Sports Opinion: Random Musings May 14

Like the previous two decades of school and sports history for Dripping Springs, the 1950's went through some major changes. In addition, the sports world at DS, like almost any small school, had some major ups and downs.

The early years of the decade included some major decisions. The first was school designation. Entering the decade, the people of the district voted to change from their Rural High School designation to become an ISD (Independent School District). This meant students graduating from DSISD would now not have to take an entrance exam to get into college. This directly led to the final consolidation that would expand the school district to about 313 square acres, making it one of the largest in the area. This occurred when Bee Caves joined the district. It consisted of three County School Districts, all in Travis county. This brought the total CSD's to 14.

Two other decisions were important to the sports program. Following the 1950 football season a major decision came up. Many of the six-man teams in the area were making the choice of moving up to 11-man or dropping football altogether. The voters chose to move up. Never in the past had Dripping Springs ever had an indoor gym to play in. Finally a bond election was passed that would include a new gym. It was completed in December 1952.

Football: As DS would find out for the duration of the decade, numbers do count and fielding a team for six-man vs 11-man does cause problems. The final year in 6-man was 1950. DS still had some very good talent. Such stalwarts as Hudson Hill, Lonnie Campbell, Billy Arnold, Harvey Goslin, Buddy White, Bobby and Buzzy Needham propelled the Tigers to a 6-4 record. Goslin and White were first team all-district Hill second team and Buzzy Needham and Jerry Garnett honorable mention. Goslin was All-Centex. Much of that talent remained for the next year as they finished 6-3 on that first 11-man year. Others involved were Stanley Puryear, Delton Glass and Perry Roberts. Added contributors to a 5-5 season were Woody Glosson and Clarence Cobb. One comical happening occurred when Bastrop wrote requesting their right to half the bleacher space. Fine with DS as they had no bleachers at the field.

Heavy graduation losses put the Tigers on a path for some losing seasons ahead. It was 3-7 in '53. 1954 was a disaster. It was a year of injuries and polio cases. They would go 0-9 and only score six points. It was 2-8 in 1955 with R. L. Lyle, Alvin Crumley and Lowell “Dub” Johnson providing the stats. It was another 2-8 season in '56. DS made it a three-peat in '57 with another 2-8 year. Unfortunately, during that year DS was guilty of playing an ineligible player and were kicked out of the UIL for the '58 season. They could only play non-UIL teams and were 0-4-1. No big rebound in '59. Despite some good plays by Roy Ruston, A.B. Cauthen and Pat Baker the season ended 1-8-1.

Boys basketball: DS found finding five people for a team much better. 1950-51 was a repeat of zone champions but met the same fate as before losing 2 of 3 to Dowdy. James “Tootie” Felps, Buzzy Needham, Perry Roberts, Bobby Needham, Harvey Goslin led the charge. Felps played in the All-Star game and scored four points. Perry Roberts and Buzzy Needham helped the 51-52 team to a couple of second place finish at the Schertz-Cibolo and Buda tourneys. Needham made four all-tourneys and Roberts three. The big moment came in the 52-53 season. DS got a gym. They would christen the new Dr. E.P. Shelton gym with a tourney in early 1953. Campbell, Roberts, Hill, Cobb, Carroll Walker, Glosson, Jack Lyle and William Crumley topped it off with a 48-40 win over Blanco to win the tourney. DS was 15-8 in '54 as the main problem for the 50's, Kyle controlled the basketball world. No real information on '55 and '56 seasons. In 1956, DS tried another plan to defeat Kyle. It was 10-3 after one. DS froze the ball as the score remained the same until the fourth quarter and DS lost 19-3.

It was a Bobby Shelton, Clinton Crumley and Oran Rippy, then later Harrell Robinson-led teams that battled Kyle four years ending in 1959. They were 15-15 in '57, 20-5 in '58 and 32-8 in '59. The short '58 football season gave the Tigers an early start and they made the most of it. DS would end district tied with Kyle and it looked like it might finally be the time. However the jinx continued when Shelton turned an ankle before the playoff and could not operate at top speed and the Tigers lost. Despite only having three of his games during his freshman year, Shelton holds the school career scoring record with 1833 points. The following year Dan Alvarado, Kenny Phillips, Hillery Canon, Marcos Alvarado and Cecil Jenkins finished the decade with a 15-10 season.

