Traveling from Cleveland to Morgantown the day before October 2, 1965, was as good as it gets for a 22-year-old WVU sports fanatic. I had come a long way to see my first-ever WVU sporting event.
Listening to Jack Fleming atop Buffalo Mountain in Mingo County was as close as I had ever gotten to the Mountaineer sports scene. I had once sat behind the great Fred Schaus when he was scouting for talent. His eyes were fixated on the talents of Jerry West and "King" Kelly Coleman as they displayed their talents on the floor of the Williamson Memorial Fieldhouse. It was an all-star game, featuring high schoolers from West Virginia and Kentucky. The year was 1956, I believe.
In case you're wondering, Schaus sat in regular seats in the elevated configuration of the fieldhouse. No special accommodations for one of the premier college coaches. And, yes, West and Coleman lit it up for their respective teams. And, yes, West led West Virginia to victory over the Bluegrassers. If memory serves me correctly, Jay Jacobs was a member of the West Virginia all-stars. Willie Akers was on the floor that night. George Ritchie, Chattaroy High great, Wake Forest standout under Bones McKinney, legendary Williamson High coach was on that team. Akers and Ritchie would later square off as high school coaches in some memory making Williamson-Logan matchups.
Ahhh, memories can make one get carried way from the main topic.
With me on the trip to Morgantown in 1965 were two Pennsylvanians. They were giving me the business. All the way to Morgantown. Now, the memory is precious. Old age will do that to you, just wait.
Staying with my uncle, a resident of Morgantown, on the night of October 1, 1965, I could hardly wait to see and feel Mountaineer Field. It was my beloved Mountaineers and the Pitt Panthers, facing off in the Backyard Brawl. The Mountaineers didn't disappoint. Winning that historic 63-48 contest. Garrett Ford ran for 192 yards, caught 76 passing yards, ran a kick back for a 73-yard TD, totaling 341 all-purpose yards. QB Allen McCune was 18-25 in passing for 320 yards, Dick Leftridge, who along with Roger Alford broke the color barrier at WVU, used his 240 pounds to plow through Pitt's defense for 129 yards. Dick Rider caught three touchdown passes from McCune.
Silence was golden on the trip back to Cleveland.
The old pics revived this memory, which, in all reality, was and is one for the books.
Listening to Jack Fleming atop Buffalo Mountain in Mingo County was as close as I had ever gotten to the Mountaineer sports scene. I had once sat behind the great Fred Schaus when he was scouting for talent. His eyes were fixated on the talents of Jerry West and "King" Kelly Coleman as they displayed their talents on the floor of the Williamson Memorial Fieldhouse. It was an all-star game, featuring high schoolers from West Virginia and Kentucky. The year was 1956, I believe.
In case you're wondering, Schaus sat in regular seats in the elevated configuration of the fieldhouse. No special accommodations for one of the premier college coaches. And, yes, West and Coleman lit it up for their respective teams. And, yes, West led West Virginia to victory over the Bluegrassers. If memory serves me correctly, Jay Jacobs was a member of the West Virginia all-stars. Willie Akers was on the floor that night. George Ritchie, Chattaroy High great, Wake Forest standout under Bones McKinney, legendary Williamson High coach was on that team. Akers and Ritchie would later square off as high school coaches in some memory making Williamson-Logan matchups.
Ahhh, memories can make one get carried way from the main topic.
With me on the trip to Morgantown in 1965 were two Pennsylvanians. They were giving me the business. All the way to Morgantown. Now, the memory is precious. Old age will do that to you, just wait.
Staying with my uncle, a resident of Morgantown, on the night of October 1, 1965, I could hardly wait to see and feel Mountaineer Field. It was my beloved Mountaineers and the Pitt Panthers, facing off in the Backyard Brawl. The Mountaineers didn't disappoint. Winning that historic 63-48 contest. Garrett Ford ran for 192 yards, caught 76 passing yards, ran a kick back for a 73-yard TD, totaling 341 all-purpose yards. QB Allen McCune was 18-25 in passing for 320 yards, Dick Leftridge, who along with Roger Alford broke the color barrier at WVU, used his 240 pounds to plow through Pitt's defense for 129 yards. Dick Rider caught three touchdown passes from McCune.
Silence was golden on the trip back to Cleveland.
The old pics revived this memory, which, in all reality, was and is one for the books.