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Sports
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"A History of Struggle and Triumph"
The Tiny Indians Football League is presently signing up for its fall
season at 14th Street Community Center for football players and cheerlead
ers ages 5-15.
Tiny Indians program book the history of this
955 at the Salvation Army Boys' Club. A char
ter member of the Northwest Midget Football League, which was formed
by Pop Warner, the Red Shield Boys' Club Football Team began playing as
a member of an all-white league. It used the name Red Shield because of
the emblem the Salvation Army uses. During the early years, the team
struggled to attract youngsters from the south side of W.S. to participate on
its three teams - Junior Pee Wees, Pee Wets and Midgets. Every now and
then Red Shield was able to attract a standout such as Brew Buie, who
went on to become a professional player with the Oakland Raiders. Most
seasons. the program was hard-pressed to field competitive teams.
In 1 966, the name changed to the Tiny Indians Football Club. The pro
gram began a slow climb toward respectability and pushed toward a new
direction. Black children from Happy Hills Gardens Housing Project found
out about the program and asked to try out for the team. It took a period of
adjustment for the program to rise above conflict, as most of the other
teams in the league frowned upon having blacks in their programs, but the
Red Shield team decided to give it a try. In the beginning, the coaches in
the program were reluctant to use black players in starting position where
thy could take advantage of their athletic skills, but with losing records
staring them in the face, they soon gave in.
By 1967, the second season that blacks participated in the program,
the coaches realized that despite racial intolerance by other teams, the Tiny
Indians could only field competitive teams by prominently using black
players. Among the first blacks to succeed in the program were Earnest
Brown, Walt Larry, Phillip Jeffries and Frank Draper.
The 1969 season marked a milestone in the program. The Midget team
finished the season with an undefeated record and advanced to the play
offs for the first time in the program's history. And, ironically, the team
included the first group of black players who -had gone through the pro
gram from the Junior Pee Wees to the Midgets. The blacks on that team
included Marvin Bonner, Reginald Little, Verlie Fields, Vincent Pledger,
Tim Davis, Curtis Speas and Karl Gary.
I 1 1 1 1 i ? 1 i . J. ?.JUi J .L. -W- ..,>M '.la. MA "" Mi .'All J. I . .
Although no one really noticcd, that 1969 team set the standard for the
Indians programs for years to come, not only in athletics, but also in other
fields of endeavor. Many of the aforementioned players were not only
exceptional athletes, but many were also exceptional individuals. Most not
only excelled in athletes, but also in academics and in life. Today Reginald
Little is a business executive living in Tulsa, Oklahoma; the Rev. Curt'is
Speas is an ordained minister and holds a master's degree from Abilene
Christian University; Vincent Pledger became a fireman in the City of
Winston-Salem; the Rev. Verlifc Fields became a minister; and Karl Gary
holds a master's degree and juris doctorate.
Following the success of the 1969 team, blacks throughout W.S. began
to join the organization. They included Kenny Duckett, New Orleans
Saints and Dallas Cowboys; Leonard Horn, W.S. State University; Danry
Nicholson, University of NC and played professionally in Canada; Edward
SEE RELATED STORY ON PG B4
Byers, WS State University^ Kennard Martin, University of NC; Julius
Reese, high school stand out at Mount Tabor, David Pearson WS State
University; Willie Mac, East Carolina standout, and our own Coaches
Thomas Eaton and Charlie Imes, Jr.
Imes' father, Charles Imes, Sr. and wife, Yvonne, were, perhaps, two
of the first black volunteers to work actively with the program. According
to Don Moore, Executive birector of the Salvation Army Boy's Club,
"Charles was very instrumental in building the progress of the football pro
gram through the years, and a very positive influence to the organization".
Joe Adams became the program's first black head coach in 1975. He
was followed by other head coaches and assistants. The first group of black
coaches included Robert Wynn, Arthur "Boss Hog" Rapley, Ulysses
Hunter, Ike Howard, Doug Joiner and Tom Brown. It was during this peri
od that the program's Junior Pee Wees began their era of domination. The
team won Sertoma Championships in '74 '75 and '76. The program also
fielded championship teams in '77, '78 ,79 and '80.
