"We didn't have one or two superstars on the team, but we did have several very talented players along with great coaches who molded us into an excellent football team."

-- All-City halfback Terry Parks.

 

(Editor's Note: Third in a five-part series on undefeated football teams in 1962)

The 1962 Purple Pounders of Bobby Etter (who turns 67 today – Aug. 8), Dickie Phillips and Terry Parks gave coach Red Etter his only perfect season (11-0-0) at Central – and the only one in school history – capped by a convincing 28-12 win against Robert E.

Lee High School in the Meninak Bowl in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. 

Central won eight state championships between 1946 and 1965, but the only season the Pounders were unbeaten and untied was 1962.  Central had four other unbeaten seasons prior to 1962, but each of those seasons also had a tie; 1913-20-26-28.

Future Heisman Trophy Winner: Central opened the season on the road with a 14-0 win against Johnson City and quarterback Steve Spurrier who would win the 1966 Heisman Trophy at the University of Florida … Spurrier was 0-15 passing with two interceptions that night as Central shutout Spurrier and company three straight years.

More U. of Florida: Central closed the season by beating Robert E. Lee HS and its future Florida quarterback Harmon Wages who was a backup to Spurrier in college and also was a running back for the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL … had a “hat trick” by scoring three touchdowns by rushing, passing and receiving in an NFL game in 1969.

Etter and Phillips: These two seniors would play three years together at Georgia, win an SEC title in 1966 and were 2-1 against Spurrier in college games played in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville … In ’65, Etter kicked three field goals to help beat Michigan, 15-7, in Ann Arbor …. Phillips’ brother, Harry Phillips, who was the Central quarterback in ’62, played on the Georgia freshman team in the fall of 1963 … Rossville’s Nelson Bowers and Baylor’s Happy Dicks were also Georgia teammates of Etter and Dickie Phillips.

All-City (7): Terry Parks (HB), Steve Bevil (DB), Scott Campbell (E), Don Randall (E), Dickie Phillips (T), George White (G), Glenn Jones (LB)

All-State (2): Dickie Phillips (T, first team), Steve Bevil (second team),

All-American (1): Dickie Phillips (T)

NFL (1): Bobby Etter (K, Atlanta Falcons)

More Than Football: Etter is a two-time national champion in bridge and is an American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) Grand Life Master …

Strong Schedule: Five teams on Central’s schedule played in bowl games; Red Bank beat Clarksville in the Exchange Bowl (Nashville), Johnson City won the Exchange Bowl (Kingsport), Notre Dame beat Bradley Central (Power Bowl) and Chattanooga Central beat Lee HS in the Meninak Bowl.

Key Games

Oct. 5 - Bradley Central, 25-2 ...  More than 13,000 at Chamberlain Field saw Central thwart the Bradley County offense and beat defending state champion Bears for the first time since 1958 …

 Nov. 10 - Knox Central, 14-9 … finished the regular season 10-0-0 and claimed the Associated Press and United Press International state championships

 Dec. 1 – Robert E Lee HS 28-12  … Central won the Meninak Bowl and posted the school’s only perfect season … Lee’s defensive end and captain was knocked out the game temporarily in the first series after basically telling the Central players at the pre-game banquet they had little chance of winning.

1962 Chattanooga Central (11-0-0)

Meninak Bowl Champions

AP, UPI State Champions

Sept. 1 –   @Johnson City, 14-0

Sept. 7 –   @ Decatur, Ala., 21-13

Sept. 14 – Clarksville, 27-0

Sept. 21 – Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, 38-7

Sept. 28 – @ Elizabethton, 19-0

Oct. 5 –    Bradley Central, 25-2

Oct. 12 –   @East Ridge, 35-0.

Oct. 19 –   @ Red Bank, 21-0

Oct. 26 –   @ McMinn County, 34-6

Nov. 3 –    Off Week.

Nov. 10 –  Knox Central, 14-9

Dec. 1  -  $ Lee HS (Fla.), 28-12

$  Meninak Bowl, Jacksonville, Fla.

Home games played at Chamberlain Field

 

Five Part Series

Monday - Preview

Tuesday - Rossville

Today - Chattanooga Central

Thursday -  Howard

Friday - Brainerd

 

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