There used to be in Brownwood, a wonderful sign painter named Joe Allen Adams. He was a great football fan and an even bigger Gordon Wood fan. He started early on painting Brownwood Lion footballs that symbolized the team winning the State Title that particular year. They were then handed out to people close to the program. I have a few. But, there is another football that sits on a shelf in my office that may be the most special of them all.
On the football is painted my name (Dallas) – 400 wins – 1985 – Brownwood 15, Crowley 9. I was one of a handful of people who were given one. I thought it was about the greatest gift ever. It was in celebration of Gordon Wood’s 400 win as a high school coach and that put him ahead of everyone. His total today is not number one, but at that time in 1985, his win total put him above everyone else who has ever coached high school football in the State of Texas.
It was an interesting ballgame. There was so much hype before the ballgame about him going for his 400th win. The game was played in Crowley and it was covered by an unreal number of newspapers. From the Star Telegram to the Dallas papers, to the small papers, everybody was interested in this history making ballgame. It was a tough ballgame. Crowley had a good team and we had to play very, very hard and pretty dog gone good to come out on top. Then the celebration was on. I remember Coach being very happy about that major accomplishment. I also remember reading most of those newspapers the next morning and seeing what they had to say about the game and all the side stories as well.
Because of all of that, being presented with a ball by Coach Wood was a very big deal to me, that is until a few years later. Researchers discovered in going back through the records, that Coach really had not won that many ballgames. Someone had miscounted somewhere through the years and Coach Wood actually ended up with 396 wins, and that was official. Now, had Gordon known that and really wanted to win 400 games, make no mistake he could have, but he retired in 1985 mainly because he felt he owed it to his wife. So, he ends up with 396, not the more glamorous-sounding 400 that they had splashed all over that football.
Gordon came to my house one day and he’s sitting in the office. I went over and picked up the football and said, “Hey Coach, this has 400 on it instead of 396. What should I do with it?” He told me exactly what I should do with it. I chose not to do what he suggested and simply left it on the shelf. By the way, Joe Allen offered to redo the ball with the correct number but I wouldn’t let him. To be honest, that 400 ball probably has more sentimental value to me than any of the others.
Until next time, so long everybody.
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‘Out of the Box’ with Dallas Huston is published each Monday morning at BrownwoodNews.com. Dallas was the radio voice of the Brownwood Lions and Howard Payne Yellow Jackets for more than 55 years. He currently is Pastor of Center City Baptist Church and hosts a Men’s Bible Study in Brownwood on Monday evenings. Your comments are welcome at [email protected].