 VAN ALSTYNE SPORTS, 1930
Van Alstyne Era February 18, 1930 pg. 3 (Published by the Junior English Class, Van Alstyne High School) Football is the outstanding game for Van Alstyne High School. This game has been the most interesting athletic event for all the fans, as well as the players, for many years. The Panthers have turned out many sensational atheletes. Dick "Swede" Keith was one of the best centers the Panthers have produced till this year. When Dick left here he went to Sherman and was tackle on the Kangaroo team. He is now teaching school in Arkansas. Bert Weisner played quarter-back for the Panthers for 4 years. As the old saying is, "He was plenty good." He is now back at home in Van Alstyne. Gene Lindsey was a powerful full back, and was most noted for his long punts and passes. He was captain of his team. He is farming near Van Alstyne now. Joe Bybee was a well known half back and was a hard man to stop. Joe, or "Bloody," as we called him, is now in Dallas, a bell boy in the Baker Hotel. Bill Echols is another player we need to mention. He was short but very fast. Echols is captain-elect for the football squad at North Texas State Teachers College for 1930. Robert Drye was another fast back field man for the Van Alstyne Panthers. He was also a good baseball player, and still is. He was captain of the S.M.U. baseball squad last year and is still in school there. We also mention Milton Slaughter. He was another full back for the Panthers, and was the main reason for so many wins. When he got the ball it meant yards. He is now going to school at Big Lake Texas, and is a 3-letter man there. Carl McMahan was both a baseball and football hero. His main position in baseball was short stop. "Jew" as he was known by most everyone, could surely stop them. No one could beat him. He is now a coach and teacher at Trenton, Texas. Robbie Stone George is another great center Van High has produced. He stopped all kinds, big and little, for a loss. Robbie was on the powerful T.C.U. team this last year. He is still in school there. Otis Williams, another former Van High student, is a great professional baseball player. He played third base, "the hot corner", for Omaha, Nebraska in the Western league last year. This year they traded him to Montreal for two third basemen, two pitchers, and a lot of cash. By this we know he is mighty. He has three brothers who went to school here also, and they are nearly as good. They are Ervey, Harvey and Kenneth Williams. Sam Gray, one of the leading pitchers for the St. Louis Browns in the American League, also was born and lived all of his boyhood near Van Alstyne. He went to school at Hackberry, a little school northwest of Van. Here is where he got his start. Guy Sturdy, the well known first baseman for Birmingham, Alabama, who was one who helped take the Dixie series from Dallas, also called Van Alstyne his home. Although Van High is most notable in baseball and football, she has turned out heroes in other games as well. Bill Yoder and Bryan Welker were two good tennis players. They went to the county and won there. They went to the district in a few days and won there and got to go to State. Although Van High has not taken interest in track, she did turn out one good long distance runner. This was Alton Kinard. He won first place in the county and first in the district. We cannot name all the athletes the Van High Panthers have produced, but there is one we don't want to leave out and that is Harold Spence, "Easy" as we call him, has made a wonderful record. He has played his last year in football. He has four stripes and a star. He is death on tackling when the team got in a tight. We can't forget him. The spirit of the Panthers has done it all. LLOYD DOUGLAS HONORED Lloyd Douglas recently was presented a gold football in the High School Assembly. Mr. Yeakley made a short speech and presented the football in tribute to Lloyd's winning the 1929-1930 season football popularity contest. The students of the school voted for the most popular player. The charge was 1c a vote, and the votes received were given to the fund for football sweaters. Lloyd is not only a popular football player but he is a popular all-round sportsman. The boys who work and play with him say that he is a clean football player. He is a hard fighter in any task he undertakes. He is an excellent baseball player, star basketball player and is the best all-round sport in Van Alstyne High School. We expect great things from him. Van Alstyne School History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |