The Follies, Great Coaches, and Other Memories

Posted by Joddie Witte - Class of 1954

The SWT Follies

What a great group of guys this was. Although I do not recall exactly who the architect responsible for the start of this group was, I do remember that Jack Worthington, former coach and principal in the Spring ISD, and me were probably the originators of the group that became known as the Follies.

We developed all kinds of routines to perform from the bench during time outs. One of the routines which the fans and students seemed to enjoy was when the last person on the end of the bench, away from the side-line huddle between Coach Jowers and the team, would stand up, lean to his left, and, with his left hand up to his left ear, would simulate listening to what was going on in the huddle. This was then followed in sequential order until the last player next to the side-line huddle would stand up in this listening mode. At this time, the fans would go wild as if we had just scored the winning bucket at the end of the game. On several occasions, I was that last person to stand up in the Follies routine.

Coach Jowers never looked as if or ever acknowledged that the Follies existed. To be honest, I think he thoroughly enjoyed the timeouts. The fans were enthusiastically involved and it was a spark for the team. To my knowledge, there never has been another Follies group in college basketball except at Southwest Texas State University.

SWT and Sam Houston State

I must comment on Garvis Hadley’s comment about Sam Houston always beating Southwest Texas State.He may regretfully remember the game at Huntsville in 1958. It was the last conference game of the year. We were averaging 92 points per game and Sam Houston had a great ball club. The starters for Southwest Texas in this game were Rudy Davilos, an All-American guard, Boonie Wilkening, left-handed jump shooter and all-conference guard, Don Turkey Foster, leading rebounder in the conference, Charlie Sharp, All-American post who had one of the most unbelievable hook shots in the nation, and me. Sam Houston led most of the game. In the fourth quarter, Coach Jowers turned us loose with a full-court press. In a very low scoring game (I do not remember the exact final score but each team had under 50 points), I was the leading scorer with 20 points. I hope that Garvis will make a comment if he remembers this game. I remember Tom Goodman being at the game – he was playing baseball for Sam Houston State.

Three Great Coaches

Let me share a story or two about the three great coaches that I was fortunate to play for. Number 1 is George Carlisle who was and is known to all. This website is about him.

Coach number 2 was Johnny Frankie at Wharton Junior College who was a legendary coach there. I had received a scholarship to play basketball at Wharton Junior when I graduated from Webster High School. I remember Coach Carlisle telling me I needed to be prepared to sweat blood. He was correct. I recall one time when we played a bad ball game at Wharton. At the end of the game, Coach Frankie threw one of the side-line chairs across the gym floor causing several persons to jump as the chair went all the way to the other side of the gym floor. He worked us out after that game until about 12:30 AM (that’s right – until after midnight!). All of us sweated some blood after that workout.

I also remember one time during a half-time review in the dressing room, Coach Frankie was so upset that he hit the portable chalkboard with his fist, knocking a hole through the chalkboard.

Coach number 3 was Milton Jowers at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. He was an outstanding coach and motivator. His teams were always fundamentally sound and as drilled as the Follies were. There are many stories about Coach Jowers and I would like to share a couple with the Clear Creek group.

Stephen F. Austin University defeated SWT in a game played at Nacogdoches. Throughout the game, a group of SFA students would hit a wood railing with large sticks. Coach Jowers approached the SFA coach at half-time to ask him to stop this display. The SFA coach said he had no control over the student body. So the hammering of the sticks continued in the second half. Well, guess what! SFA still had to come to San Marcos in the second half of the conference schedule.

Coach Jowers went to Dr. Hemke, Chair of the Music Department and a big supporter of Bobcat athletics, and asked him what type of instrument sound would have an impact on a person’s concentration. Without hesitation, Dr. Hemke said that the cymbals would be this type of instrument. Well, the SFA team arrived in San Marcos for the big conference game. The game started and every time an SFA player prepared to shoot the cymbals would sound off on the end of the gym where SFA was shooting. The SFA coach approached Coach Jowers at half-time to request that the students stop using the cymbals. Coach Jowers told him he had some control over the student body and that he would speak to them. He did speak to them and, in the 2nd half, the students were moved to the other end of the gym (the end where SFA would be shooting this half!) and the cymbals would again sound off when shots were about to be attempted. SWT won this game and many lessons were learned by all.

One other story about Coach Jowers needs to be told. One hot day we were working out. Many of us had “cotton-mouth” from lack of water. We were in a half-court scrimmage and fixing to go full-court. I thought Coach Jowers said to get a quick drink of water. As I leaned over the water fountain, someone kicked me in the butt. As I turned around, there was Coach Jowers. He said, “Son, do you want to play basketball?” Needless to say, I did play some basketball that day and did so without a drink.

I also lettered in baseball at SWT during my time there.

Final Reflections

In reflection, I was very fortunate to play for these three legendary basketball coaches. I was also fortunate to be inducted in the Hall of Honor at Southwest Texas State University. These coaches had a great impact on my career. Coach Carlisle formed the foundation for all of my fortunate success in life after college. I have been in education for 47 years and still counting. I have been fortunate to serve as superintendent in 8 school districts – 7 of those as an interim superintendent. I am proud to have coached a basketball team at Hutto into the 1961 state finals. Coach Carlisle also had his team from Clear Creek in that tournament that same year.

This is enough reading for now. I look forward to continued dialogue with former Wildcats. It is now time for Ralph Parr to get active on this website.

