I can only speak from experience from part of the 1950s and all of the 1960s, and from hearing about other eras. But I do know that a BIG DEAL in Forney social life revolved around FOOTBALL and its associated organizations, clubs, and support groups. I knew that my family’s “across the alley” neighbor, Gary “Sonny” Compton, was a “big deal” because he was a great quarterback for the FORNEY JACKRABBITS, and that Carol Sline, whose family rented the top half of the Compton “mansion” a little later, was because she twirled the FIRE BATONS at halftime, and that Jack Pippins was because he headed up the “chain gang” that kept up with the down markers and yardage chains along the football sidelines, and that Jane Brummett was because she was a “drum major,” and that Sue Pinson was because she was the “head cheerleader,” and that Sarah Lee Cates was because she was the “football sweetheart,” and that Bobby Rogers was because my Dad told me he was the football coach when I went with Dad to deliver uniforms to the school, and that Mr. Bob Lucas was because he “took up tickets” at the gate, and that Mac McCuistion was because he worked in the press box, and games, and that City Drug/ Café was because that is where the old-timers went to drink coffee and discuss the past and upcoming games, and I could go on and on! And all these special folks changed from year to year as I grew up and as participants had their days and then moved on to other aspects of life.
And, to tell the truth as far as I knew, FOOTBALL was a vital part of the way of life in Forney, Texas, and many other Texas towns across the whole state, and it seemed to me that the smaller the town, the more important the football traditions remained! And, I found out later that my cousin, David, in Okeene, Oklahoma, felt exactly the same way as he at first watched and then later played the popular sport there!
And, I found out that all the coaches for whom I ever played and all the coaches that made speeches in person or on television/radio/ newspapers/magazines emphasized not only the imat portance of winning and trying to do your best but the importance of remembering that every single member of the team and auxiliary support groups was a “big deal” and was IMPORTANT! The older I grew, the more I came to understand the veracity of those words! So, let’s look some of the “important school participants” from the earlier days, beginning with the 1961 Season.
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