Baylor Wrestlers Win Scottsboro Duals
by B.B. Branton
posted December 24, 2008
State wrestling champion Stuart Doster gave Baylor coach Jim Morgan an early Christmas; Morgan’s 700th dual win as a varsity head coach in 41 seasons.
Doster’s forfeit win clinched the 66-18 victory against McEachern in the opening round of the 15th annual Scottsboro (Ala.) Duals on Tuesday for No. 700. Baylor won the other four matches against Scottsboro, Huntsville, Mountain Brook and Hewitt-Trussville as Morgan now has 704 career victories.
Actually, Doster, along with a few hundred other wrestlers at Pine Crest School (Fla.), UT-Chattanooga and Baylor – Morgan’s three varsity coaching stops – have combined efforts to give Morgan the impressive win total.
The hall of fame coach posted two wins with a first year program at Pine Crest (1967), 203 triumphs at UT-Chattanooga (1969-1984) and now 499 at Baylor (1986-present).
“This is a great honor to reach 700 wins and the credit goes to all the wrestlers and assistant coaches at three schools,’’ said Morgan.
“Not just the varsity wrestlers, but the b-teamers (JV) as well,’’ he stated. “I was a B-teamer at McCallie and wrestled behind my classmate and Mid-South champion Billy Weigel. Hopefully, I was able to be part of his success by pushing him every day in practice."
Morgan’s first teaching/coaching job was at Red Bank Junior High School in the winter of 1961 and his team included Red Bank legends Jack Baker, John Farr and Randy Faires. The core of Morgan’s two teams led John Farr’s Red Bank varsity to three state championships, 1963-64-65.
“I first coached in the old Gray-Y program and was fortunate to have many of the Red Bank wrestlers that had success in the mid 1960s, plus future McCallie wrestlers Lou Hudson and Jerry and Steve Gross,’’ Morgan stated. ‘‘From there I went to Red Bank Junior High."
Jim Morgan Time Line:
Wrestled at McCallie and University of Chattanooga, graduating from UC in 1960.
First coach at Red Bank Junior High (’61, ’62)
Assistant Coach: McCallie School (1963-1966, ’68)
Head Coach Pine Crest School (Fla.) (1967): 2 wins
Head Coach; UT-Chattanooga (1969-1984): 203 wins
Head Coach; Baylor School (1986-present): 499 wins
500th Baylor Win: Coach Morgan should attain his 500th win at Baylor on Saturday at the Collins Hill (Ga.) Duals.
Morgan is the fourth head wrestling coach at Baylor, following V.O. Jones, Whitey Urban and Luke Worsham.
Jones was Baylor’s first coach in the winter of 1937 and led the Red Raiders to three straight city championships. Urban continued the success on the mat for the next 11 years (1940-1950), followed by Worsham (1951-1985) and now Morgan.
Scottsboro Duals: Baylor (5-0), Scottsboro (4-1), Hewitt-Trussville (3-2), Huntsville (1-4), McEachern (1-4), Mountain Brook (1-4).
Baylor Scores: McEachern (66-18), Scottsboro (62-16), Huntsville (61-18), Mountain Brook (64-15), Hewitt-Trussville (62-18).
Baylor has won all 15 Scottsboro Duals (1994-2008).
“I started the Scottsboro Duals 15 years ago and based it around having Baylor in the event,’’ said former Scottsboro coach Wayne McNutt. “I have been impressed with Baylor’s program for years and I wanted to copy my program after theirs.’’
Contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net
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