Comments

[Dan Jensen]

Joddie, the long wait for you to post was well worth it! That was plumb loverly!

Yes, I would love for Ralph Parr to post; he would have a wealth of information to share. But so would many, many others. Come on guys! Get with it!

[Ed Davis]

Boy, would it have been fun to see those Follies at work!!! Must have been great times for both the guys and the fans. Great memories, Joddie. I agree with Dan that we need more posts just like this one. So, get with it guys!!!!

[Pat Jensen]

Joddie, great to hear from you. I remember that Sam Houston and TSU ... I mean, SWT game well. You're right. Both teams were under 50. Score was Sam Houston 49, SWT 40.

[Ed Davis]

I am glad to know who won the game. Joddie appears to have scored half the points for the Bobcats so well done Joddie!! Anybody we know playing for Sam Houston on that night?

[Dan Jensen]

Are any of you Southwest Texas exes not going to challenge Pat's "facts?"

[Terry Mathis]

On the Sam Houston Basketball site it says that SWT won the last game in 1958 in Huntsville 52-46. Sam's record that year was 14-12, not a great team. In my years at Sam 1968-71, we were 2-4 against SWT, with the last loss in 71 in overtime 87-84, prevented Sam from winning the outright Lone Star Conference Championship. We fell into a (3) way tie with SFA, and Howard Payne, with SFA winning a coin flip in Huntsville in front of a capacity crowd in old Bearkat Gym. I know this is a Clear Creek site, and I am sure everyone knows the last year that CC went to the state tourney. 1967, we are coming up on 40 years, what a drought.

[Dan Jensen]

Terry, it's very good to see you posting but you should have let those Southwest Texas wretches dig out that information.

Pat was trying to get a rise out of them but none stood up to defend old alma mater. Shame on the lot of them!

Terry, you are from the Krueger era. Give us some of your memories. Too many of Carlisle's boys have failed us dismally.

[Dan Jensen]

Terry Mathis was a senior on that 1971 Sam Houston championship team and had a good career for the Bearkats.

He was an outstanding shooter, hitting 45.8 percent of his field goals and ranks third in the school's free throw percentage at 83.3%. He is 15th on the career scoring list with 1,130 points.

Maybe some of you have figured out that the reason that Terry mentioned the 1967 team as the last one that went to state is because he played on it.

Terry, who were the other starters on that team? Tell us about the two games there that year. You can even tell that sad story about the South San Antonio game.

[Garvis Hadley]

Joddie, I thoroughly enjoyed your comments about SWT, etc. I did attend Sam Houston for one year and quit, but at the coaxing and urging of George and Peggy, moved to San Marcos in September of '58 and attended SWT thru August of '61 when I got my degree. You attributed a comment to me about Sam Houston always beating SWT that I did not make. I believe it was made by one of those scalaways that did not smarten up but that continued to attend Sam. As I recall, SWT beat up on most folks during the '58-61' era and Sam was no exception. Too, I recall that SWT team of Witte, Davalos and Sharp, et al. Further, I recall a song, "Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come," as being very popular and heard a great deal on the SWT campus when we did our thing in the NAIA Small College Tourney in Kansas City, but I do not recall the year.

I have fond memories of the routine you described The SWT Follies performing. Their entrance from the locker room just prior to the start of the game, seemed to set the stage for the game itself. After the starting five came out and began shooting free throws as was normal back then, The SWT Follies would make their drill team like entrance, marching in step, squaring corners and proceeding to the bench. In unison, they would take their seats, cross their legs, uncross them, stand, sit, and then do a wave type thing as the fans clapping and cheers rose to a crescendo. What a way to start the game. Such antics seemed to jump start the team. I also recall "cast" members aping Jowers and the players' huddle during a time out. One member would position himself in the Follies huddle so as to be able to see Jowers in the players' huddle and would emulate Jowers' every move as he talked with the team, much to the pleasure of the fans. Also, there was the routine during a time out where one member of the "cast" would rush onto the court, bend down and examine "something" on the court, would gently pick it up with his thumb and finger and rush it back to the bench. He would give it to the person next to him who would thoroughly examine it, and then pass it onto the next person who would thoroughly examine it, and pass it on, and so on down the bench. After the last person on the bench examined it, he would rush it back onto the court, bend down and gently place the something back in the spot from which it was retrieved, stand up, smile, and then proceed to stomp the dickens out of it, much to the elation and cheers of the fans. Having had some personal contact with Jowers, I'm here to tell you he must have felt The Follies routines to be good for the team and fans, or he would not have allowed it but would have kicked it in the butt too.

[Dan Jensen]

Garvis, why do you post about all this Southwest Texas stuff and nothing about old Clear Creek? Do you think this is a Southwest Texas site or something?

[Ed Davis]

Garvis, I am just glad to see someone posting comments about anything. So keep it up. Glad to see old Hugh Taylor jumping in again, too. Who else is out there?

[Dan Jensen]

Garvis, I agree with Sir Edward. I don't know what camed over me. You can post about the St. Louis Cardinals for all I care.

[Joddie]

Your name caught my eye...I've never known of anyone with the same spelling of my name! I am a female and was named after my great-grandmother Joddie.

[Dan Jensen]

Joddie II, what is your last name and what is your connection to Clear Creek?

If having two Joddies in here becomes confusing, we will drop a "d" from Joddie Witte's name. That is the way I thought he spelled it all these years anyway.