1950s champions
Editor, The Commercial:
I have just this morning learned of the Jefferson County Sports Hall of Fame. I hope I’m not too late with this, but at least this much will be on record. I’m writing in support of Coaches George Terry and Jerry MacFarland and players Billy Holmes and Jim Reed.
The school year that I’m focused on is 1951-52, when our class produced state champions in football (Big Six) under Coach Terry and basketball (State Class A — the highest classification at that time) under Coach MacFarland in his first year.
Jim Reed was All State and Most Valuable Player of the State Tournament in Fayetteville. He had dozens of scholarship offers but chose Texas Tech near his hometown, and at Tech, he was selected as MVP of the Border Conference his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He was then offered a contract with the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA but chose the Phillips 66 Oilers of the National Industrial League, where he played two years and then retired with a Phillips 66 dealership.
Billy Holmes was our All State Quarterback and All State Point Guard. Upon graduation he was awarded a scholarship to Vanderbilt and then, in the Navy, led the 1957 PhibLant Gators to the Interservice Football Championship over the Quantico Marines.
Coach Terry, Coach MacFarland, Jim Reed and Billy Holmes have all passed away now, but their memory will last with me for as long as I live. I played for the two coaches and was a teammate of Jim and Billy, so I know how great they all were, and certainly deserving of inclusion in the County Sports Hall of Fame. Thank you for your consideration.
Jack Mayberry,
Sheridan