Mexico Ledger from Mexico, Missouri • Page 17

on the cover 8 on Bpone, Hsher, of i alRlmc fl8s receivers In hl8l is the cover page er mcc Edition. Long wla nd last season and this year Is the on 3 ffense and defensc A' 3 flnd Coflches that mak the I the ri ht features the off ense Tc, Johns David Ezell, Larry hn Sparks row Dennis Terpstra, Dave Buck ei Jim ftotop and RandyHigtW. In are ulid coacfies: front row Jerry Jlm Valen tik Art head coach and Bob ky Green steve Bur ger and Mert rL rl 8 ht are linemen: front row Gary Charles Payne and Russ Haerer. Top row Roger Joe Long, Randy Ezell, Mike Young and Ben Class of '22 Captures Homecoming Spirit what's inside The essence of homecoming is nostalgia. Remembering the great people and the great times shared are the best part? of the homecoming celebration that former Mexico High School students will take part in this weekend.

But homecoming 1972 has had a little extra meaning for a certain group of people. It is the class of '22, which snowed up In force at last Friday's game with Kirksville. Mexico's 34-0 thrashing of Kirksville must have been extra special to those people. Three of them played for the Mexico football team that year and started A deep, rich gridirion tradition In this town. Both Mexico and football have changed a great deal since 1922 so there was plenty of nostaglia reborn when 25 members of the class met In Mexico this past weekend.

TO BEGIN WITH, in 1922 Mexico High School Isn't where it stands today and it wasn't even called Mexico High School. The school was called McMillan High and through 1927 Its location was at the present site of A Prescription Shop in the Landmark Building. The football was different, too. The equipment was Neanderthal and the formation used was the single wing. But the team was terrific.

In 1922, football was reborn in Mexico. The game had been banned here a few years earlier after a death occurred in a high school game. But the school board voted to return football to The 1972 Mexico Ledger Homecoming edition takes a preview look at the homecoming game between the Bulldogs of Mexico and the Pirayes of Hannibal; visits with the members of Mexico's great team of 50 years ago at its homecoming celebration; meets an unsung hero of the Bulldogs coach Bob Gooch; looks at the Dixie Greys in practice; outlines the homecoming queen candidates and has a special in-depth look at the wishbone formation. The Homecoming edition also includes pictures of the varsity, freshman, eighth and seventh grade football teams as well as cheerleaders, pompon girls and let- terettes. The homecoming edition was written by Rob Tanenbaum and photographed by Richard Vance.

homecoming events THURSDAY Student body will vote for the homecoming queen by secret ballot. 7 p.m.— Bonfire after pre-bonfire activities inside the gym. The event is supervised by the Pep Club Sponsor and the assistant superintendent. FRIDAY 2 p.m.— Parade downtown. The route is down Wade left on Love right on Washington, and left on Promenade left on Jefferson and left on Love St.

In the parade will be the band, pep squad, queen candidates, football team and coaches. 8 p.m.— Homecoming football game, Hannibal Pirates vs. Mexico Bulldogs. Half Coronation of Queen. SATURDAY 8:30 11:30 p.m.— Homecoming dance at the Armory.

MEXICO (MO.) LEDGER PageO A Thursday, 28. 1972 THE MCMILLAN High School team was the 1921 champion of central Missouri with an undefeated record. Clarence Torreyson, a lifetime Mexicoan and center on that team still cherishes this team picture. Front row, left to right, Eldon Reed, Hugh Stansberry, Claude Moran, Clarence Torreyson and Fred Stallings. Second row: Raymond Gibbs, Harold Thomas, Carroll Glover, James Rodhouse, Emery Haycraft, and Howard Day.

Top row: Kenneth Day, Clarence Turner, Irving Johnson, Howard Johnson, coach J. T. Angus and Donnell Pearson. the city schools and only one year later the senior members of class of '22 were the undefeated champions of Central Missouri. The basketball team that year also was successful moving to the semifinals of the state tournament before being eliminated.

