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Jimmy Johnson, Head Coach Douglas County H.S. 1974-1992 died on August 11 2008
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#2
THOLCOMB 
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Posted 25 August 2008 - 08:38 PM
DOUGLASVILLE
Jimmy Johnson, 71, beloved, tough 'Bear Bryant-style' coach
By HOLLY CRENSHAW
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/13/08
Repeated broken noses, 47 stitches and enough bruises to last a lifetime.
Douglas County High School football coach Jimmy Johnson's battle scars proved he asked no more of his players than he did of himself.
Jimmy Johnson coached the Douglas County High School football team for nearly two decades.
The old-school tough guy played nose guard for the University of Alabama, and though he barely overlapped with the Crimson Tide's most famous coach, he adopted the same style on the football field.
"He was a Bear Bryant-style coach," said his son Mark Johnson of Douglasville. "He was very stern with his players and instilled in them team effort and the idea that they were always champions in each other's eyes and if they worked together, they could accomplish great things — not just on the field, but in life."
Mr. Johnson won 124 games and four region titles in 20 years at Douglas County High.
Starting in the 1970s, his Tigers football program churned out more than 20 college players.
"He'd been a walk-on himself, so he knew how important it was to have all the head coaches see his players," his son said. "He went the extra mile to get his kids noticed and really shined a light on them, calling coaches and sending film and all that kind of stuff."
The funeral for James Lee Johnson is 2 p.m. Wednesday at Whitley Garner at Rosehaven Funeral Home. Mr. Johnson, 71, died Monday in his sleep of an apparent heart attack at his Douglasville residence.
Football was an all-consuming way of life for Mr. Johnson, "but that was the life he wanted," his son said. "At our household, it was pretty much all about football, and we loved it as well."
Both of his sons played under him at Douglas County High. Far from cutting them slack, he loaded them up with extra duty.
His friend Ray Broadaway of Marietta said: "Jimmy could speak to you in that coaching voice to where you didn't ask what or why. You just did it. I don't believe I'd have been tough enough to play for him."
Friends for more than 30 years, the men were former rivals when Mr. Broadaway coached for Marietta High School.
"He was always a gentleman," said Mr. Broadaway, now executive director of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. "One thing for sure, when you played Jimmy Johnson, your team better be ready to play."
In 1987, Mr. Johnson had a chance to dramatically show what he was made of. He was talking on the sidelines and turned around just in time for a charging player's helmet to hit him full in the face. Forty-seven stitches and a few days later, he was back on the field.
In his retirement years, he led clinics several times a year for the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. Whenever he spoke at its events, his hilarious football stories cracked up the crowd.
"We referred to him as the Jerry Clower of the GACA," Mr. Broadaway said. "He was such a funny guy, and everybody loved him. If football season weren't starting right now, there's no telling how many coaches from around the state would be there for Jimmy's service."
"He ended up with a lot of friends and a lot of people that loved him," his son said. "He's got hundreds and hundreds of people whose lives he touched through helping them. I couldn't be prouder to have a father who did that for so many people and did not expect any of it back."
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Josephine Johnson, of Douglasville; another son, Gary Johnson, of Douglasville; a brother, J.P. Johnson, of Cottondale, Ala.; and three grandchildren.
Jimmy Johnson, 71, beloved, tough 'Bear Bryant-style' coach
By HOLLY CRENSHAW
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/13/08
Repeated broken noses, 47 stitches and enough bruises to last a lifetime.
Douglas County High School football coach Jimmy Johnson's battle scars proved he asked no more of his players than he did of himself.
Jimmy Johnson coached the Douglas County High School football team for nearly two decades.
The old-school tough guy played nose guard for the University of Alabama, and though he barely overlapped with the Crimson Tide's most famous coach, he adopted the same style on the football field.
"He was a Bear Bryant-style coach," said his son Mark Johnson of Douglasville. "He was very stern with his players and instilled in them team effort and the idea that they were always champions in each other's eyes and if they worked together, they could accomplish great things — not just on the field, but in life."
Mr. Johnson won 124 games and four region titles in 20 years at Douglas County High.
Starting in the 1970s, his Tigers football program churned out more than 20 college players.
"He'd been a walk-on himself, so he knew how important it was to have all the head coaches see his players," his son said. "He went the extra mile to get his kids noticed and really shined a light on them, calling coaches and sending film and all that kind of stuff."
The funeral for James Lee Johnson is 2 p.m. Wednesday at Whitley Garner at Rosehaven Funeral Home. Mr. Johnson, 71, died Monday in his sleep of an apparent heart attack at his Douglasville residence.
Football was an all-consuming way of life for Mr. Johnson, "but that was the life he wanted," his son said. "At our household, it was pretty much all about football, and we loved it as well."
