Emory Bellard begins 1955 season

Historically Speaking

The excitement of the 1954 Buckaroo season went into the history books as the 3A Bucks got sent down to 2A-9 for the 1955 season and began with a new coach, Emory Bellard.

“Of the 25 applicants for the head coaching job at Breckenridge, Bellard was decided upon unanimously,” R.I McArron said.

Only three veterans of the 1954 champion team returned: Bennett Watts (QB), Jerry Payne (C) and Buddy Hamilton (RB). There were three more that played enough to letter, but played intermittently and not enough to be called veterans. They included Joe Bob Jackson (T), Larry Munnerlyn (G) and Bill Taylor (G). Then there were those who were squad members but who didn’t letter and they included James Stanford (G), Eddie Offield (RB) and Jack Thompson (T).

Practice began on Aug. 26, for the 1955 season in 2A with DeLeon, Mineral Wells, Stephenville, Cisco and Graham. Coach Emory Bellard said he would decide on the offensive approach once he saw the players and their skills.

The Bucks were still set to play 4A and 3A opponents in the pre-season lineup of games that included Snyder (3A) on Sept. 9, Wichita Falls (4A) on Sept. 16, Brownwood (3A) on Sept. 23 and Abilene (4A) on Sept.

30. Then there was to be another pre-season opponent that the Bucks had never played before and that was with Childress on Oct. 7. The 1954 championship team had beaten all of the first four teams last year.

In the past with coach Joe Kerbel, the Bucks ran from a Split-T formation with the veteran quarterback Watts, who won state-wide acclaim in 1954.

The Bucks first had a scrimmage with Stamford and then one with the Sweetwater Mustangs, where they won four touchdowns to two, with two in the air and two on the ground.

“The boys showed considerable hustle in the heat,” Bellard said. “Last week the boys made elementary mistakes in the scrimmage with Stanford and those can be corrected.”

Prior to the first game in the pre-season with Snyder (3A), Bellard said he can’t predict a win in the Snyder game, but thought there won’t ever be a bunch of kids who have so deserved to win.

Bellard’s staff included Coach Murray Holditch, Dan La Grasta and kept Truett Holland, who had coached the junior high. Coach Russell McMurray was added as the junior high coach.

“This year the Bucks have depth with each team man learning to play in two positions, so a small squad of 13 to 15 boys will still be depended upon,” Bellard said. “I was impressed with the spirit of the team, adding that each and everyone of them tackle hard.”

Bellard was helping Watts elevate his passing skills and said, Watts will become a fine passer as the season progresses because he has natural poise and ability. He also said Payne had turned in a performance at end which he believed justified the move from center to end.

Prior to the first game with the Snyder Tigers, Bellard said the coaching staff had been impressed with the traditions and spirit of the Bucks and they want to hold up that tradition and become a part of it.”

The roster for the first game of the 1955 season included many unfamiliar names along with the veterans, including Jerry Payne (LE), Ronnie Daniels (LT), Joe Fonville (LG), Frank Riggins (C), James Stanford (RG), Larry Minnerlyn (RT), Joe Bob Jackson (RE), Bennett Watts (QB), Eddie Offield (LH), Buddy Hamilton (RH) and Bill Taylor (FB).

The Bucks banner was once again stretched across Walker Street in anticipation of the new season of Bucks football. The BHS Band was under the direction of Alton Roan, with Drum Major James Raney, with 93 in the band and 40 sporting new uniforms.

The Snyder Tigers outweighed the Bucks by an average of 12 pounds per man. Bill Creagh announced in his column that a virus had hit the Bucks and some were playing in a weakened condition. He commended the Bellard coaching staff, which he thought had performed miracles, by molding an inexperienced team around the three veterans. Extra point kicks would be done by Hamilton, although he seemed to pull his practice kicks to the left, when he got them high enough to go over. Creagh worried about depending on the extra point kicks in a game. As it turned out, Hamilton made both extra point kicks in the Snyder game to rest those concerns expressed by Creagh, who became the chronicler of Bucks football henceforth. Creagh also thanked the Wichita Falls Record News for picking the Bucks to win 33-21, when most of the area sportswriters picked the Tigers to win over the Bucks.

It was said the Bucks demonstrated pure grit and determination to win the game 14-7. Watts directed the offense and Payne took charge of the defense, much like Jerry Cramer had done for the Bucks in 1954.

The Bucks scored first from the kickoff to Watts on his own 20 and he ran it out to the 32. Watts called for the second play with a 47-yard pass to Payne, who took it to the Snyder 20-yard line. Then Watts and the Bucks attempted three times for a first down. Finally, Watts pitched out to Hamilton, who fumbled. The Tigers recovered that ball on their own 13 and then three plays later Joe Bob Jackson recovered a Tiger fumble on the Tiger 7-yard line. Finally, three plays later, Watts took it across for the first Bucks touchdown and Hamilton made the extra point.

Score was 7-0 for the Bucks.

The Tigers came back and scored on the Bucks series after a fumble on the Bucks-47 by Bill Taylor, which was recovered by the Bucks. Two plays later, the Tigers intercepted a Watts pass and ran 50 yards for their lone TD.

The Bucks failed to make first downs on the next series and Watts punted to the Tigers 17-yard line. However, two plays later, the Tigers fumbled and Hamilton scooped up the ball and ran in for the second Bucks TD. He added the extra point and the Bucks led 14-7 at the half.

In the second half, the Bucks stopped the Tigers on the Buckaroo 4-yard line with another Tiger fumble. The Bucks recovered on their own one-yard line and got back to their own 36 and then Watts punted to the Tiger 27. It went back and forth the rest of the half. Then the Bucks got the ball with two minutes to go in the ball game. Watts managed the long count magnificently in four different plays and time ran out for the Tigers. Final score 14-7 for the Bucks and they claimed their first victory for the 1955 season.