The championship football team had nine seniors playing on it. Five of the members are deceased but three of the four living McMillan stars were back for last weekend's homecoming celebration. FULLBACK ELDON REED, who was voted a charter member of the Mexico High School Hall of Fame a few years ago, was back along with guard Clarence Turner, who journeyed here from Japan for the party. Center Clarence Torreyson of Mexico was the host of the event. Don Pearson, the team's quarterback, was unable to return to Mexico for the game.

Among the deceased players on the title team were end and team captain Claude Moran, end Carroll Glover, end James Rodhouse, halfback Emery Haycraft and halfback Fred Stallings. Naturally, the stories were flying hot and heavy Saturday night and the best one was told by Clarence Torreyson. "THE GAME I remember most vividly," Toi'reyson related, "was the game that we played in Mexico against Columbia. We didn't have conferences in those days. We played Jefferson City, Columbia, Fulton, twice, Montgomery City and Kirksville and the team with the best record wore the title of Central Missouri champions.

"As always the Columbia game was a big one. We played at the academy field since our RETURNING TO THE scene of their greatest football triumph were three of the four living members of the class of '22 football team. Clarence Turner, left, Clarence Torreyson, center and Eldon Reed relived pleasant memories at a reunion celebration last weekend in Mexico. school didn't have its own football field in those days. We also played most of our game? on Mondays.

"There was no school on Mondays back then. We had classes on Saturdays to keep the kids off the streets. The town would get awfully crowded with visitors and shoppers so they kept the kids in schools Saturdays and we had no school on Mondays. "Well, the Monday of the Columbia game when I woke up it was pouring. I never thought we would play.

I went to the field about 12:30 and it was still raining but about 1 o'clock the sun came out so we played. "THE GAME STARTED at 2:30 but we played the entire game in one big mud puddle. We played the first three-and-a- half quarters without either team making much on offense and the score was tied 0-0. "In those days we played without a huddle. The quarterback would call the play with a series of numbers while the team was on the line.

The first number would tell which direction the play was going. The second number would tell what the play was and the third would tell who was carrying. They were very simple signals and alert teams would be able to figure out the signals by the end of the game. "There wasn't much time left in the game when we had the ball and called time out. We got in a huddle and our quarterback, Don Pearson, told us that at the line he would give signals for a 21, which was an end run.

"BUT PEARSON TOLD US that no matter what numbers he called at the line, the play that would be run would be a 25, which was a forward pass. "When we got up to the line he called a 21 and the other team shifted to one side expecting the sweep but Pearson dropped back and threw a touchdown pass to Claude Moran. "Of course we were happy but we were almost too dirty to enjoy it. We were all so muddy that after the game we jumped into the academy lake to get our uniforms clean wen back to the high school." DAVID CARTER You and the BULLDOGS Have the Power to Roll OVER HANNIBAL LaCrosse Lumber Co. Keith Hightower We're For You! For a Fast Good Game See The BULLDOGS For FAST, GOOD FOOD SERVICE Drive into the CHAT N' CHU 925 S.

Clark Phone 581-7365 I STEVE MILLER 1 On the Way to another Homecoming Win Over Hannibal Biederman's Hiway 54 East Mexico, Mo. 9 I i "HIT 'EM HARD" ROBERT YOUNG We Need a HOMECOMING VICTORY Mimi's Beauty Shop WARREN NORDWALD WE'RE READY FORA WIN! FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE HOMECOMING GAME MEXICO FRUIT CO. HOMECOMING IS THE BEST TIME FOR VICTORY LET'S GET IT- RANDY EZELL AND THE BULLDOGS WAL-MART Discount City SATISFACTION BEN GIVEN YOU AND THE BULLDOGS KNOW HOW TO WIN! LET'S DO IT! Pile her Jewelry Co. 'Mexico 's Oldest Finest Jeweler" ERIC JOHNSON We Want A Homecoming Victory Friday Night STATE FARM MUTUAL INS. Joe Monk i I TEAM SPIRIT is what it takes DAVE SUTTON We know you and the rest of the BULLDOGS have it!.