Both of his sons played under him at Douglas County High. Far from cutting them slack, he loaded them up with extra duty.
His friend Ray Broadaway of Marietta said: "Jimmy could speak to you in that coaching voice to where you didn't ask what or why. You just did it. I don't believe I'd have been tough enough to play for him."
Friends for more than 30 years, the men were former rivals when Mr. Broadaway coached for Marietta High School.
"He was always a gentleman," said Mr. Broadaway, now executive director of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. "One thing for sure, when you played Jimmy Johnson, your team better be ready to play."
In 1987, Mr. Johnson had a chance to dramatically show what he was made of. He was talking on the sidelines and turned around just in time for a charging player's helmet to hit him full in the face. Forty-seven stitches and a few days later, he was back on the field.
In his retirement years, he led clinics several times a year for the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. Whenever he spoke at its events, his hilarious football stories cracked up the crowd.
"We referred to him as the Jerry Clower of the GACA," Mr. Broadaway said. "He was such a funny guy, and everybody loved him. If football season weren't starting right now, there's no telling how many coaches from around the state would be there for Jimmy's service."
"He ended up with a lot of friends and a lot of people that loved him," his son said. "He's got hundreds and hundreds of people whose lives he touched through helping them. I couldn't be prouder to have a father who did that for so many people and did not expect any of it back."
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Josephine Johnson, of Douglasville; another son, Gary Johnson, of Douglasville; a brother, J.P. Johnson, of Cottondale, Ala.; and three grandchildren.
#8
THOLCOMB
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Posted 25 February 2009 - 01:36 PM
Former Sandersville coach Mike Merola dies.
He was Sandersville's coach from 1951 to 1956.
Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications
February 24, 2009
Athens, Ga. --- Michael E. Merola, captain of the 1950 University of Georgia football team, passed away Monday following a long illness.
A native of Newark, N.J., Merola enrolled at the University of Georgia along with a friend when we was discharged from military service following World War II. Due to an overflow situation in Athens, he was sent to an off campus site in Savannah where a physical education teacher, Wendell Wilson, saw Merola – a two-time All-City performer at Barringer High School – excel in a touch football game.
Wilson then arranged for Merola to transfer to Athens where former assistant coach Howell Hollis, who was then business manager for UGA Athletics, saw Merola playing in another pickup game in UGA’s Reed Quad. Hollis invited Merola to come out for spring practice, which led to a scholarship offer within a week.
Merola was a member of UGA’s 1948 SEC Championship team that finished the season ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press. He became a starter at defensive end in 1949, was voted captain of Georgia’s 1950 team and also played in the Presidential Cup and Senior Bowls.
Merola became the head football coach for Sandersville (Ga.) High School immediately after graduation from UGA and later worked in education in his home state of New Jersey until retirement. He and his late wife, Virginia, a native of Deepstep, Ga., retired in Athens. She passed away in 2007.
Merola was the son of the late Salvatore and Maria Sisto Merola, who emigrated to the United States from Italy and raised seven children.
He was Sandersville's coach from 1951 to 1956.
Courtesy of Georgia Sports Communications
February 24, 2009
Athens, Ga. --- Michael E. Merola, captain of the 1950 University of Georgia football team, passed away Monday following a long illness.
A native of Newark, N.J., Merola enrolled at the University of Georgia along with a friend when we was discharged from military service following World War II. Due to an overflow situation in Athens, he was sent to an off campus site in Savannah where a physical education teacher, Wendell Wilson, saw Merola – a two-time All-City performer at Barringer High School – excel in a touch football game.
Wilson then arranged for Merola to transfer to Athens where former assistant coach Howell Hollis, who was then business manager for UGA Athletics, saw Merola playing in another pickup game in UGA’s Reed Quad. Hollis invited Merola to come out for spring practice, which led to a scholarship offer within a week.
Merola was a member of UGA’s 1948 SEC Championship team that finished the season ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press. He became a starter at defensive end in 1949, was voted captain of Georgia’s 1950 team and also played in the Presidential Cup and Senior Bowls.
Merola became the head football coach for Sandersville (Ga.) High School immediately after graduation from UGA and later worked in education in his home state of New Jersey until retirement. He and his late wife, Virginia, a native of Deepstep, Ga., retired in Athens. She passed away in 2007.
Merola was the son of the late Salvatore and Maria Sisto Merola, who emigrated to the United States from Italy and raised seven children.
#9
OceanTiger
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Posted 01 March 2009 - 02:41 PM
Coach Fahring Passes on to Glory
Coach Alan Fahring passed away Friday, February 27, 2009 at home surrounded by his family after a long battle with cancer. He was the Eagles first coach and will be missed by the Collins Hill Football program and by the Collins Hill community. He will always be remembered for the lives he touched and changed both on and off the field. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Services for Coach Fahring will be Monday, March 2, 2009 at North Metro First Baptist Church.
Memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, with the family receiving friends at 1:00 pm.
Graveside service immediately following at Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel & Gardens. Reception at North Metro First Baptist Church immediately following graveside service in fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to:
The Alan Fahring Memorial Fund for the benefit of Collins Hill Football Team pre-game meals
Care of North Metro First Baptist Church
770-995-9055.
Or
The Alan L. Fahring Memorial Scholarship
Kansas Wesleyan University
100 East Claflin Ave
Salina, Kansas 67401
Contact Doug Burgardt at 785-827-5541 ext. 1123.
Coach Alan Fahring passed away Friday, February 27, 2009 at home surrounded by his family after a long battle with cancer. He was the Eagles first coach and will be missed by the Collins Hill Football program and by the Collins Hill community. He will always be remembered for the lives he touched and changed both on and off the field. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Services for Coach Fahring will be Monday, March 2, 2009 at North Metro First Baptist Church.
Memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, with the family receiving friends at 1:00 pm.
Graveside service immediately following at Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel & Gardens. Reception at North Metro First Baptist Church immediately following graveside service in fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to:
The Alan Fahring Memorial Fund for the benefit of Collins Hill Football Team pre-game meals
Care of North Metro First Baptist Church
770-995-9055.
Or
The Alan L. Fahring Memorial Scholarship
Kansas Wesleyan University
100 East Claflin Ave
Salina, Kansas 67401
Contact Doug Burgardt at 785-827-5541 ext. 1123.
#10
OceanTiger
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Posted 05 April 2009 - 03:39 PM
Arvel Holmes, who was a HC at Savannah, Rabun County, and Towns County, has died. The date of his passing is not mentioned in the article.
Savannah 1962-1974
Rabun County 1976-1981
Towns County 1983-1984
By Justin Raines Staff Writer
The Clayton Tribune
He was a football coach from the old school who demanded the most from his players. He was a country farmer who loved his horse and drove a tractor. In the vineyard and on the sidelines, he left a lasting legacy in Rabun County.
Former Wildcats head coach Arvel Holmes died of liver cancer at his sister's home in Glencoe, Ala. He was 87.
Holmes was a longtime resident of Rabun who transformed a football team and showed his players how to win on the field and in life.
"You learned a lot of character, that was one of the words he used back then," former RCHS lineman Byron Youngblood said. "The things he instilled in us carried on into everyday life."
Holmes' grueling early-morning workouts are legendary, and his players still remember running their miles each day.
"That spring practice was probably the three toughest weeks of football we ever endured," former RCHS player Jeff Reeves said. "You had to run a mile in under 6 minutes in full pads. You kept doing it until you did. He was a tough football coach, but he also taught us something about life."
Holmes took the reins after the 'Cats' disappointing 1975 season that saw the team finish 2-8. He lifted the program's record to 5-5 in his first season, and went on to command a .609 winning percentage during his seven seasons at RCHS.
Under Holmes, the 'Cats won their subregion in 1977, '78, '81 and '82.
"He came into a losing program when he first came into Rabun County," former player Shayne Beck said. "We had a history of losing a lot. When he came in, he changed the whole program."
The Holmes philosophy involved toughness, discipline and superior conditioning. Since his players usually saw action on both sides of the ball, Holmes insisted that they were in better shape than the opposition.
"He instilled a pride in us," former RCHS player and coach Lee Shaw said. "Rabun County teams were not known to outrun you, but we would outhit you. He brought a tough persona to the game, and we took that on."
Horace Ramey played quarterback for Holmes and remembered the new attitude "Coach" brought to the field.
"I played for him as a junior and senior, and he took us to the playoffs every year," Ramey said. "The teams that knocked us out of the playoffs, Buford and Jefferson, went on to win the state championship. He was an excellent conditioning type coach. He always had the team in good shape. In my tenure under him, no one was carried off the field. We were in that kind of shape."
When he arrived at RCHS, Holmes' game plan contained only four running plays. He insisted that his players learn the fundamentals of football before bringing in a passing game.
Mack Burroughs, a four-year starter at RCHS and a standout player at the University of Georgia, defined Holmes' old school mentality.
"To me, it was like the Bear Bryant, Vince Lombardi style of football," Burroughs said. "There was not a lot of flash, just line up and knock somebody off the ball. It was three yards and a cloud of dust."
Holmes left Rabun in 1982 to coach at Towns County High School, but he returned two years later to retire and seek the life of a gentleman farmer, a life he had known in his youth growing up on his family farm in Gadsden, Ala.
