It’s the Battle of the Khaki’s … the Battle of the Preppies … the Battle of the Legacies.

Tonight at 6, McCallie hosts Baylor in the 85th meeting with the visiting Red Raiders leading 44-40, having won the past seven dual matches.

McCallie (7-8) is ranked fifth in the state coaches poll with Baylor (21-9) sixth.

Internet Broadcast: The match will be carried live on the McCallie web site. broadcast starts at 5:45 p.m. ... McCallie seniors and their families will be introduced at 5:50.

While several of tonight’s teenagers will be baptized in their first McCallie-Baylor match before an expected roaring, standing-room-only-crowd led by the well-rehearsed, one-liners from quick-witted teenagers on both sides of the gym, it’s the legacies - those who have waged war in the middle of mat years prior to tonight – who play such a key role in what makes this rivalry worth following.

But for tonight, the spotlight is on the the current wrestlers, those that don the singlets and face off at centermat, several of whom are wrestling legacies.

On the McCallie side, Adam Connell (120), Griffin Davis (126), Alex Kent (145)and Austin Halleron (160) all have dads who wrestled, while on the Baylor side there is Michael Murphy (106), John Eady (120), Zach Watson (126), Colton Popp (138), Houston Clements (145)and Matthew Cate (170) follow in their dad’s footsteps.

Family Legacies
While numerous brother duos have wrestled as well as three siblings, having four from one family makes for a short list and there is even one family of five.

McCallie’s Family of 4
The Kents: starting with Don, there was a Kent in the wrestling room for 14 years through Jonathan’s senior year in 1979.

Jonathan, whose son, Alex (senior), wrestles tonight at 145 pounds, won his match as a senior in 1979 to lead McCallie to the dual win that year ...
Don was a two-time Mid-South champ, national prep runner-up and 3rd in the SEC for Tennessee ... David was a high school All-American and two time state champ while Craig continued his wrestling career after McCallie for the Georgia Bulldogs.

The Robinsons
Wejun didn’t take up wrestling until his sophomore year at McCallie, but lettered three years and was a two-time SEC placer for Georgia ... Curt also wrestled for the Dawgs, while Dan opted for college football and was the junior varsity captain as a freshman and rushed for 120 yards against the Ga. Tech frosh on Thanksgiving Day 1977 … Mike was the last of the four Robinsons to wrestle for the Blue Tornado, graduating in 1984 ... Wejun's son, Tommy, and Dan's sons, Robby and Alex Nation (Baylor), also wrestled.

The Gardners
Ellis, Chris, Charlie and Tom all wrestled in the 1970s ... Ellis (Ga. Tech, 3rd in the ACC) and Chris (Auburn, SEC champ) wrestled in college and Chris was an NCAA qualifier … Ellis played two years in the NFL.

Several 3s
Killians (Jack, Luther (current assistant coach, Mid-South and national prep champ), Steve) … Chapins (Garnet (2x Mid South champ), Bill, Jimmy) … Levitts (David (2x state champ), Adam, Steve) … Mallens (Ted, Steve, Peter) … Boyds (Pollack (state champ), Lew, Martin) … Rudolphs: (Carver and Sandy (both Mid South champs) and Curtis)

Baylor’s Family of Five
The Moores – Tommy, Ted, Chris, Fred and Tim ... starting with Tommy who wrestled junior high as a seventh grader in the winter of 1960, there was a Moore in Luke Worsham’s wrestling room for 17 years as Freddy was the last of the Tom and Sara Moore family to don the red and gray as a senior in 1976.

Tommy (1965) and Chris (1968) were Mid-South champs, while Tommy and Ted were team captains for U. of Virginia. The oldest three brothers were all on the UVa varsity in the winter of 1969 as Tommy was a senior, Ted a sophomore and Chris who earned a varsity letter as a freshman.

Three Brothers – Included in this list are the Weinbergs (Sandy, Randy, Jimmy – 7 Mid South titles, one national prep title), Hannahs (John (national prep champ, Mid South champ), David, Charlie - who all played football for Alabama), Scruggs (Oscar; 3x Mid-South Champ, Fenton, Jack), Boehms (Jeff, Peter, Paul; 5 Mid South titles), Dosters (Stokely, David, Freeman) and Dosters, 2nd Generation (Cross, Reed (2), Stuart (4), 6 state titles - sons of Freeman) ... Thompsons (Claytor, Coleman, Fletcher; 4 state titles) ... their dad, Jim, and uncle, Paul (1970 Mid South champion) were members of the 1970 national prep championship team.

Doster State Champs (8): David (1), Stokes (1, son of Stokely) and Reed (2) and Stuart (4), sons of Freeman.

State Champs in the House: From the official scorekeeper (John McCall) to the television announcer (Jason Finnell) to one of the officials (Danny Gilbert) there will be at least 11 state champs in the house with a direct connection to tonight’s match.

McCallie coaches Mike Newman, Gordon Connell (his son Adam wrestles at 120 pound class) and David Levitt all were state champs and Luther Killian was a national prep champ … Will Gilbert is the coach of the Blue Tornado Kids Club program, while Lee Connell is the older brother of McCallie 120-pounder Adam Connell and David Kent is the uncle of Alex Kent (145 pounder).

State champion fathers of sons who are in the lineup tonight for Baylor are Pat Murphy and Tom Popp.

40th Anniversary
Thurs. Jan. 20, 1972
at McCallie … McCallie wins 28-15 … McCallie winners that day included Brian Card, Jon Bennett, Bill Chapin, John Nelson and Trip Smith …
It was the last McCallie-Baylor dual match for McCallie coach Col. David Spencer and his last dual against Baylor coach Luke Worsham.

Both were WWII veterans and members of the Tennesee chapter, National Wrestling Hall of Fame … Worsham held the career duals edge, 15-14, but Spencer won nine of the last 10 meetings … Spencer was a 65-2-1 his last seven years with a pair of national prep runner-up teams (1968, ’71).

Historic Date
Sat. Jan 19, 1974
At McCallie ... Baylor wins, 22-18 … Andy Stockett, Mike Shuford and David Hannah all had 1-point wins in the final three matches as Baylor rallied from down 18-13 ... Hannah beat previously unbeaten Frank Thomas at heavyweight to clinch the victory … winners for McCallie were Tom and Robby Jones, Pollack Boyd and Mike Shofner

That same afternoon in college basketball, Notre Dame rallied from down 12 to beat UCLA, 71-70, and end the Bruins 88-game win streak … Dwight Clay and Adrian Dantley were two of the heroes for Irish coach Digger Phelps …

Ryan-East Ridge
Also that day, Father Ryan upset previously unbeaten East Ridge, 21-20, as Pat Simpson (current Ryan coach) and Mike Hooker (father of current FR wrestler Michael Hooker) both won for the men from Nashville ... Danny Gilbert was a winner for East Ridge.

Wrestling Stories
Thursday: Bradley Central's Jacob Bailey
Today: McCallie-Baylor Legacies
Sunday: Wrestling's Holy War - Notre Dame and Father Ryan

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net