Alumni 1954 - 1955 Season

1954-55 State Champs

DEER PARK -- Fifty years ago, high school sports fans across the state were focused on the team from the tiny town of Deer Park.  Deer Park was a very different place then, with just over 2,000 citizens. The senior class consisted of 36 students.  There were only a handful of homes south of 13th Street, and the holidays were in full swing.  But folks had something altogether different on their minds; on Christmas Day, 1954, Deer Park High School's football team was scheduled to play against the Albany Lions in the state Class A football championship game in Breckenridge.

 

According to Jim Carpenter, the team's quarterback, the entire town supported the team and coaches Travis "Shorty" Hughes, W.B. "Jim" Kethan and D.H. "Cotton" Watkins.  "Everyone came out to the games, and some people even watched our practices," Carpenter said. "Everyone looked forward to the games, the whole city was there."

After an undefeated regular season, the Deer steamrolled through the playoffs, easily beating Sealy, Tidehaven, Hondo, and Mason.  But the Deer and their state championship opponents were closely matched in terms of size.  Though both teams were quick and tough with explosive backfields, Albany was said to be slightly more impressive on offense, while the Deer clearly had the more impressive defensive record.  On the night of the game, Breckenridge's Buckaroo Stadium saw its 8,500 seats filled and many fans had to watch the game from the sidelines.

 

"In the five home games we played that year in the playoffs, just about everyone made the drive," Carpenter said.  "Up to that point, we had lost every coin toss, and teams from the area had already won all the other class championship games, so people there expected Albany to roll over us.  We didn't have that many players---only about 21 or 22---and most of us had to go both ways, offense and defense.  To get adjusted to the altitude, we went to San Angelo and practiced before going to Breckenridge."

 

But, Carpenter added, "We were optimistic.  Shorty wasn't much of a talker, but he could inspire us. He'd go down the row and pat you on the shoulder and encourage each of us, then talk to the group about what we were going to do."

At the end of the game, people from Deer Park weren't surprised when the Deer---still considered underdogs, even though they were the only undefeated Class A team in the state---beat the Lions by a score of 26-6, clinching the state title.  The Dallas Morning News praised nearly every member of the team, noting "even the water boys looked good."

"I didn't want it to end," Carpenter said.  "We were glad we won, but it was my senior year, and a lot of us knew we wouldn't be playing together any more.  But it was pretty exciting."

The Deer repeated the feat the following year, earning a regular season record of nine wins and one tie and triumphing over Borger-Stinnett in the Class A Championship game on December 23, 1955.

 

From Matt Lucas, DPISD Director of Communications and the Deer Park Historical School Museum (2004)