Coach worked in Tiger for Colonel W.T. Ezzard. When John Ezzard took over his father's farm, Coach was there to help plant the grapes for the future Tiger Mountain Vineyards.
"He was an institution on this farm for 30 years," Martha Ezzard said. "We really missed him when he was gone, and we missed Crown, his horse."
Martha Ezzard fondly recalled seeing Coach on his tractor jokingly teasing her about having to mow around her planted flowers.
"He was great," she said. "He was part of the earth here, part of the farm. He was never happier than when he had the rooster, horse and cat in the barn."
In 1943 while stationed in New York with the U.S. Coast Guard, Holmes received considerable notoriety after he and two fellow soldiers helped rescue a young boy who had fallen through the ice at Bronx Park Pond.
Many of his former players had never heard the story, which didn't surprise them. Coach was not one to brag.
It was just another lesson he passed on to the young men who knew him.
"He taught me to believe in myself," former RCHS player Paul Griggs said. "He taught me to believe in the men who stood beside me. I still hold this true today."
Savannah 1962-1974
Rabun County 1976-1981
Towns County 1983-1984
By Justin Raines Staff Writer
The Clayton Tribune
He was a football coach from the old school who demanded the most from his players. He was a country farmer who loved his horse and drove a tractor. In the vineyard and on the sidelines, he left a lasting legacy in Rabun County.
Former Wildcats head coach Arvel Holmes died of liver cancer at his sister's home in Glencoe, Ala. He was 87.
Holmes was a longtime resident of Rabun who transformed a football team and showed his players how to win on the field and in life.
"You learned a lot of character, that was one of the words he used back then," former RCHS lineman Byron Youngblood said. "The things he instilled in us carried on into everyday life."
Holmes' grueling early-morning workouts are legendary, and his players still remember running their miles each day.
"That spring practice was probably the three toughest weeks of football we ever endured," former RCHS player Jeff Reeves said. "You had to run a mile in under 6 minutes in full pads. You kept doing it until you did. He was a tough football coach, but he also taught us something about life."
Holmes took the reins after the 'Cats' disappointing 1975 season that saw the team finish 2-8. He lifted the program's record to 5-5 in his first season, and went on to command a .609 winning percentage during his seven seasons at RCHS.
Under Holmes, the 'Cats won their subregion in 1977, '78, '81 and '82.
"He came into a losing program when he first came into Rabun County," former player Shayne Beck said. "We had a history of losing a lot. When he came in, he changed the whole program."
The Holmes philosophy involved toughness, discipline and superior conditioning. Since his players usually saw action on both sides of the ball, Holmes insisted that they were in better shape than the opposition.
"He instilled a pride in us," former RCHS player and coach Lee Shaw said. "Rabun County teams were not known to outrun you, but we would outhit you. He brought a tough persona to the game, and we took that on."
Horace Ramey played quarterback for Holmes and remembered the new attitude "Coach" brought to the field.
"I played for him as a junior and senior, and he took us to the playoffs every year," Ramey said. "The teams that knocked us out of the playoffs, Buford and Jefferson, went on to win the state championship. He was an excellent conditioning type coach. He always had the team in good shape. In my tenure under him, no one was carried off the field. We were in that kind of shape."
When he arrived at RCHS, Holmes' game plan contained only four running plays. He insisted that his players learn the fundamentals of football before bringing in a passing game.
Mack Burroughs, a four-year starter at RCHS and a standout player at the University of Georgia, defined Holmes' old school mentality.
"To me, it was like the Bear Bryant, Vince Lombardi style of football," Burroughs said. "There was not a lot of flash, just line up and knock somebody off the ball. It was three yards and a cloud of dust."
Holmes left Rabun in 1982 to coach at Towns County High School, but he returned two years later to retire and seek the life of a gentleman farmer, a life he had known in his youth growing up on his family farm in Gadsden, Ala.
Coach worked in Tiger for Colonel W.T. Ezzard. When John Ezzard took over his father's farm, Coach was there to help plant the grapes for the future Tiger Mountain Vineyards.
"He was an institution on this farm for 30 years," Martha Ezzard said. "We really missed him when he was gone, and we missed Crown, his horse."
Martha Ezzard fondly recalled seeing Coach on his tractor jokingly teasing her about having to mow around her planted flowers.
"He was great," she said. "He was part of the earth here, part of the farm. He was never happier than when he had the rooster, horse and cat in the barn."
In 1943 while stationed in New York with the U.S. Coast Guard, Holmes received considerable notoriety after he and two fellow soldiers helped rescue a young boy who had fallen through the ice at Bronx Park Pond.
Many of his former players had never heard the story, which didn't surprise them. Coach was not one to brag.
