Chieftain, Volume [2], Number 2, October 1953 Page: 2
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Page 2
THE McMURRY CHIEFTAIN
OCTOBER. 1953
McM Beats Sul Ross 13-7 in Opener
Tribe Sparkles in 20-20
Tie With WT Buffaloes
The McMurry Indians are on that football warpath again, and
they're really rolling with the strongest line, the fastest backs, and
the best prospects for a Texas Conference championship since 1949.
The Tribe started the season off with a 13-7 victory over the
Sul Hoss Lobos out at Midland September 12. After an open date
they took on the West Texas State Buffaloes at Canyon, September
26, and the Buffs had to come '
from behind in the last two min-
utes to gain a 20-20 tie.
Brightest spot in the young
football season is the improve-
ment the McMurrians are showing
with each game. Their defensive
play in both of the first two
games was top-notch, indicating
that the Indain line is perhaps
the strongest, fastest forward wall
in McMurry's football history.
The line averaging better than
200 pounds per man, is built
around four all-conference men
from the '52 squad—Ed Ammons
of Haskell at end; W. T. Stapler
of Hamlin, tackle; Bernard
Weems, Rotan, guard; and Gerald
Watson of Levelland, center.
The Indian offense, which look-
ed fair in rolling up 228 yards
rushing against Sul Ross, and
gained momentum and 322 yards
on the ground against West
Texas State.
Number-one question mark of
the Indian outlook before the
season began was at the quarter-
back position. Both of last year's
quarterbacks were lost to the
military service. Joe Bill Fox, a
transfer from Tarleton, took over
the signal-calling chores and has
been handling them beautifully.
Fox, a leader in both passing
and punting last year in the
junior college league, proved
himself a capable passer, signal-
selector, and field general against
the Lobos and the Buffs. The
Tribe's number-two quarterback
is George Peel, Rotan freshman
who's coming along fine and fast.
He'll play a lot of ball for the
Indians.
McMurry is three-deep in full-
back power. Elroy Payne, start-
ing fullback from last year's
eleven, is back on the job. He's
backed up by Kenneth Scott of
Anson and James Wells of Glen
Rose, both very hard runners and
weighing better than 200 pounds
apiece.
Also, there's lots Of speed in the
McMurry secondary, provided
by these halfbacks: Bill Ander-
son, Gatesville letterman; Otis
Ratliff, Plainview letterman; Bob
Corley, Dallas transfer; Bill Cant-
well, Bowie letterman; and Bill
Atkins, Dallas transfer.
THE SUL ROSS SCALP
The Indians scored the first
time they got the ball against
the Sul Ross Lobos, then coasted
to an easy 13-7 victory. The Mc-
Murry offense gained 228 yards
as compared to only 13>9 for the
Alpine eleven.
After kicking off and holding
the Lobos on downs, the spirited
Tribe rolled 70 yards in six
plays for their first touchdown.
Atkins took a pitch-out from Fox
and scored from ten yards out,
but failed to connect with the
extra point.
Bill Hawthorn, 230-pound let-
terman guard from Nacogdoches,
set up the second Tribe TD in the
second quarter, recovering a fum-
ble on the Sul Ross 48. Again the
Tribe struck swiftly, using only
five plays to reach pay dirt. A 21-
yard run by Payne and a 13-yard
keeper by Fox helped set it up,
and Payne rammed through from
the 6 to score. Ratliff kicked the
extra point and McMurry led
13-0 at the half.
The second half was practically
all defense. A pass by Fox back-
fired with only one minute to go
and the Lobos started a touch-
down drive that carried all the
way from their own 24-yard
marker. Aided by a five-yard
penalty against the Tribe which
moved the ball to the 1, the Lobos
punched across the middle and
kicked the point with only 15
seconds remaining in the game.
Score again—13-7, McMurry.
THE WEST TEXAS TIE
Offensively the Indians looked
like a different amd much-im-
proved ball club September 26
when they wound up with a 20-
20 tie against West Texas State
at Canyon.
And it was the favored Buffs,
not the Indians, who had to come
from behind in the fading min-
utes to even the score.
The Indians, trailing 13-6 at
half-time, roared back in the third
quarter and tied the score, then
went ahead 20-13 with 6 min-
utes remaining.
It was the hard, fast running
of Elroy Payne, Bill Atkins, and
Bill Cantwell that ignited the In-
dian offense. Payne, exploding
through the line frequently for
long gains, rolled up 166 yards
in 23 carries for a 7.2 yard aver-
age per try. One of his runs was
a 65-yard gainer right through
the middle.