Despite the programs' success in athletics and in molding the lives of
black youth, the future of the organization hung in limbo in 1981. The
Please see page B4
Betty I awler is shown with president of the Roosters Club , Wayne
Rousseau as she receives the Color 7T she won in drawing at the 14th
Street Community ( enter from Tiny Indian fund raiser.
Kids Thoughts .
~ ' ' "
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"Look Boys, / can <fo am/ never break a nail or muss my hair . . ."
Stowe, Central YMCA's Sports Director
By DEBY JO FERGUSON
Chronicte Spurts Writer
Adrian Stowe, the son of Anna \1 Young and
Allen C. Stowe, of Belmont. N.C. is a graduate ot Win
ston-Salem State University with a B.A degree in Polit
ical Science and has earned the position as Central
YMCA's new Youth Sports Director.
According to Stowe. "I have been involved with
youth for the past six years. I am also a football conch ai
R.J. Reynolds High School. I coach quaiterback ami"
linebackers.
"As Youth Sports Director. 1 look forward to ser\
ing the youth of Winston-Salem and all ot the mh huhhI
ing areas. I invite the public to come and take a good
look at the great things happening at the YMCA.
"Presently, we are gearing up tor our annual Indoor
Soccer League. If you have children ages tour io m\
year-old we welcome you to come and register at the
Central YMCA. Practice begins March 2^. so don't
delay. For more information call 721-20X0. Stowe said
"We are also offering a brand new sports camp tbr<
summer which I am very excited about. We have never
offered this before. The camp will run June 1 through
August 13 with five two-week sessions.
"The camp is for boys and girls 8-12 years-old
Each two-week session will feature such activities .is
Basketball, soccer, t-ball, Softball, frisbee. \nlle_vhall.
racquetball, golf and tennis." Stowe added.
"Campers will go swimming several times each
week and we plan to have guest speakeis and sports inj
ures.
"We have a no turn down policy. Even it you can't
afford to join the WMCA. scholarships are available
Most of all I want to let everyone know 1 am happy to. he
here and I am here to serve the kids. Stowe concluded
\drian Stowe is not only excited about his new posi
tion ot the YMCA, hut he expresses his desire to serve
the kids
Community Agencies
Sponsor Trip To Atlanta
By DEBY JO FERGUSON
Chronicle Sports Writer
William C. Sims Recreation Center, Happy Hill
Boy's Club, Winston-Salem Housing Authority and
Post 453 recently sponsored a trip to Atlanta for 24 kids
from the Happy Hill Garden Community and 1 1 volun
teers who loaded up on Saturday, March 27, and jour
neyed to the beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia.
A special thanks to Mike Epps who help make the
trip possible. Epps was a player of the year at Phiffer
College in 1979 and a high school graduate of East
Forsyth. He is presently working with the Atlanta
Hawks Franchise.
After a long drive down Hwy 85, spotting the big
Peach as they entered the State of Georgia and enduring
the boredom of setting in traffic at road construction
sites, they finally arrived.
"How much longer before we get there, turned into
I can't believe we're here," was the cry of the youth.
During the four hour tour the kids got to see some
of the major black scenes of Atlanta. The students ooh
and aah over the sights as their eyes lighted up with
amazement at each attraction.
According to Ben Piggott." One highlight of the
tour was the Martin Luther King. Jr. Center for Nonvio
lent Social Change. Inc. in which they were also able to
see the crypt that M.L. King Jr. was entombed."
"I think the most amazing parr of visiting the MLK
Center for the kids was the fact that there were white
people there also," Piggott said.
"I explained to the kids that MLK Jr. was a man
who stood for all races. The children were also amazed
that everyone talked to everyone at the center. There
was no black and white, just people sharing a special
moment in time and history." Piggott continued.
"This is something I've tried to teach them, that
people should be judged by character not by color, and
this is what they got to see at the center. People uniting
for one cause, that cause being peace, not color.
"We visited the 70 flags of Foreign Governments in
Freedom Hall at the MLK Jr. Center. These flags repre
sent official visits by hedds of state from one of these
governments to the King Center. "We also visited
Ebenezer Baptist Church where Dr. King's spiritual
roots were nurtured and he later co-pastored Ebenezer
Please see page R5
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s F.ntomhment. One o f the many sites viewed h\ the Roys Club.