It was just another lesson he passed on to the young men who knew him.
"He taught me to believe in myself," former RCHS player Paul Griggs said. "He taught me to believe in the men who stood beside me. I still hold this true today."
#11
tidefan102
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Posted 07 April 2009 - 03:55 PM
Coach Holmes coached in Alabama for several years also.
#13
Blalock
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Posted 25 April 2009 - 10:53 PM
Coach Bill Bonds was remembered Monday for never complaining. Even during his 10-year fight with cancer.
That fight ended Sunday evening. Bonds, who coached the Johnson County Trojans on two occasions and led them to five region championships, died Sunday evening. He was 49.
Dublin Courier-Herald Article
Macon.com Article
That fight ended Sunday evening. Bonds, who coached the Johnson County Trojans on two occasions and led them to five region championships, died Sunday evening. He was 49.
Dublin Courier-Herald Article
Macon.com Article
#14
Blalock
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Posted 26 August 2009 - 08:52 PM
Former LaFayette High coach Jack King passes away
Jack King, who served LaFayette High School as a coach and principal for nearly 30 years, passed away last Friday at the age of 82.
Click Here for the rest of the article
Jack King, who served LaFayette High School as a coach and principal for nearly 30 years, passed away last Friday at the age of 82.
Click Here for the rest of the article
#16
DFendley
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Posted 06 September 2009 - 02:38 PM
Charlie Waller Head coach at Decatur where the team won two state championships died on 9-5-2009. Later coached at Auburn, Texas and Clemson (9 seasons) and NFL, Head Coach of San Diego Chargers for a season and a half.
#17
btaylor
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Posted 22 September 2009 - 08:47 PM
Not a coach, but a legendary player.
http://www.ajc.com/n...-of-144189.html
Lauren Hargrove, 79, of Atlanta was 'Herschel Walker' of his day
By Rick Badie
Lauren Hargrove Sr. was called the “fabulous phantom of Fitzgerald” because of his elusive spirit on the gridiron.
Enlarge photo
Lauren Hargrove Sr., 79, of Atlanta, died Sept. 17 of cancer. He was a high school football star in South Georgia, played at UGA and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
In the mid-1940s,he did practically everything for Fitzgerald High, near Tifton. No. 28 ran, kicked extra points, returned punts and played defense for the Hurricanes.
And he did it well, said John Wiggins, secretary-treasurer of the Fitzgerald booster club for 42 consecutive years.
“He was the Herschel Walker of his day,” he said.
In 1948, Mr. Hargrove scored two touchdowns and kicked the winning extra point in the Class A championship game vs. Decatur High. That year, the state’s first All-American was the most sought-after football player in the nation, wrote Gene Asher in “Legends — Georgians Who Lived Impossible Dreams.”
Mr. Hargrove was a three-year letterman at UGA from 1950 to 1952. In one game against Auburn, he racked up 167 yards in one half.
“Last time I visited him in Hiawassee he had a clipping of that game hanging up on the wall,” said UGA sports personality Loran Smith. “He didn’t enjoy the best of times in Athens — we didn’t have the best teams when he came through — but he still was an outstanding back.”
The six-foot, one-inch, 190-pounder was an 8th-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers. Shortly after being drafted, however, he was drafted again. This time in the Army. After his military service, the phantom wanted to return to Green Bay, but the franchise had traded him, said his former wife, Judy Hargrove Foltz of Dunwoody.
“I don’t remember the name of that team,” she said, “but he didn’t want to play for them. So he quit football altogether.”
The funeral for Lauren Hargrove Sr., 79, of Atlanta, will be 2 p.m. Sunday in the Arlington chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, which is handling arrangements. Family and friends will gather an hour before the service to view memorabilia from his glory days. Mr. Hargrove died Sept. 17 at Embracing Hospice in Cumming from complications of throat cancer.
Mr. Hargrove worked in insurance briefly before he became an Atlanta-based salesman and manager for Ford Steel Co. He retired after 27 years and moved to Hiawassee, where he lived three years. He eventually returned to the area, first Cumming and then Atlanta, where he spent the last two years of his life.
He played football at a time when the gear wasn’t very protective. Mr. Asher wrote in his book that the athlete endured a separated shoulder, a broken leg and had his nose injured several times at UGA.
In 2007, Mr. Hargrove discussed the game’s grittiness.
“Down in Tifton, one of their defensive players hit me right in the mouth with his elbow and broke two of my front teeth off, and they went through my lip,” he said at the time. “I was bleeding like nobody’s business, and my players in the huddle were looking at it and about [to get] sick. I didn’t know it because I was so numb that it didn’t even hurt me.”
