The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Dec. 26, 2014

Auburn's Fob James.

14 YEARS AGO

DEC. 28, 2000

“The Hillcrest High School varsity basketball team is shown above. Front row, left to right, Jeff Bonner, Jason Wiley, Chesson Griffin, Calvin Fluker and Ronald Grace. Back row, left to right, Coach Tommy Dukes, Dereck Rogers, Damien Rosh, Rodrika Henry, Jerrod Danzy and Eric Stallworth.”

“Shown above is the Hillcrest High School B basketball team. Front row, left to right, Damien McMillian, Destry Taylor, Brandon Lewis, Brian Boykin, Chris Straughn, Jason Ingram, Sherrod Dukes. Back row, left to right, J.T. Booker, Rodrigus Rudolph, Robert Caldwell, Chris King, Nick Williams, Rickey Herbert, Seneral Lee, Antonio Jackson and Chris Glover.”

“The Hillcrest High School girls basketball team are having a good season this year. They are, front row, left to right, Alexis Grace, Cindy Floyd, Candi Jackson, LaWanda Mitchell, LaTrina Merrills, Melonee Thomas, Chivonne Watkins, Stephanie Rudolph. Back row, left to right, Kourtney Mims, Candice Mitchell, Candice Mims, Raven Rudolph, Natalie Nelson, Shundra Lee, Andrell Baxter and Twayla Riley.”

“Betty Warren of Castleberry recently harvested this antlered doe. The 12-inch antlers were still in velvet, with multiple points trying to form.”

29 YEARS AGO

DEC. 26, 1985

“Sparta hosts cage tourney: Sparta Academy will host its 10th annual Basketball Tournament of Champions Dec. 26-27.

“This year’s teams included Crenshaw of Luverne; Sparta, last year’s State Class A runner-up; Lakeside, last year’s State Class A champions; and Bullock, last year’s State Class AA champions.

“Dec. 26: Bullock vs. Lakeside at 6:30 p.m.; and Sparta vs. Crenshaw at 8 p.m.

“Dec. 27: Consolation game at 6:30 p.m. and championship game at 8 p.m.”

“Dear Sir,

“We at Repton High School wish to thank Sheriff Edwin Booker and the Conecuh County deputies and auxiliary for their support and help during our effort to win the 1A state championship in football.

“Throughout the season they were here to assist in any manner. During the playoffs, they were here to assist with traffic control both before and after the game and continually patrolled the crowd. Many of these men gave of their off-duty time to assist us and received no personal monetary remuneration. They are to be commended for being civic-minded.

“Conecuh County has reason to be proud that its Sheriff’s Department is supportive of county schools.

“Sincerely,

“David M. Johnson, Principal.”

44 YEARS AGO

DEC. 24, 1970

“ABSOLUTELY NO HUNTING, FISHING OR TRESSPASSING by anyone will be permitted on any land owned by Roy Andrews or the Lillis K. Brown Estate.”

“Arnold Palmer says: tee-off on birth defects with a ‘hole-in-one’ that really counts – give to the March of Dimes."

59 YEARS AGO

DEC. 22, 1955

“Aggies Invade Mobile, Take McGill Inst. 52-37: Evergreen’s high flying Aggies invaded Mobile Tuesday night and extended their victory string to six in a row at the expense of McGill Institute, winning 52-37.

“Randy White took the scoring honors for the night, with 26 points, followed by Wayne Frazier with 10 points, Robert King with eight points, Mickey Joyner with six, and Eddie Kelly with two points. Tuesday night’s scoring put White’s average for the six games at over 23 points per game.”

“Aggies Win Brewton’s Invitational Tournament: In the preliminary game of the T.R. Miller Invitational Tournament, the Evergreen Aggies out-classed Flomaton High School, 73-26, with Randy White, six-foot, five-inch, scoring 28 points to lead the way.

“Mickey Joyner was second in Aggie scoring, racking up 12 points. Other Aggie scoring was by Frazier, 11 points; Robert King, 10; Eddie Kelly, six; Timmy Boykin, five; and H. Pugh, one.

“In the semi-finals of the tournament, played Saturday afternoon, the Aggies took the measure of the high flying Excel Panthers, and won easily, 52-31.

“Matchett, who has been scoring a large number of points each game, was held to 20 points, while the Aggies high scorer, Randy White, held up his average by scoring 24 points. Wayne Frazier guarded Matchett on a man to man defense.

“Following White in the scoring was Robert King, who had a respectable 11 points. Mickey Joyner hit for seven, Wayne Frazier got six points; Eddie Kelly and H. Pugh got two each.

“In the finals, the Aggies came up against the high flying W.S. Neal team, which went into the game sporting a good record. The Evergreen team had a real battle on their hands in this game, finally pulling it out, 50-41, to win the game and the tournament.

“High point man for the game was big Randy White, who got 25. Robert King hit for 11 for the second straight game, Eddie Kelly got eight points, Mickey Joyner hit for four, and Wayne Frazier got two points.

“Dawson, who looked good on the gridiron against the Aggies a couple of months ago, hit the basket for 16 points to lead the Neal scoring."

“Sixteen Star Performers To Play In Senior Bowl: MOBILE, Ala. – Sixteen star performers from the five ‘major’ post-season bowl games are slated for action in the seventh annual Senior Bowl football classic to be played here on Jan. 7.

“Eight of the 10 colleges taking part in the New Year’s weekend games will have representatives in the Senior tilt along with 24 other institutions from all sections of the country.

“The Gator Bowl, with five players, is tops numerically, followed closely by the Orange Bowl with four, the Sugar and Rose Bowls with three each, and the Cotton Bowl with one.

“From the Dec. 31 game in Jacksonville will come Tommy Harkins of Vanderbilt and a quartet of Auburn stars – Joe Childress, Fob James, Frank D’Aostino and Bob Scarbrough.

“The Orange Bowl will send Bob Pellegrini and Ed Vereb, both of Maryland, along with the Oklahoma Sooner stars, Bo Bolinger and Bob Burris.

“Three University of Pittsburg standouts will prolong their stay in the South to participate. They are John Paluck, Lou Cimarolli and John Cenci.

“Captain Buck Nystrom and Gary Lowe will represent the Michigan State Spartans here while Jim Brown is the UCLA nominee. Earl Blair of Ole Miss is the lone Cotton Bowl representative.

“All told, 50 of the nation’s finest senior footballers are booked for action in the Senior classic, which is expected to attract a capacity crowd of 36,000 fans.

“Reserve seat tickets, priced at $3, $4 and $5, may be ordered by sending requests to Senior Bowl Association, P.O. Box 1229, Mobile, Ala.”

74 YEARS AGO

DEC. 26, 1940

“Band to Appear In Blue-Gray Parade: The 44-piece Evergreen Band, resplendent in their new green and white uniforms, will travel to Montgomery Saturday to appear in the mammoth Blue-Gray parade, which begins a day packed with festivities.

“The band will leave Evergreen at 6:30 a.m., Saturday so as to afford them ample time in which to reach the Capitol City before the starting of the parade at 10 o’clock. Numerous other bands from over the state are entered in the parade and other activities. Prizes will be awarded the most outstanding bands.

“The position of the Evergreen Band will be in section two, which forms at the intersection of Monroe and Bainbridge Streets, on the north side of the Capitol.”