21 Bearcats

Posing near the back door of the building on which the Wall of Recall is now painted are the Bearcats of 1921. The photo is from the 1922 De Leonian. In December 1921, this same photo was published in what was probably the Fort Worth Star Telegram. That article listed the last names of each of the players. Most of the first names were identifiable from the De Leonian. Those first names that are followed by (?) are believed to the correct first names.

Standing: Lane(?) Moreland, ________ Black, Bonner Nabors, Ernest Parr, Zollie(?) Koonce, Goen White, Ronald Myers, Bassel Hilton, Paul Morgan, Moody(?) King, William Inzer, __________ Bender. Seated: J.O. Milstead (Coach), Fred Shaver (RE), Otho Bell (Capt. Elect. RT), C. O. Bragg (RG), Boyd Sharp (FB), Clay Morris (QB), Autry Self (Capt. LHB), Luther Haynes (RHB), Carroll Stover (C), Bryant, Lonnie Cozby (LG), Finis Bell (LT), Raymond Van Zandt (LE). The De Leonian also listed Floyd Merritt and Bryant as having been on the team. Merritt played on the 1918 and 1919 team and Bryant was said to be a transfer from Oklahoma. Luther Haynes also played on the 1917 team. For a good part of the season Mr. Josiah J. Cleveland, a nephew of President Grover Cleveland helped coach the Bearcats.

Ticket to the De Leon Stephenville game, the worst defeat of an opponent in De Leon history. Notice the score has been added to the ticket. (Edna Myrl Redden scrapbook--Phil Tate Collection)

HOWAD PAYNE

The season kicked off on September 30th in De Leon against the Howard Payne J.V. or scrubbs as they were called in those days. Fred Shaver scored the first touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt. The second came on a long end run. The Yellow Jackets scored on a fumble recovery.

COMANCHE

Neither school had forgotten or forgiven the other for the two games played in 1919 and the one year hiatus in the rivalry had little positive affect.

The renewal came in Comanche on October. Comanche’s annual The Arrowhead said, “We did not care about playing them-old differences as rival teams will have but after considerable debating as to the whys and wherefores, the game was played here. Every man went into the game with tears in his eyes and a determination to win, and win we did by a score of 6-3. This was one of the hardest games of the year, and it was really our most important one, owing to the old rivalry existing between the schools.”

De Leon on the other hand fully expected to beat the Indians and make a run at the the state title, the Bearcats were upset by a 6-3 score. De Leon lead at the half 3-0 on a drop kick field goal, ironically by Floyd Merritt who had played for both the Bearcats and Indians during the 1919 season. In the fourth quarter Comanche passed for a touchdown but the point after failed.

STEPHENVILLE

The Bearcats set many records when they defeated Stephenville 122-0 in De Leon. Eighteen touchdowns were scored and Autry Self kicked 14 extra points in the game. Both are still De Leon records. The victory is tied for 14th in the most points scored in one game in Texas High School football history. Comanche holds down the third spot scoring 170 points against Hamilton in 1920.

The Free Press records were lost in the 1923 fire and the Stephenville Empire Tribune did not cover the game.

TARLETON

De Leon next beat the John Tarleton J.V. scoring five touchdowns and extra points to win 35-0.

DUBLIN

The trip to Dublin garnered a 35-0 victory but fumbles plagued the game. Against three straight Erath County opponents in three weeks, De Leon racked up 157 points to none for the Dairy County.

GORMAN

Brownwood was suppose to be the next opponent but refused to play so the Bearcats took on a Gorman team composed on town boys and men and a few students. De Leon dominated with seven TDs and 5 extra points for a 49-0 win.

STAMFORD

Stamford came to De Leon on Armistice Day (Nov. 11) but were dominated after their quarterback broke his arm. Autrey Self scored 5 TDs, Bragg 1, Shaver 1 and Morris 1 and De Leon won 66-0.

BAYLOR CUBS

The Bearcats boarded the train on Friday morning heading for Waco and a game against the Baylor Freshmen. The team was met at the station by by Ralph Pittman, then a Baylor Freshman and his brother B.J. who was playing for the Varsity. The game began at 3:00 and although De Leon drove deep into Baylor territory twice, once on a 60 yard run to the three by Autrey “Doc” Self and once to the ten, the Bearcats could not score and Baylor won 14-0.

GORMAN

The Thanksgiving Day game rematch was at Gorman and the Bearcats won 34-0 with little effort.

COMANCHE

Because of the Comanche loss, De Leon‘s season ended with a Christmas Day game pitting the Freshmen and Seniors (Skunks) against the Juniors and Sophomores (Panthers). The Panthers won 7-9.

From the 1922 De Leonian. The player is unidentified but the photo is believed to be at the Baylor game because of the covered stands on the left. The Baylor annual of 1919 shows what appears to be those stands from virtually that same angle.

A clipping from an unidentified newspaper. (Edna Myrl Redden scrapbook--Phil Tate Collection)

Team photos from the 1922 De Leonian. Notice that there are no numbers on the jerseys.

1921 Bearcats

De Leon’s Pud Hammitt whose father was the local policeman, was to have been on this team but was recruited away by Ranger. As a quarterback he went on to play for Rice and was All Southwest Conference.

1921 DHS 122--STEPHENVILLE 0