John Wiggins, the Fitzgerald booster official, remembered a race the Atlanta Crackers had at one of its baseball games. Four of the state’s fastest running backs competed in the 100-yard dash with cleats and helmets.
“Lauren walked away from all of them,” Mr. Wiggins said. “He was a natural.”
Survivors include a daughter, Ashley Dickerson of Cumming; two sons, Lauren Hargrove Jr. of Atlanta and John Hargrove of Savannah; and two grandchildren.
http://www.ajc.com/n...-of-144189.html
Lauren Hargrove, 79, of Atlanta was 'Herschel Walker' of his day
By Rick Badie
Lauren Hargrove Sr. was called the “fabulous phantom of Fitzgerald” because of his elusive spirit on the gridiron.
Enlarge photo
Lauren Hargrove Sr., 79, of Atlanta, died Sept. 17 of cancer. He was a high school football star in South Georgia, played at UGA and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
In the mid-1940s,he did practically everything for Fitzgerald High, near Tifton. No. 28 ran, kicked extra points, returned punts and played defense for the Hurricanes.
And he did it well, said John Wiggins, secretary-treasurer of the Fitzgerald booster club for 42 consecutive years.
“He was the Herschel Walker of his day,” he said.
In 1948, Mr. Hargrove scored two touchdowns and kicked the winning extra point in the Class A championship game vs. Decatur High. That year, the state’s first All-American was the most sought-after football player in the nation, wrote Gene Asher in “Legends — Georgians Who Lived Impossible Dreams.”
Mr. Hargrove was a three-year letterman at UGA from 1950 to 1952. In one game against Auburn, he racked up 167 yards in one half.
“Last time I visited him in Hiawassee he had a clipping of that game hanging up on the wall,” said UGA sports personality Loran Smith. “He didn’t enjoy the best of times in Athens — we didn’t have the best teams when he came through — but he still was an outstanding back.”
The six-foot, one-inch, 190-pounder was an 8th-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers. Shortly after being drafted, however, he was drafted again. This time in the Army. After his military service, the phantom wanted to return to Green Bay, but the franchise had traded him, said his former wife, Judy Hargrove Foltz of Dunwoody.
“I don’t remember the name of that team,” she said, “but he didn’t want to play for them. So he quit football altogether.”
The funeral for Lauren Hargrove Sr., 79, of Atlanta, will be 2 p.m. Sunday in the Arlington chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, which is handling arrangements. Family and friends will gather an hour before the service to view memorabilia from his glory days. Mr. Hargrove died Sept. 17 at Embracing Hospice in Cumming from complications of throat cancer.
Mr. Hargrove worked in insurance briefly before he became an Atlanta-based salesman and manager for Ford Steel Co. He retired after 27 years and moved to Hiawassee, where he lived three years. He eventually returned to the area, first Cumming and then Atlanta, where he spent the last two years of his life.
He played football at a time when the gear wasn’t very protective. Mr. Asher wrote in his book that the athlete endured a separated shoulder, a broken leg and had his nose injured several times at UGA.
In 2007, Mr. Hargrove discussed the game’s grittiness.
“Down in Tifton, one of their defensive players hit me right in the mouth with his elbow and broke two of my front teeth off, and they went through my lip,” he said at the time. “I was bleeding like nobody’s business, and my players in the huddle were looking at it and about [to get] sick. I didn’t know it because I was so numb that it didn’t even hurt me.”
John Wiggins, the Fitzgerald booster official, remembered a race the Atlanta Crackers had at one of its baseball games. Four of the state’s fastest running backs competed in the 100-yard dash with cleats and helmets.
“Lauren walked away from all of them,” Mr. Wiggins said. “He was a natural.”
Survivors include a daughter, Ashley Dickerson of Cumming; two sons, Lauren Hargrove Jr. of Atlanta and John Hargrove of Savannah; and two grandchildren.
#23
btaylor
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Posted 04 February 2010 - 01:41 PM
Cook's current head coach, Mac Thompson, dies at the age of 39 from a heart attack.
AJC
http://www.ajc.com/s...ach-291178.html
Valdosta Times
http://www.valdostad..._035105159.html
WALB doesn't have anything yet, but assuredly will have a story this evening.
EDIT: WALB
http://www.walb.com/....asp?s=11935343
and comments from Rush Propst in Moultrie Observer
http://www.moultrieo..._035171112.html
AJC
http://www.ajc.com/s...ach-291178.html
Valdosta Times
http://www.valdostad..._035105159.html
WALB doesn't have anything yet, but assuredly will have a story this evening.
EDIT: WALB
http://www.walb.com/....asp?s=11935343
and comments from Rush Propst in Moultrie Observer
http://www.moultrieo..._035171112.html
#24
THOLCOMB
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Posted 05 April 2010 - 12:06 PM
Not a coach, but a notable player from North Fulton from the '40s.
