By Charles Summerour | When two members of Duluth High School’s first football squad brought up the idea of capturing the history of the school’s football beginnings, we all realized that it was important that we do so soon, as many of the school and community leaders as well as a number of players, had passed away. The result is a History of Duluth High School Football: 1959-69, which will soon be published in booklet form.
Summerour
Duluth High football beginnings coincided with the opening of the “new” school in 1958, after one year of being consolidated with Norcross High into West Gwinnett High. This ended when Duluth citizens demanded and got their school opened again. With a groundswell of community support, a supportive administration, but no money, no coach and no football field, no gym, and not much else, enthusiasm turned into action. Principal M.C. McDaniel was able to convince Bill McClure to take the job as head coach, despite the fact that he was already coaching both basketball teams and the baseball team. Mr. McClure had been a star athlete at Piedmont College and had coached the West Gwinnett basketball team to a region championship in the previous year, but had never coached football. He agreed to start the program with the caveat that: “I will coach until they can get a real football coach”.
Key community leaders soon formed a Touchdown Club, which purchased the original basic equipment, and begin practicing in 1959. One of the most vivid memories of the 30 or so players from grades 6-9 who showed up for the first practice was when Coach McClure showed up with a book, Bobby Dodd on Football, by the Georgia Tech coach which he used to teach his neophytes the basics of the game.
Duluth High Football Team, 1960-61: On the back row: Tommy Brown (30), Jimmy Garmon (66), James Watson (88), Curtis Franklin (38), Tommy Franklin (10), Nelson Anglin (50), Bennie Sharpton (55), Jimmy Hartwick (85),Charles Sewell (65), Don Bullock (75) and Vernon Grafton (80). On the front row are Coach Bill McClure, Philip Mees (25), David Bagley (45), Richard Maddox (77), Johnny Wilson (15), Jeff Burdette (20), Jessy Farmer (68), Billy Powell (50), Kenny Moon (35) and Andy Petty (70).
The first season of recorded play was in the fall of 1960, when Duluth High played a “B” team schedule, and ended with a record of 6-3. After that season, Henry Shaddix, a “real football coach,” came from Alabama to lead the school in its first varsity season, which ended with a record of 5-5 and with a small team which had gained a reputation as tough and competitive. The second varsity season ended with a commendable record of 5-4, with two ties, despite playing against some schools with long histories of football. This year produced Duluth’s first all-state player, Jimmy Garmon, who also was awarded a scholarship to Wofford College—all after only two seasons of varsity play.
This 10 year history had some surprises. According to Georgia High School Association records, Duluth had played and won two games in 1929—both against Norcross, although verification that these were games was not possible. Also, we soon realized that eight of the first 20 players on the first year’s team are now deceased. Both Bill McClure and Dan Smith, who had coached that team, are very much alive at age 84. We also gained a new measure of respect for Coach Shaddix, who had passed away in 2006, but served during World War II, and had been awarded two Bronze Stars, the French Merit of Legion and two Purple Hearts. Many of the first 20 players had notable military records as well.
The cost of publishing the history will be paid for by members of the original team, and will be sold for $10, with all proceeds going to the Duluth Touchdown Club. Details of how to obtain a copy will be noted in the GwinnettForum when the booklet is published.
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