Early Saturday morning Piedmont supporters were the recipients of some very
discouraging news. It was reliably reported that Harvey Bowen and Hugh Towery
wa^sick. It was thou^^ that Hugh might be able to play. However, if he should
ti'y to play he would be tromendousljT- handicapped. It
was very doubtful whether Harvejr would be able to
play any at all. On top of all this, J.F. Cline, a
first string man, volunteered his services to Uncle
Sam on Monday of the tournament week. The outlook
could have looked much brighter. But Piedmont was
scheduled to play a very fine Fallston team and play
must go on,
j Both teams started the game by playing rather
cautiously, Harvey Bowen’s mantle fell upon the
shoulders of Clyde Seism. Clyde bore up well under
the ordeal, YJlien the first half had ended the Pied
mont boys were on the long end of a 9-17 score.
Pretty soon after the second half got under way Pied
mont scored a field goal. At this time the score v;as
Piedmont 19 and Fallston 9. And right here the com^-
plexion of the game changed with upsetting suddenness.
The Fallston boys jumped on a fast train and started
to town. Piedmont fans were dazed. Almost before they
could realize what was happening the Fallston boys had rung up LV points to take the
lead in a 23-19 score. Fallston fans went ivild. The noise ^vas terrific. Many were
saying, "It's just like it was last year at Belwood," In the end these statements
turned out to be a little premature. Naturally Piedmont fans were getting a little
warm under the collar. They v;ere rather uncomfortable. It was during this last half
that a decision was made to send Harvey Bowen into the game. Viith the score 23-19
against them the Piedmont lads called time to talk the situation over. They felt
that something ought to be done. It was getting late. YfeU sir, after talking matters
over^ the boys decided that if they were going to do anything about the rather serious
situation, they, too, would have to go to town. And to their way of thixiking, late
as it was, there was only reach town, and that was to hop on the scoring
express. So with Harvey Bowen acting as conductor. Jack Eskridge grabbed the•
thi’ottle, Bobby Wray started shoveling coal, Hugh Towery and Lamar Champion sprink
led sand on the slippery rails, and Mr. Putnan flashed the green light. They were
off. Talk about music, why, the "Music of the spheres" faded into insignificance •
when compared with the music made by tfio wheels of this express as they sped along
the serpentine tracks Piedmont supporters, lining the track, went vdld with joy.
Pretty soon the old town was sighted. Just as the express was coasting into the
station Jack Eskridge rcached for the cord and rang up two more points to end the
scoring for the evening. The members of the Fallston team rolled into the^ame
station just six minutes behind time. The-game was over. Final score^^/rh\
Fallston 28, Piedmont 3U. V ,./l
So for the fiTst time the Piedmont boys arc the champions of {
Cleveland County so far as basketball is concerned. At the end of )-*
play in Shelby two of our players were selected on the all-tour«:;^.,jyjr^^ '
nament team for the county. These were Bobby V/ray and Harvey ', '
Bowen. Jack Eskridge received honorable mention, Yifhy not? For "'T
Jack had scored 10 points in the last quarter of the final game 1 /\
with FaLlston. " V
Everyone in this community is very grateful for what Mr. Putnam, Si
the coach, has done for the boys. For without his help no one be-
lieves that our boys could have copped the championship.
■JS-
•Si-
■it
"Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune; but great
minds rise above it," —— (Washington Irving,) ''