Cantwell and Atkins, alternat-
ing at tailback, added a great deal
to the Indians' offensive fire,
Cantwell, who runs a lot like
Brad used to, accounted for 86
yards, and Atkins added 71.
West Texas State opened the
scoring show in the first quarter,
but the Tribe came roaring back
and pushed to the WT one as
the first period ended.
On the first play of the second
quarter, Payne fumbled and the
We're Still Lookin'
For McMurry Exes
The Chieftain is still look-
ing for a lot af addresses of a
lot of exes with whom Mc-
Murry has lost contact.
Some weeks ago, the Col-
lege mailed out about 100 lists
of those exes we wish to find,
to other exes who might be
in position to know some ad-
dresses. As yet, those lists
haven't been returned.
If you have located any of
the exes on your list, write
down the addresses and mail
them to the college, in care
of Mrs. Phil Chappell, Dean
of Women and assistant to the
president. Thank you.
Biology Dept. Gets
Woman Lab Teacher
Mrs. Mildred Krejci of Abilene
has been named Biology labora-
tory instructor to assist John
Hilliard, head of the department.
Announcement of her appoint-
ment was made September 18 by
Dr. Harold G. Cooke, president
of McMurry College.
Mrs. Krejci is a native of Wis-
consin, and holds a master's de-
gree from the University of Wis-
consin. She has been a resident
of Abilene for the past year and
a half and has bee^in Texas for
five years. Her hi^band, James
Krejci, is a geologist for the
Texas Oil Company, with offices
in Abilene.
Mo-fie. 50 Me.tnbe.b4.
Jackson Heads Indian Club
The Indian Club, backers of
the McMurry College Indians,
now has a membership of more
than 50, Garnet Gracy, club
treasurer reported.
New president of the club for
1953-54, elected at the last meet-
ing of the group, is Mike Jackson,
Abilene businessman and ex
student of McMurry.
Jack Tucker, another ex and
local businessman, is vice-presi-
dent. Outgoing president is Gene
Thornton.
Seven Abilenians make up the
board of directors of the Indian
Buffs recovered and kicked out
to the Tribe 42. Bill Atkins took
the punt back to the WT 42, then
rolled to the 34 on the next play.
Payne made a first on the 25, and
alternated with Atkins to move
the ball on down to the 14. At-
kins skirted right end for the
score. Try for extra point was no
good and the Tribe trailed 7-6.
After a scoreless third, the In-
dain offense began moving again
and accounted for two quick TD's.
Payne scored from the one and
Philip Conaway booted the extra
point to tie it up 13-13. Following
another touchdown scare by the
Buffs, McMurry took over again
on its own 20. Cantwell, Atkins,
and Payne worked it to the 50.
Then Cantwell displayed his fin-
est running of the evening,
rambling to the 35, the 22, and
over in three fast strikes. Cona-
way kicked true again and the
Tribe led 20-13 with four minutes
to go.
Then the Buffs socred again
and kicked point to tie up
20-20, and that's how it ended.
Club. They are C. E. Bentley Jr.,
Alex Bickley, George Steakley,
Leo Tucker, Jackson, Tucker,
and Thornton.
A drive is currently under-
way to double the present mem-
bership of the Indian Club,
purpose of which is to promote
better athletics on the Reserva-
tion and to provide a common
meeting ground for sports-
minded individuals all over Abi-
lene, whether they are McMurry
exes or not.
The club meets each Wednes-
day night at the Radford Stu-
dent Life Center to see movies
of the previous week's McMurry
game and to hear what the
coaches have to say about pros-t
pects for the coming week.
All exes in Abilene and the
surounding area who can make
it in on Wednseday night are cor-
dially invited to attend, Jackson
said. Also, any exes outside the
Abilene area who would like to
help support McMurry's athletic
program through the Indian Club
are welcome to do so. Contact
Garnet Gracy for particulars.
Kiva Gives Television
Set To McMurry College
A new television set has been
presented to McMurry College by
Kiva, men's social club. The set
was set up for use for all students
and faculty in the Student Life
Center.
Anouncement of the present-
ation was made Tuesday, Septem-
ber 15, during the formal opening
ceremonies of the college.
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McMurry College. Chieftain, Volume [2], Number 2, October 1953, periodical, October 1953; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth238563/m1/2/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting McMurry University Library.