OHS accomplishments dimmed by time
I am a great believer in tradition so I should meddle elsewhere.
However, the American’s policy of consistently belittling the accomplishments of Odessa High School’s track teams in the early 1950s has aroused two of my hobbies — aggravation and sarcasm.
Three letters — two of them long and researched — and calls to the sports department and (former) editor finally resulted in the correction of your annual erroneous list of district champions, but in your recent souvenir booklet celebrating the OHS Centennial, you have magnified the boner.
The American wrote: “ ... Childress led several of his teammates back in 1952 for another chance for the title.
Though the Bronchos didn’t come away with the team crown … ”
Wrong, with a capital W. Not only did OHS win a third consecutive state championship, the Bronchos placed in 11 of 14 events and scored almost 80 points (76 and 3/7 to be exact), both possible still state records. Using present-day scoring with the 880-yard relay (no meters in those days) and triple jump, the total would likely be more than 100 points. The small school from West Texas outscored the combined schools from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Among other feats, Joe Childress ran his state meet gold medal total to eight, another likely record.
That same team scored more than 200 (modern) points in winning OHS’ seventh consecutive district championship, beating the combined totals of all the other schools in the district, Midland and Lubbock included.
The Bronchos scored 190 (modern) points at regionals, enough to win five of today’s regional meets.
What the hell are you using for reference? Whatever it is, get rid of it. All you have to do is consult your own files and/or microfilm (the way I did). (For example: the American’s eight-column bold face circus type headline: Broncs Win Third State Track Title).
Apparently not worth mentioning in any history of OHS:
>> The first Odessa school to employ black as one of its colors is not Permian. It is OHS (twice).
>> During the spring of 1950 — over a period-of about a month — OHS won state championships in track and baseball (you had to win three games in the state tournament in those days); Judy Johnson and Jeannie Pierce were finalists in girls’ tennis doubles; and sophomore Arlyn Scott defeated Dave Marr for third place in the (then) match-play boys state golf tournament.
Today, OHS’s tradition-minded administrators commemorate that memorable spring, perhaps the most remarkable in Texas high school history, with an eternal flame billowing from a stainless steel column embedded in a bubbling fountain. Oops, now I’m doing it.
>> The largest crowd to attend a football game in Odessa (a trick statement based on per capita population figures) was in 1938 when 8,000 spectators turned out old Fly Field on West 10th Street to watch OHS play powerhouse Wink. True, many of the fans were from Wink — the larger community — but the total represents more men, women and children than actually lived in Odessa. To match that today, OHS and Permian would have to compete before 100,000 spectators. Not saying they won’t, but probably not until the next Ratliff Stadium expansion.