MALLOY, RUSSELL, Jr. RUSSELL GORDON MALLOY JR. An Atlanta legend, Russell Gordon Malloy, Jr. (Flash), passed peacefully in his sleep April 1, 2010 at the age of 79. Gordon was born in Birmingham , Alabama Feb. 12, 1931 to Russell Gordon Malloy, Sr. and Gladys Kindcaid Malloy. The family moved to Atlanta when he was in high school where he attended North Fulton . In 1948 and 1949 he made the All-State first team in football. He was also a two time All-State selection in track as well as a State Champion in track. He was selected for the North Squad for the All Star State Football Team. Gordon attended Georgia Tech and then the University of Miami on a football scholarship. He was selected as Captain of the team. Gordon still holds records in categories of punt return, rushing, and scoring at the University of Miami . He was tapped into the Iron Arrow Society, the highest honor one can attain at the University of Miami . Gordon was selected in college to play in the Shriner All-Star game, the North/South game, the Blue/Gray game, and the College All-Star game vs. the Pro Football Champs. Upon graduation in 1955 he was drafted by the Detroit Lions as the 39th overall pick. Gordon was inducted in the University of Miami 's Sports Hall of Fame in 1978 and is a current nominee for induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. As a member of the Buckhead Boys, in 1978 he was selected as the Buckhead Boy of the year. He also has been a member of the Atlanta Touchdown Club where he has been recognized by the organization. Gordon gave back to the community and to those who gave to him as a member of the Board of Directors for the downtown Atlanta YMCA Men's Health Club, as Co-President and Board Chairman of the Atlanta Hurricane Club, on the Board of Directors of the S.E. Traveling Salesman's Association, as Honorary Director of the UM Atlanta Hurricane and Alumni Club, as a member of PKA Fraternity, as an SEC football official, assistant coach at the University of Miami, as a coach for multiple youth leagues, and as the founder of the Young Married Couples Sunday School Class at Peachtree Road Methodist Church. Gordon married Era Marie Shore April 9, 1955. They made their home in Atlanta . He was the proud father of four children all who are current educators in Georgia . More than any award or recognition Gordon most valued above all else his family. He was a father that taught and loved second to no other man. Gordon is survived by his wife Marie, their four children and seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Shirley Bellamy and her family. Services will be held on Monday, April 5th at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill, 1020 Spring Street NW, Atlanta , Georgia . Family will receive friends at 12 noon with the service following at 1 o'clock p.m. Following the service please join the family at Mountain View Park Cemetery for a graveside service, 410 Whitlock Avenue , Marietta . There will be a reception immediately following the graveside service at the home of Lynne Malloy, 525 Huntwick Place , Roswell , 30075. In lieu of flowers the family would like donations to be made in Gordon's name to either, The University of Miami, www6.miami.edu/umgiving, please donate to the scholarship fund, or to Hospice Atlanta, www.vnhs.org.
MALLOY, RUSSELL, Jr. RUSSELL GORDON MALLOY JR. An Atlanta legend, Russell Gordon Malloy, Jr. (Flash), passed peacefully in his sleep April 1, 2010 at the age of 79. Gordon was born in Birmingham , Alabama Feb. 12, 1931 to Russell Gordon Malloy, Sr. and Gladys Kindcaid Malloy. The family moved to Atlanta when he was in high school where he attended North Fulton . In 1948 and 1949 he made the All-State first team in football. He was also a two time All-State selection in track as well as a State Champion in track. He was selected for the North Squad for the All Star State Football Team. Gordon attended Georgia Tech and then the University of Miami on a football scholarship. He was selected as Captain of the team. Gordon still holds records in categories of punt return, rushing, and scoring at the University of Miami . He was tapped into the Iron Arrow Society, the highest honor one can attain at the University of Miami . Gordon was selected in college to play in the Shriner All-Star game, the North/South game, the Blue/Gray game, and the College All-Star game vs. the Pro Football Champs. Upon graduation in 1955 he was drafted by the Detroit Lions as the 39th overall pick. Gordon was inducted in the University of Miami 's Sports Hall of Fame in 1978 and is a current nominee for induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. As a member of the Buckhead Boys, in 1978 he was selected as the Buckhead Boy of the year. He also has been a member of the Atlanta Touchdown Club where he has been recognized by the organization. Gordon gave back to the community and to those who gave to him as a member of the Board of Directors for the downtown Atlanta YMCA Men's Health Club, as Co-President and Board Chairman of the Atlanta Hurricane Club, on the Board of Directors of the S.E. Traveling Salesman's Association, as Honorary Director of the UM Atlanta Hurricane and Alumni Club, as a member of PKA Fraternity, as an SEC football official, assistant coach at the University of Miami, as a coach for multiple youth leagues, and as the founder of the Young Married Couples Sunday School Class at Peachtree Road Methodist Church. Gordon married Era Marie Shore April 9, 1955. They made their home in Atlanta . He was the proud father of four children all who are current educators in Georgia . More than any award or recognition Gordon most valued above all else his family. He was a father that taught and loved second to no other man. Gordon is survived by his wife Marie, their four children and seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Shirley Bellamy and her family. Services will be held on Monday, April 5th at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill, 1020 Spring Street NW, Atlanta , Georgia . Family will receive friends at 12 noon with the service following at 1 o'clock p.m. Following the service please join the family at Mountain View Park Cemetery for a graveside service, 410 Whitlock Avenue , Marietta . There will be a reception immediately following the graveside service at the home of Lynne Malloy, 525 Huntwick Place , Roswell , 30075. In lieu of flowers the family would like donations to be made in Gordon's name to either, The University of Miami, www6.miami.edu/umgiving, please donate to the scholarship fund, or to Hospice Atlanta, www.vnhs.org.
