1953-54-57-58-59-60-61 Meadowbrook Buffaloes - Ft. Worth, Texas

Members of this team went on to become members of the EHHS 1960 & 1961 teams (Classes of 1961 & 62).  A number of them went to Poly since EHHS was not yet open when they left for high school.  The 1960 EH team was the first to play in 4A-5, competing with all the larger Ft. Worth high schools...Paschal, Arlington Heights, Poly, North Side, Carter, and Tech.

Members of this team went on to become members of the EHHS 1961 & 1962 teams (EH  Classes of 1962 & 63).  All but a very few of them went to EHHS after they left Meadowbrook.  Generally, the back 2 rows are 9th graders and the front 2 rows are 8th graders.  There is one 7th grader in the picture...front row #23, Roby Morris who would go on to become a standout athlete at EHHS.  The coaches had him pegged pretty early, didn't they?  Two spots to the left of him, #34 is Sam Scott, a year older and another outstanding 3-yr. letterman.

Members of this team went on to become members of the EHHS 1962, 1963, & 1964 teams (EH  Classes of 1963, 1964, & 1965).  By now I think essentially all of the Meadowbrook players were going to EHHS.  Generally, the back 2 rows are 9th graders and the front 3 rows are 7th and 8th graders (7th the little guys in front.) 

There are some future standout players in those front 3-rows, but since I had left EH before they matured, I don't have a clear idea who they were...just a few.  If someone from those classes would like to add their knowledge here, it is welcome.  The 3 coaches shown in this picture each took one of the grades and worked the kids separately from the others.  Sometimes, they would bring them together for a scrimmage, but not too often.

There was quite a size difference between the youngsters at this point and safety was a real concern.  This size differential and rapid individual growth continued into the first year or so of high school at EH, so you can find instances where a youngster might have been a standout at Meadowbrook, but fell back at EH as others grew and improved--a very fluid situation that was not very obvious to those taking part in the daily drills.  But the coaches were always watching.

This team was the first in Meadowbrook Junior High history to win the City championship since the school was built in 1936, some 23-years earlier.  A number of these players would go on to play on the 1962 EHHS 4A-5 District Champions, the first in that school's history...just 4-years to that point.  In the picture, yellow dots mark the Meadowbrook lettermen; blue dots mark the future EHHS lettermen.

 The story of how they progressed after the 1959 picture is posted HERE (EHHS First Football Teams) and continued HERE (First String).

Shown in this 1960 Meadowbrook Junior High team photo are members of the future 1963 and 1964 EHHS teams.  Note the coaching change...Bill Blocker is head coach after Twain Morrow replaced Charles Berry as Principal this year.

Members of this Meadowbrook team went on to become members of the EHHS 1963 & 1964 teams (EH  Class of 1965).  All but a very few of them went to EHHS after they left Meadowbrook.

 

 

This 1953 Meadowbrook Junior High team was the first team fielded by the school as classes opened in the new school building on the north side of Meadowbrook Drive.  This picture and the 1954 that follows below, was taken on the grounds of the old building on the south side of Meadowbrook Drive.  Construction debris still littered the site of the new practice field, so the boys simply continued using the facilities on the old school grounds. 

This 1954 team shows several players who were older siblings of our 1963 classmates...I see Jack Morris (Roby), Pat Wadlington (Susie), Ronnie Burton (Gay B.), Malcolm Butler (Bruce) and maybe a few others. Johnny Burrell, in the back row, went on to become an all-Southwest Conference end for the Rice Owls and played briefly for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.

Help with names? (thanks Phil & Pat)

Go team, Rah team, Fight-Fight-Fight !