McCallie Football: City Champs For Seven Decades

The Long Blue Line

  • Friday, December 5, 2014
  • B.B. Branton

From a World War II vet to baby boomers and on to the new millennials. the common thread that connects several McCallie football players is the title of city champion.

While the latest McCallie champion – Alex Trotter – claimed both city rushing and scoring titles this fall  - it noteworthy to go back 70 plus years for another scoring champ who wore the blue and white

Pearl Harbor Weekend – 73 years ago Today  - As McCallie traveled to Jacksonville, Fla.

to face Boles Academy in its final game of the  1941 season (Fri. Dec. 5), sophomore running back Harry “Wig” Robinson had the daunting task of scoring at least 25 points to win the city rushing title.

Be Careful What One Writes: One sportswriter wrote Robinson could not catch Baylor’s Cecil Duffee in the scoring race. But Robinson’s teammates had other ideas.

“Every time our offense crossed the 50 yard line, we gave the ball to Wig so he would have a chance to score,” the late Pete Branton once recalled before his death in 2004.

And score he did with four touchdowns and two extra points for 26 and the city title. The writer noted his missed prediction in his next column.

McCallie won the game, 32-0 as McCallie's Jimmy Adams scored the other Big Blue points on a 112 yard interception for a touchdown.

Two days later (Sunday, Dec. 7) the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and those fresh-faced teenagers on that 1941 McCallie football team (along with thousands across our nation) became men and went off to war to help save the free world.

Common Threads: Mr. Robinson’s son, Dan, and teammate Ward Nelson teamed to score four touchdowns to beat Baylor 29-7 in a 1974 playoff game for the first McCallie win in the series since the modern era rivalry began in 1971 … This fall, Alex Trotter was a key player in McCallie’s home victory against Baylor with three touchdowns to snap that six-game losing streak.

Where They Are Now: Successful on and off the field, the city champs have gone on to important careers as teachers (two at McCallie), as well as in construction, law, real estate and more.

The Long Blue Line of Champions Includes the Following:

Harry “Wig” Robinson … 1941 city scoring champ with 74 points … in last game of season (Fri. Dec. 5) vs. Boles Academy scored four touchdowns and two extra points to win the title by two points over Cecil Duffee of Baylor … two days later (Sun. Dec. 7) the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor they all went off to war … two-time All-City and captain of All-City squad as senior (1942) …2nd team All-SEC at Vandy … also played at Tulane with a pair of 80 plus touchdown runs …also called "Choo Choo" Robinson after the hit song The Chattanooga Choo Choo was released in 1942 ... served in the Navy during WWII .. also played in the Great Lakes with Marion Motley and Bud Grant … member of Lookout Mountain Sports Hall of Fame .

Ward Nelson … city scoring champ in 1974 with 94 points … All-City … highlight of football career was scoring two touchdowns in 29-7 win against Baylor in 1974 playoffs … 11 varsity letters; football, wrestling, baseball, track … Morehead Scholar … McCallie’s Chester Stephens Athlete of the Year recipient ... is an attorney in Chattanooga.

Tom Clarke ... city passing and punting champion in 1974 ... All-City ... passed for 117 yards and kicked a field goal in 29-7 playoff win against Baylor for first win in modern era ... Times Player of the Year ... 2nd team All-State ... Coach and Athlete All-American ... nine varsity letters ... played freshman football at Georgia.

Dan Robinson … City rushing and scoring champ in 1976 … scored three touchdowns in wins against Baylor in 1974 and 1976 … member of wresting state champs in 1976 …. 2x state place winner; 4 th in ’76 and ’77 ... general manager for Walden Log Homes.

Johnny Green … led city in scoring in 1982 with 86 points as a junior in 1972 …. Earned All-City honors … led McCallie to 22-2 record his last two years … Attended West Point after McCallie …. Currently a math teacher at McCallie … played football and baseball at McCallie.

David Vance … 1990 city rushing champion … also won three state titles in wrestling and led the Big Blue to state traditional and duals titles in 1990 and 1991 … owns a construction company in Chattanooga.

Marcus Hummings … 1993 city rushing and scoring champion ... also wrestled on McCallie state championship teams in the early 1990s … holds a PsyD in psychology from Morehouse College ...works in Maryland.

Jahmal Overton … led city in rushing and scoring in 1994 and in again in scoring in 1995 … also played baseball for McCallie … played baseball at Ga. Tech … holds an MBA from Ga. tech ... works in Atlanta area

Ben Stafford ... led city in punting in 1995 (40 yard avg) … two-time all-state in football as punter and kicker … set a then state record for longest field goal at 57 yards … in soccer, was Parade All-American in 1997 … four-time all-state in soccer … Tennessee Gatorade player of the year as a senior … two-time All-ACC at Wake Forest … team captain … played one year of pro soccer for D.C. United in 2001 … vice president in corporate real estate for Pattillo in Atlanta area.

Garrett Harvey … led city in scoring in 1998 with 132 points (22 TDs)… All-City, All-State, D-II Offensive Player of the Year and Mr. Football Finalist … lettered in football (3), soccer (2), track (2), baseball (1) .. works in Chattanooga

Penn Garvich …. In 2000, led the city in passing percentage (60.8%) … played one year of football at the Naval Prep School and three years at Furman … retired U.S. Army captain … served one tour in Afghanistan … currently lives in the Minneapolis area working for the PGA … in corporate hospitality sales in planning for the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Course outside of Minneapolis.

B.J. Coleman …. 2006 passing champion with 2,400 yards (regular season) … led Big Blue to state runner-up finish … Two-time Mr. Football Offensive Player of the Year … All-SoCon for UTC … played football and baseball for McCallie … member of the Green Bay Packers for one season.

Joel Bradford – 2006 city interceptions champ (7) … teamed with Coleman to form one of the best QB-WR combos in the state … also played def. back and returner and was all-state … led McCallie to state runner-up finish in 2006 … lettered in basketball and soccer …. All-SoCon at UTC along with B.J. Coleman ... teaches and coaches at McCallie.

Alex Trotter   … a  McCallie senior ... 2014 City rushing and scoring champion … also holds city single game rushing record with 374 yards in a 59-38 win against Pope John Paul in September as he scored seven touchdowns …  will play in the Tenn. East West All-Star Game Dec. 12 and then attend the Army-Navy game in Baltimore Dec. 13

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

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