Friday and Saturday will be special days at Tarleton State University. The occasion will be a Reunion of the 1956 Tarleton football team. The event will be part of the University's annual Homecoming.
This two-day event will attract approximately 100 individuals from seven states Minnesota, Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas. Included in this number will be 27 team members, two student managers, one coach and the four children of the late Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, H.A. (Sandy) Sanford. The remainder will be spouses, children, grandchildren and in some instances great-grandchildren of those associated with the 1956 team.
Thirty of the 35 team members are living. It was the 1956 team that almost made it to the
Junior Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The team's record was seven wins, one loss and one tie. Perhaps the most memorable victory was the 30-7 lopsided win over the Arlington State College Rebels. The game was played here, and Arlington State had been favored to win. The Rebels offense was built around a fleet-running halfback, Calvin Lee from Comanche. Lee would be bottled-up during the entire game. Arlington's offense never really got off the ground.
Let's look at some of the statistics the Plowboys racked up a half-century ago. In a nine-game schedule, the team scored 292 points, while limiting its opponents to only 119 points
In 1956, Tarleton State College was a fully state-supported junior college. In athletics, the college was one of five members in the Pioneer Athletic Conference - Ranger College, Schreiner Institute of Kerrville, San Angelo College, Arlington State College and Tarleton.
The late Jerry Flemmons of Stephenville was the quarterback. He was the second leading scorer in the conference, tallying seven touchdowns and kicking 17 extra points for a total of 59 points. Flemmons was the conference's leading passer 112 attempts, 64 completions for 1,006 yards. The Stephenville native was the fifth best punter in the conference. He punted 24 times, averaging 29.7 yards per kick.
Two of the conference's top four pass receivers were Plowboys. Clyde Noonkester of De Leon with 22 catches for 330 yards and Charles (Tubba) Roberson of Stephenville with 14 catches for 183 yards.
Theon Thetford, a fullback from Carlton, was the second leading conference rusher with 100 carries for 605 yards. Thetford, who was known as Thundering Theon, weighed 195 pounds. Prior to coming to Tarleton, Thetford had never played 11-man football. His entire high school football experience had been on a six-man team in the Hamilton County school.
On punt returns, the Flood brothers from Waco, Joe and Tommy, ranked third and fourth in this category. Joe fielded six punts, returning them for a total of 126 yards. Tommy handled three punt returns for a total yardage of 122.
Two Tarleton players ranked among the top four in the kick-off return category. Tom Schaffer of Killeen was listed as the second best in the conference with six returns for 171 yards, while Joe Flood garnered the fourth position with five returns for 135 yards.
All-America Junior College honors came to Thetford, First team; Leon Blakeney, (a guard from Kermit) Third Team; and Flemmons and Tommy Flood , Honorable Mention. In addition other honors were awarded to Noonkester, Outstanding Lineman; Blakeney, Most Valuable Player; and Thetford, Outstanding Back. Tommy Flood and Blakeney were the team'sco-captains.
If you want to see these former players and other team members this weekend, look for the team's float in the Homecoming Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday. They will wave at you, and if you desire, they might give you an autograph.
Dr. Stuart Chilton, a retired educator/journalist, lives in Stephenville. He occasionally writes for this newspaper
