'Cinder Bowl' Fondly Recalled

Members of the 1937 Crewe High School football team pose in this group shot. On the front row (left to right) are Slim Saunders, Ervin Rand, Tippy Morgan, Sam “Buster” Smith, “Beans” Shorter, and James Cramer. In the backfield (left to right) are Richard Benedict, John Ashmore, and Stafford McGhee. This squad may have been the finest to ever play for the Crewe Railroaders. (Pie McCann Photo)

By “PIE” McCANN
Special to The Journal

At this time of year, all college football teams are buckling down, extending their effort in hopes of obtaining bowl eligibility by December or the end of their season’s schedule. This means those teams with at least six victories and possessor of a strong schedule may be invited to participate in an American bowl game sometime from December 20 to January 3rd or 4th.

The list of bowl games has grown by “leaps and bounds” and participating teams share of the ticket sales, etc., has become astronomical; some as high as eight or nine million or more.

While reading and looking at pictures in a scrapbook belonging to Nan Shorter Vick, daughter of “Beans” Shorter, I came across a newspaper article I believe came from a Farmville paper announcing the Cinder Bowl game; Old Grads of Crewe High to Play The 1937 Crewe High Team. The title line stated: “Crewe Agog Over Cinder Bowl Game.” Practically the entire town of Crewe and hundreds of nearby neighbors are planning to turn out New Year’s Day to witness the game. The game will get underway promptly at 10:30 a.m. It seems the current 1937 team was being promoted as the most successful team ever in Crewe High history. This didn’t set well with the old grads.”

“Molly” Wilson, alumnus of The College of William and Mary and past center on that college team, agreed to coach the 33 members of the old grads, some participating at Crewe as early as 1927 through 1936. “Red” Roberts, “Chuck” Walsh, Eldridge Dixon and Graham Tucker from the 1936 team. Jimmy McGhee, “Chippy” Chappell, “Joe” Williams, “Cocky” Holland, Lemar Duncan, Bobby Shell, Harold Grove, and George Grove form the 1935 team. Wirt Corrie, Charles Pond and “Reggie” James of the 1934 team. “Swede” Zykes, T.J. Doyle, Randy Mann, George Wampler, Meridith Watson and Hunter Watson from the 1933 team. “Bee” Carter, Mike Pond, Cary Stone and Travis DuPriest of the 1932 team. Carlton Moore and “Tubby” Walthal of the 1931 team. Thomas Foster of the 1929 squad and Molly Wilson and Thomas Lawson of the 1927 team.

I have never heard the result of this Cinder Bowl game but what difference does it matter. Friends came together and I’m sure the players and fans enjoyed it very much.

I have been so blessed to have personally known most of those men and have heard their names mentioned numerous times in Crewe history. Praise be to God!

(Herman “Pie” McCann, a Crewe resident, is a regular contributor of The Crewe-Burkeville Journal.)