Legends of the Fall: Lindsay Leopards of the '50's and '60's

   I really enjoyed reading B. Kaye's column last week about Lindsay, Oklahoma nostalgia of the 1970's and 1980's social scenes, such as "dragging main", etc... It reminded me of the movie American Graffiti, which depicted the high school social scenes of the late 1950's and early 1960's.
   The social gatherings and conversations surrounding many communities in Oklahoma during the 1950's and 1960's were most often related to the local high school football teams, and Lindsay was no exception to the rule. The Lindsay Leopards garnered class B State Titles in 1955, 1958, 1962, and 1963 during the '50's and '60's and was class A state runner-up in 1964. Until the class A finals of 1964, Lindsay had won all 19 play-off games it appeared in (a record). Also, the Leopards tied the state record for consecutive wins, at 30, spanning the 1962, 1963, and 1964 seasons. Their string of wins was finally broken when Holdenville won the class A title, 14 - 0 over the Leopards, on December 11, 1964. By the way, for those of you wondering if Lindsay ever beat Clinton - they did so in the state semi-finals on December 4, 1964, 12 - 12, by having more penetrations (having the ball inside the opponents 20). Over-time rules in high school football did not begin until 1973. The Tradition that is Lindsay Leopard football was born in the fifties and continued through the 1960's, so it is befitting that we remember and dream (if you're a Lady Leopard) about the Legends of the Fall - the Leopard football players of the '50's and '60's. If you have a computer and access to the internet, you may also read this column on mybackpagewithjimbeckhamblog.blogspot.com where a link is provided for highlighted subjects.
   I began following Leopard football in 1967 (the year I started playing in 5th grade) so the listed players before 1967 are mainly based on news articles, programs, etc... and I may have missed a few.
The Leopard running backs and receivers (skill players) are Halfback Bill Whitt 1951, Fullback Ray Dodson 1951, Halfback Wayne Estes 1954, Center Byron Terrell 1952, Halfback Bob Hutto 1952, Left End Jerry White 1952, Quarterback Grant Miller 1952, End Tommy Fine 1952, Halfback Dale Henry 1952, Running Back Joe Webb 1952, Halfback Jim Daily 1954, Quarterback Bill Garrett 1954, End Bulldog Henry 1954, End Jerome Walton 1954, Running back Bill Milhauser 1954, Fullback Bruce Bullock 1955, Offensive Line Jim Crawford 1955, Offensive line Mike Spradlin 1955, Halfback Leonard Keck 1958, Fullback Bill Stone 1958, Quarterback Larry Ledbetter 1958, Linebacker Jim Milhauser 1958, Defensive tackle H.O. Estes 1958, Defensive line Bill York 1958, Defensive line Homer Rinehart 1958, Defensive line Don Bridwell 1958, Defensive line Bob Mashburn 1958, Halfback Harrison Durbin 1958 End Dennis Mote 1959, Halfback Loyd Henry 1959, End Butch Thomason 1958, Quarterback Bobby Carpenter 1959, End David Bray 1958,    Defensive Line Danny Noles 1962, Quarterback Jim Burger 1962, Fullback John Fine 1962, Halfback Jerry Gill 1962, End Wayne Ardrey 1962, Noseguard Cecil McCoy 1962, Defensive Line Gary Guinn 1962, Defensive Line Roy Goldstron 1962, Defensive Line Dave King 1963, Halfback Gary Goodwin 1963, Fullback Mike King 1963, Halfback P.J. Newby 1963, Center Robert Swinford 1964, Quarterback Gary Goodwin 1964, Kicker John Berthold 1964, Linebacker Tommy Noles 1964, Running back Ken Fleming 1965, Tailback Lindell Shoemake 1966, Halfback Lanny Thompson 1966, Quarterback Sam Howard 1966, Line Bill Clements 1966, Line Dwight Williams 12966, Taiback Doug Scribner 1969, Defensive line Steve Allen 1969, Halfback Joe Sharp 1964, Halfback Bo Boydston 1967, Quarterback/ Tailback Steve Dodd 1967, Defensive line Stanley McCabe 1967, Kicker Gene Wilton 1967, End Ron Newby 1965.
   These Lindsay Leopard football players of the past created the tradition of Lindsay High School football. The football legends of the seventies aspired to be what their heroes were - leaders, and as the seventies had their own field general in Coach Joe Tunnell, the prior champions had coaches like Bill Froman who led from the front. Many players of the fifties and sixties went on to become very successful in college and even the pros - among them were Steve Dodd who played at O.U. and became a successful high school coach; Ron Newby played collegiately and went on to also become a high school coach, winning a state championship for Konawa High School; Bo Boydston played at Cameron University; Ken Fleming went on to play at SMU and then the New Orleans Saints; H.O. Estes played for the Minnesota Vikings where his roommate was Carl Eller for a short time. (Remember Eller was one of the "purple people eaters" in Minnesota's defensive line.); Jim Burger played at O.U., and as one quarterback (Danny Heatly) of the seventies told him: "You are the quarterback who all others following aspired to be, but could never equal." This column could go on indefinitely listing the accomplishments of many more, but we'll stop.
   These "Legends of the Fall" and several not listed here, are still in and around Lindsay - while still more live outside Oklahoma.  The song You've Got to be a Football Hero to get along with the beautiful girls, was just as true during the '50's and '60's as it is today. The gridiron legends of Lindsay will always be the tradition that is high school football in Oklahoma. Of course, I am biased, and always will be.