Girls basketball: Basketball teams during this decade fielded six-player teams with three forwards (offense) and three guards (defense). The rules changed to where the ball was brought in under the goal after each basket. This was definitely a worst to first decade for the Tigerettes. No stats available for the first four years whereas we do not know the number but we do know 50-51 team did not win a game. The next year they did win consolation at Schertz-Cibilo tourney with Gay Wier making all-tourney and Billie Butler, Myrna Brumley and Mae Francis Sansom gaining honorable mention. For rest of decade, Geronimo Navarro was the Kyle for the girls teams. By mid-50's, the Tigerettes started their push for their first district championship.

Starting this push were such players as Nancy Pope, Shirley Needham, Vernene Lawson, Myrene Phillips, Judy Hoard, Berniece Brownson, Betty Burrier, Patsy Harber and Irene Phillips. The 55-56 team went 10-14. The next year Wanda Ellis, Lorena Phillips, Becky Shelton, Loyce Hoard, Gussie Myers and Clara Rippy stepped in to have a 15-12 record. 57-58 started their rise with a third place finish with a 19-8 record. Mickey Davidson and Vickie Butler began to take their place. Next year 58-59 the Tigerettes moved up to second place with their first 20-win season at 24-8. Jean Turner joined with more playing time. In 59-60 the pinnacle was reached with a 24-5 record. Sheridan would burst the bubble with a 55-49 win in bi-district. Joining the veterans Myers, Rippy, Shelton, Davidson, Butler and Turner were Patricia Puryear, Sue Thompson, Brenda Johnson, Betty Ragland, Scooter Montague and Jackie Shackleford.

Track: Track results hard to come by. Here are a couple of district meet results for the Tigers.

1952 meet: 440 relay: 3. (Charles Stephenson, R.L. Lyle, Alvin Crumley, Dub Johnson). 100: 2. Eckols; 220: 2. Campbell; PV: 1. Puryear 9'0; Discus: 3. Lyle; SP: 4. Weldon Johnson.

1959 meet: 880: 2. Pete Ruston, 4. Jenkins; 120 HH: 4. Rockney Raby; 440: 1. Robinson 54.2; Mile: 2. Bob Walker; Mile relay: 1. 4.00 (Robinson, Ronald Godwin, Smith, Raby); BJ: 1. Robinson 19'4.5; HJ: 1.Robinson 5'2, 3. Raby; SP: 2. Godwin.

Baseball: Baseball was opened to the Class B schools by the UIL in 1952. DS quickly joined in. Not many stats concerning the decade of the 50's. Members of that first year were Woody Glosson, Jack Lyle, Perry Roberts, Hudson Hill, Lonnie Campbell, Weldon Johnson, James Hudson, Billy Arnold, Buzzy Needham, Stanley Puryear and Clarence Cobb. Baseball, always being a favorite of the community was blessed with a good supply. In 1957, the Tigers started a streak of three straight district titles. A fairly young team was blessed with a very experienced arm in the form of Oran Rippy. He would pitch 59 innings, strike out 117 batters and have a .356 ERA. The team had an 11-1 record and Rippy 8-1 including the 5-3 victory over Comfort in the bi-district game. He still owns the DS record for lowest ERA, most strikeouts per game average and fewest hits allowed per game. Other members of the team were Boyce Freitag, Melvin Lindsey, Carroll Montague, Jimmy Driska, Pat Burke, Jack Milner, Gordon Hatch, Lewis Gravell, Harrell Robinson, Rudy Nevarez, Bobby Shelton, Alford Morris and Wesley Ruston. A nucleus of this team would continue to shine as DS claimed titles in '58 and '59.

CORRECTION: A couple of weeks ago, I did a column on E. E. “Nookie” Myers. I related a story I had been told about his famous race. Should have asked a source that knew the correct story. The gist was true but not the facts. I later checked with Clarence Cobb who knew the story better. The correct participant was Jack “Jackrabbit” Crain, rather than Bobby Layne, both UT legends. Crain was All-SWC and All-American in 1939 & '40. It seems friends were always getting races together for Myers and betting on the results. This race took place in Bee Caves, not DS. Crain arrived on a bus there for some reason and the race was put together. Myers was leading Crain when one of his shoes came off and that was just enough to lose the race. Crain declined a do over. What is not clear was when the event happened. While Crain was at UT or after the war. Cobb related another activity that Myers loved to do and that was to grab the tail of a horse and keep up with it. He called it “tailing”. Eddie Odell related to me a story by his uncle R.B. Wilson. The event took place at the VFW in Wimberley. Myers was racing a man on a horse. He wrapped the tail around his hand. The race was on. As the horse would begin to get started he would kick his leg to throw him off stride. As the finish line got near Myers jerked back on the horses tail and sprinted past him to win the race. The final comment was “and that is when the fight broke out and the Myers boys won that one too.”