Saunders.
Track continued to be well-attended by the Tigers and they would finally attain a county championship in 39-40 after perennially finishing third behind Kyle and Buda. Duard Lindsey, Truman Cauthen, Damon Hollingsworth, Jay Spillar and James Brumley contributed the points in the 44-40 win over Kyle. E.E. Myers (36-39) dominated three events all four years. He would win the 100 & 220 dashes all four years and only a second in the long jump in his senior year kept him from duplicating in that event. Track event points were 5-3-2-1, including relays.
Football made its debut in 1938. Many small schools in Texas could not play 11-man football because of numbers but in 1938 the game of 6-man football was introduced to Texas and Dripping Springs jumped at the chance to participate and become one of 48 schools to inaugurate the sport. The football season changed something else for Dripping Springs. Prior to this event, DS was known as the red and white Cardinals. Wanting to be someone more ferocious they adopted the Tiger as their mascot and a bargain on uniforms changed the colors to maroon and gold.
The first football game ever played by the Tigers did not go well as Prairie Lea Indians ambushed them 74-7. It would be their only District 3B loss as they breezed through wins over Lytton Springs, Kyle, Wimberley, Dale, San Marcos Academy, Uhland and Martindale. When Martindale upset Prairie Lea, it made the Tigers Tri-champs. When Prairie Lea turned down a rematch, the Tigers travelled to Victoria to play St. Joseph at Thanksgiving but lost 24-6 in a driving rain to end their season 7-2. Running back, E.E. Myers was the mainstay. He was nicknamed “Sea Biscuit” by one reporter because he was the fastest person on two feet he had ever seen. He was the first Tiger to make an all-district team.
Joining Myers on that first team were Hollingsworth, Cecil Maxey, JWT Goslin, J. L. Glosson, Truman Cauthen, J.P. Butler, Robert Glosson, Curly Glosson, Worth Spillar, Ed McIntyre and Jay Spillar.
With only the loss of Myers, Butler, C. Glosson and McIntyre, plus the addition of Tombaugh, Ernest Williamson, Dale Glosson, W.E. McNair and Duard Lindsey, the 1939 team was ready for a repeat. However, they still could not defeat Prairie Lea and finished second. During the season, DS traveled to San Angelo to play Van Horn in an exhibition game billed as a “state championship”. The Tigers dropped the 23-22 decision and finished 7-2 again. Hollingsworth was the marquee player and named an honorable mention All-American.
Not much information was found concerning a school baseball team but it was obvious they played some games throughout the decade. Known opponents during that time included Buda, Fitzhugh, Driftwood, Goforth, San Marcos West End and Wimberley. It is known that 15-year old Allen Stephenson received a broken leg when a Wimberley player slid into third base in April, 1938. In early May, Stephenson died from gangrene. Supposedly, after that incident, the school dropped baseball and did not take it up again until the 50's.
Reminder: More complete stats and information can be found on the High School website under Athletic Records-- https://www.dsisdtx.us/domain/455 .