Golden Boys or Sore Thumbs

Posted by Dan Jensen

    It's basketball season again and we need to get the blog cranked up.  I fear though that just a pitiful few are still with us.  But, I want to author a new thread.

    I think we all remember that great 1959 team that battled all the way to the regional finals before losing.  Others would say, yeah I remember the team with all the losses that stuck out like a sore thumb in the record book among all the state tournament teams.

     Regardless of which description fits--probably neither--I want to mention a couple of seniors from that club and toss out some bouquets because they were two of our better bloggers last season.  They are Edward Davis and Hugh Taylor. 

    Their jump shots have long ago vanished, tone and tint.  Their memory is one of wondrous beauty, watered by victories over Deer Park and Dickinson, and coaxed and caressed by the smiles of Bennie Lenox as they passed the basketball to him.  While apologizing to General Douglas MacArthur, I want to remind the bloggers that Ed and Hugh were more than just faces in the team photo.

    Hugh averaged nine points that year and Ed followed with eight.  No much by today's standards but not bad on a team that averaged only 54.  Hugh, playing the post, shot 47 percent from the field and Ed, a guard, averaged 40 percent, only a shade below the all-state Lenox.  From the foul line, Ed shot 74 percent and Hugh 67 percent.

    Hugh scored seven and Ed six in the 41-38 regional final loss to Devine.  Their total was the same as Lenox, who had an off game, shooting only one for nine in the second half from the floor.

    In the first regional game, an easy win over Northside San Antonio, Hugh did not miss a shot and totaled nine points.  Ed had 16 as Lenox had 31 and hit ten straight field goals at one stretch.

    Ed and Hugh had good Clear Creek careers and I'm sure they remember their careers fondly, tone and tint.

Comments

[Ed Davis]

Aw shucks, Dan. Thanks for the memories. It was certainly a good ride to play for the Wildcats and to be able to say I played on teams with guys like Hugh, Charlie Miligan, Bennie Lenox, Chuck Trcka, Paul Timmons and others. Lots of good memories for sure.

[Pat Jensen]

Wouldn't it be great if today's technology would have been available in the 50's and 60's? What a pity we don't have a video library of every dadburn Wildcat game ever played! We could while away some of our retirement years watching the players you mentioned and others that had a role in such a rich, high school basketball history.

Ed, I remember you and all of the guys you named above. Each of you played only a few years after the best Wildcat team ever (that would be 1956) but regrettably I don't remember ever seeing your team play.

[Hugh Taylor]

Dan, the game with North Shore was called off.
The Wildcats at the CCHS tournament playing La Porte got Killed. Only scored about 30 points for the game to La Porte's 60 odd.
LaPorte was able to move the ball and score as needed. Clear Creek did not have a team, just 5 players moving in many different directions. The coach was trying many options with the best players sitting on the bench many times. It's going to be a long season.
Clear Lake won eaisly over Nacogdoches. and plays Elkins at 1:30 Sat. (Good Game)
Creek Plays Brook @ 12:00
Desoto, a top 5 state team, will play LaPorte @ 1:30

I remember seeing that great 1956 team play. It was great, with the whole town behind the team, and the winning like clockwork. What a way to set up the teams that were to follow.

[Dan Jensen]

Hugh, thanks for that good report but I am wondering why the North Shore game was called off. Quite unusual.

Some state championship football games in Oklahoma have been postponed to Monday or Tuesday but I expect the snow is a lot deeper in Oklahoma than it is on the Gulf Coast of Texas.