Schools & Sports

Now, About the TRACK ARTICLE

Senior High Track. Duane 2nd from the left, holding pole vault pole

Now, About the TRACK ARTICLE

Duane Penny, Sr. 4 yrs., Q. B.

Now, About the TRACK ARTICLE

Note the workout area for track. Football field

Now, About the TRACK ARTICLE

The 1963 Baseball team. Duane is on front row far right

Now, About the TRACK ARTICLE

*Now, 1st of all before the “meat of the article” begins, I must give credit to Duane Penny for all the information, which I have edited somewhat and submitted. He read my original article and offers this “continuing education” for Forney Folks!*

He Was No LITTLE Player or Person!
He Was No LITTLE Player or Person!
He Was No LITTLE Player or Person!

He Was No LITTLE Player or Person!

I was never a fan of Syracuse, because I just did not know anything about the college or any of their sports programs, until….. when I was in Jr. High or early high school, I saw my Dad watching a football game on television one Saturday afternoon and noticed a “backfield runner” of weight under 200 pounds and shorter than 6 feet height. He was running over, around, and through guys quite a bit larger than he! Floyd Little was his name, and his team was Syracuse, not a household name at any of the homes I usually visited!

ROLLER DERBY—still going strong!
ROLLER DERBY—still going strong!
ROLLER DERBY—still going strong!
ROLLER DERBY—still going strong!

ROLLER DERBY—still going strong!

This article was inspired by a feature I read awhile back about the DALLAS DERBY DEVILS League, which consists of five home teams that play each other at the NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills to crown a champion each season, and they are a branch of a nation-wide governing body, called the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, which provides a universal set of rules and guidelines. The top players from the five Derby Devils teams make up an all-star team of sorts, called “The Army of Darkness” that competes against other WFTDA teams across the country. Apparently, their “seasons” are on hold now until 2022 due to the pandemic, but they plan to come back with even greater competitions!

Toyota ShareLunker Program Enjoys Banner Season
Toyota ShareLunker Program Enjoys Banner Season
Toyota ShareLunker Program Enjoys Banner Season

Toyota ShareLunker Program Enjoys Banner Season

The 2021 Toyota ShareLunker collection season will go in the books as one of the best in the history of the program. Anglers landed 23 ShareLunkers at 10 different lakes across the state, the most during a January through March timespan since the 1995 season which produced 27. Five new lake records were established, four lakes made their mark on the program with a first ever entry, and milestone ShareLunker 600 was caught in this year’s group.

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Relay Team

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Glenna Dozier

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Grade School District Champs

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Grade School Track

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Sammy Beeler clears hurdles

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Robert Motsenbocker and Pat Adams

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Lanny Pike and Sammy Beeler

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Regional Qualifiers: Jimmy Duckworth - High Jump; Vincent Cascio - Discus

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Freshmen 440 Relay

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Freshmen Hurdlers and Field Events

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Russell Shelton in final laps

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Field Event Men

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

440 Relay

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Freshmen District Champs

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Over the hurdles

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!
TRACK must not have been as popular back then!
TRACK must not have been as popular back then!
TRACK must not have been as popular back then!
TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Don Morrison throws discus

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!
TRACK must not have been as popular back then!
TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

Robert Dobbs, Don Themer and Dixie Walker

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

TRACK must not have been as popular back then!

While I was looking though old JACKRABBIT yearbooks, I had a shock when I could not find any track photos until the 1960s! Now, I know that we did not have a true RUN- NING TRACK at Forney High School when I was growing up, but someone (probably from the Booster Club) would take a “grader” of some sort and form a make-shift track around the Legion Baseball Field each spring so that we could practice running; however, the oval was never a full 440 yards that was needed for a regulation track!

Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History
Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History

Falcons Baseball Wins Two, Moves Closer to Making History

For the second consecutive week, the North Forney Falcons had their district 13-5A series split into two separate weeks due to inclement weather. This time, the Falcons would face off against the Crandall Pirates in a home game to complete their two-game series on Monday, April 26, before taking on the Greenville Lions in games scheduled for Tuesday and Friday to complete the regular season.

Do You Remember COACH TERRY GAMBILL?
Do You Remember COACH TERRY GAMBILL?
Do You Remember COACH TERRY GAMBILL?

Do You Remember COACH TERRY GAMBILL?

One of my favorite quotes about Terry Gambill came when he was the freshman basketball coach at Forney at the end of the 1990s and someone after a game was criticizing him for yelling too loudly and too much at the boys on the team (who, by the way, were winning all their games). My son, Waylon, who was one of the players, heard and replied to no one in particular but to all who could hear.

Opening Game at Globe Life Field
Opening Game at Globe Life Field

Opening Game at Globe Life Field

APRIL 5 at 3:05 p. m.— 1st time that “real live” fans were permitted to be in the stands at Globe Life Field. All of the Rangers 2020 “home” games were played in front of “cardboard fans” due to the COVID Pandemic. For the first time there was very much in evidence the major thing that was so missing from baseball— THE FANS, and all the big and little things they bring to make the atmosphere right!

Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First
Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First

Falcons Top Both Highland Park, Crandall to Remain in First

After sweeping through the first four weeks of the District 13-5A season, the North Forney Falcons suffered their first loss two weeks ago. Although the 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Highland Park Scots left both teams with matching 8-1 records, based on head-to-head record, the loss dropped the Falcons into second place, just behind HP. North Forney would stay there exactly six days as the Falcons came back to beat HP 5-2 in the return game and leapfrog back into first place with just four games left in the district season.

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Forney Messenger

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Phone: 972-564-3121
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