#25
DFendley
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Posted 16 April 2010 - 09:40 AM
http://www.legacy.co...e&pid=141862459 Head coach at Thomson 1957-1958
#28
tidefan102
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Posted 20 April 2010 - 03:25 PM
Coach Harold E. Harris He is listed as Hal Harris on the Tallapoosa page but it is the same coach.
From The Anniston Star
Funeral Services for Coach Harold E. Harris, age 80 of Lineville, will be Monday, April 19, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Lineville Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Colquett and Dr. Wayne A. Stevens officiating. Burial will follow in the Lineville City Cemetery. Mr. Harris passed away Friday, April 16, 2010 at Russell Medical Center in Alexander City. Coach Harris was a Lineville High School graduate, Auburn University football player and graduate, an 11 year U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean Conflict and obtained the rank of Captain. Coach Harris served over 30 years as an educator, principal, history, science, and math teacher and as coach at Lamar County High School, Tallapoosa GA High School, and Clay County High School.
From The Anniston Star
Funeral Services for Coach Harold E. Harris, age 80 of Lineville, will be Monday, April 19, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Lineville Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Colquett and Dr. Wayne A. Stevens officiating. Burial will follow in the Lineville City Cemetery. Mr. Harris passed away Friday, April 16, 2010 at Russell Medical Center in Alexander City. Coach Harris was a Lineville High School graduate, Auburn University football player and graduate, an 11 year U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean Conflict and obtained the rank of Captain. Coach Harris served over 30 years as an educator, principal, history, science, and math teacher and as coach at Lamar County High School, Tallapoosa GA High School, and Clay County High School.
#29
bhodges
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Posted 22 April 2010 - 11:36 AM
Thomson's Bruce Blasingame has passed.
http://mirror.august...ew_574425.shtml
http://mirror.august...ew_574425.shtml
Quote
Bruce Blasingame, a well-known educator, former football coach and radio personality in Thomson, died Tuesday, April 13, at Doctors Hospital in Augusta. He was 81.
#31
tidefan102
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Posted 04 June 2010 - 05:19 PM
Armuchee High School coach Thomas Bryant was the kind of teacher who went the extra mile for his students, said a colleague who taught with him for the past two years.
Bryant, 58, collapsed Thursday evening after taking an evening walk with Armuchee head football coach John Mullinax. He was pro-
nounced dead at 7:45 p.m. at Redmond Regional Medical Center, Deputy Coroner Ernie Studard said. The cause of death has not been determined.
Bryant was a special education teacher at the school and was the offensive line coach for the football team.
“He was a football man, and he loved his players 100 percent,” said Mullinax. “This will be hard for us for a long time. We’ll never forget him.”
Bryant had coached on the college level at Tusculum College in Tusculum, Tenn., and at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. He was also a former head coach at Trion High School
Read more: http://www.rn-t.com/...r#ixzz0pvQq7KMm
Bryant, 58, collapsed Thursday evening after taking an evening walk with Armuchee head football coach John Mullinax. He was pro-
nounced dead at 7:45 p.m. at Redmond Regional Medical Center, Deputy Coroner Ernie Studard said. The cause of death has not been determined.
Bryant was a special education teacher at the school and was the offensive line coach for the football team.
“He was a football man, and he loved his players 100 percent,” said Mullinax. “This will be hard for us for a long time. We’ll never forget him.”
Bryant had coached on the college level at Tusculum College in Tusculum, Tenn., and at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. He was also a former head coach at Trion High School
Read more: http://www.rn-t.com/...r#ixzz0pvQq7KMm
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