LOOKING BACK

On what seemed like a very slow moving Saturday last week I decided to go by White’s Pro Billiards and see if someone I knew might come by. Sure enough as I got out of my car I heard someone call my name. It was “Piggy” Bill Howard who played on the 1955 state championship team.

Bill was named “Star of Stars: of the Recreation Bowl as the Redhounds beat Newport Public High School in a game that was to decide the high school football champion.

There were no football classes (A, AA, AAA). This was when there was one state champion. This Redhound team beat a Danville team that was riding a 22-game win streak, 34-20. The Redhounds blasted Lexington Henry Clay, who was the best team in Lexington. The Redhounds also shut out Louisville Manual, 7-0.

As I talked with Bill, I could sense his feeling of family with his teammates. I have often stated this in my opinion is the best Corbin Redhound football team of all time.

Howard and I talked for quite a while about Gail “Dago” Phillips, who was a defensive end on that team. “Dago” moved to Corbin with his mother and sister, Jessie, during “Dago’s” junior year.

Over the years, kids that moved into Corbin and went out for football usually had a difficult time making the team.

No so with Phillips however, as he fit the team like a glove/

That ’55 team was like brothers and has been like brothers for over 50 years.

“Piggy” Bill spoke of when Little League basketball and football started in the ‘50s. In basketball Bill said one of his teammates was Don Estep. Don and Bill were guards on their Little League team.

It is always good to talk with guys like David Miller, David Chandler, Calvin Bird, Ralph Wilder, Don Turner and Bill Howard.

Bill and I also talked of a young man named Everett Hollinsworth. “Holly Hawk” was his nickname and he was a physical steamroller. Everett had several brothers and cousins, and all were good athletes, but for one reason or another they never finished playing in high school.

Millard Hollinsworth, Edward "Bubby” Hollinsworth and Ova Hollinsworth were all strong and competitive players.

Bobby Westerfield and his brother, Gary, were very good baseball players and Bobby was an excellent place kicker in football.

Corbin has been very fortunate to be blessed with more than their share of talent and yet there were a few or perhaps several that got away that would have made a great program even greater.

The guys I have written about above were all kids from the east side of Corbin in the 50’s.

I also have yet another athlete that is a good friend and teammate of mine in independent basketball and softball in the 60’s and 70’s.

Donnie Chaffin was a fierce competitor and had quickness to play with anybody.

Donnie was diagnosed as a young boy with a heart condition and could not be cleared to play high school sports.

I don’t know if he had a heart problem or not, but he certainly played with as much heart as anybody I ever knew.

The name Anthony Bennett should show up sometime this week, Bennett is the biggest name left in college basketball recruiting. If Kentucky lands him they will be a threat once again to win it all.