TUESDAY. MAY 29, 1962
THE BLACKBIRD. ROCKY MOCFNT SENIOR fflGH SCHOOL
1»AGE 1
R. M. Fans Witness
One Of Best Years
In Athletic History
Mark the year 1961-62 with an,
asterick, an X, or some other fig
ure denoting exception, because
this year has been exceptional,
particularly in RIMSH sports.
In the fall of 1961, our football
team was insulted by being called
“average of a little better”. Their
determination swept them past
eight foes while they lost one and
tied one, earning them a spot in
the state championships. That
(team will be remembered as one
with a will to win like never be
fore at Senior High.
Early in December, the Black
bird caigers opened their season
rated somewhat than the football
team had been. With more ups
than downs, they too won a place
among the 4-A’s elite. Rocky
Mount went into the tourney
against two of the state’s better
teams, causing most to overlook
them as a serious contender. Af
ter crucifying those two teams,
the Birds feU short in the finals.
Nevertheless, it was the best ef
fort ever by a RM basketball team.
And then it was April, time for
baseball. Lack otf practice hurt the
Birds at first, but then they bump
ed off rivals continously, falling
short of the East’s title in their
final two outings.
Looking back to 1940, Blackbird
teams as a whole have never bet
tered the success of these.
k
Blackbirds Miss Title
With Two Late Losses
Ready for action are three of many of our outstanding members
on the Blackbird Baseball team. Pictured above are Bill Campbell,
Danny Talbott, and Wayne Dunn. Photo by Killebrew
Track Records Are Smashed
As Blackbirds Wind Up Year
It is better to tell the truth and
run, than to lie and get caught
in the act.
With the closing of track season
it is interesting to note the track
records that were either broken
or tied. Of the 13 events, five
come under this catagory.
Events not broken were the
High Jump, Donnie Sallee; Dis
cus, Mike Lundy; Mile, Lanny
Shuff and Bill Whitehurst; Broad
Jump, Terry Newell; and the 220
Yard Dash, Ronnie Jackson.
Records that were broken are
the Pole Vault. Tommy Clay tied
Gus Tulloss’s leap of 10’6” at the
Rocky Mount, Fayetteville, and
Durham Relays (Durham) and al
so at the meet in Raleigh; 440, Jep
Rose did 51.9 at the Rocky Mount,
Fayetteville, and Raleigh (at Ra
leigh) April 27, 1962. (This breaks
the record set by Wrennife Pitt);
880. Dennis WUHamson, he did it
in 3.10 at the Conference Meet (at
Raleigh) May 3, 1962. (Emmitt
Johmson held the old record.);
Low Hurdles, Tommy Clay broke
this record with 21,6 at the Dis
trict Meet (at Greenville) May 11,
1962; and Mike Smith, Ben Weeks’
Joe WUliams and Bill Bonner broke
the Mile Relay at the Raleigh,
Rocky Mount, Fayetteville Meet
(at Raleigh) April 27, 1962.
Carolina
Overall Co.
821 S. Church Street
PIERCE
Body Shop
1136 S. Church St.
ROYAL
CLOTHING
COMPANY
118 S. Washington St.
Two late season setbacks knock
ed the Rocky Mount High School
Blackbirds out of the Eastern 4-A
Conference baseball title picture
for the second straight year.
The Birds, who led the confer
ence for most of the season, suf
fered defeats at the hands of the
Raleigh Caps and the Goldsboro
Earthquakes in their final two
games, to once again keep the
Blackbirds from the conference
championship.
The journey to Raleigh proved
to be the first of two disasters
that the Birds would encounter.
A leaky Blackbird defense com
mitted nine errors that opened
the door for the Caps. Raeligh
also baniged out 16 hits in taking
a 16-7 victory over the Birds.
Dennis Newell and BUI Camp
bell each collected two hits for
Rocky Mount.
The Blackbirds stUl had a chance
for the conference title after the
Raleigh loss, but the Golds'boro
Earthquakes turned all the lights
out for the Birds with a 5-2 vic
tory behind the three-'hit pitching
of left-hander Johnny Barwick.
Of the three hits off Barwick,
Talbott collected two, including a
booming triple.
In other recent games the Birds
were more fortunate, getting wins
over Durham, WOson, and Fayette
ville.
Against Durham, two runs in the
seventh inning pulled the Birds
out of a 2-2 tie and handed them
a 4-2 victory. Talbott was the win
ning pitcher in relief for Rocky
Mount, while Wayne Dunn led
the hitting with four safe blows.
In the Wilson game, Rocky
Mount unleashed its biggest offen
sive attack of the year, scoring 17
runs on 15 hits, to take a 17-4 win.
Dunn once again rapped out four
hits, while Eddie AUen collected
three.
The Blackbirds took a close 11-10
victory over the Fayetteville Bull
dogs, scoring two runs in the 8th
inning to come from behind once
again. Fayetteville built up a 9-3
lead after five innings, but the
never-quitting Birds fought back
to get the win.
Billy Warren rapped a homer
and a single in two trips to the
plate for Rocky Mount.
‘Birds’ Rewarded
With Scholarships
Three seniors of Rocky Mount
Senior High have been awarded
valuable athletic scholarships to
two colleges.
Ricky Creech, center of the run-
ners-up for the state 4-A basket
ball championship, is the recipient
of a $400 scholarship at Louisburg
College in Louisburg, North Caro
lina.
Wayne Dunn, outstanding guard
and captain of that team, received
a scholarship that will pay one-
half of his expenses at Fredrick
College of Portsmouth, Virginia.
Again from Fredrick, Warren
Downing has been honored with a
scholarship paying all his expens
es. Downing was a rugged tackle
on the Senior High football team
that went to the semi-finals of the
state championship.
Team play was cited by each
of the RM coaches as a prime vic
tory factor. This limited the nujn-
ber awards to individual^ to a
minimum, but that team play
reaped much for the teams as a
whole.
Everybody’s Swinging
to
The Bank of Rocky Mount
FOR THEIR BANKING NEEDS
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
JOYNER’S
Athletic House
SPORTING GOODS
Toys—Fishing: Tackel
Hunting Supplies
Z. B. Bulluck
Inc.
Englewood Brand Meats
HILDA’S
DRESS SHOP
133 Western Ave,
Rocky Mount
FOR FASHIONS THAT
PLEASE At BUDGET PRICES
Vogue Dress
Shop
For Fashions That Are
Right On Any Campus
312 S. Main St.
lOP
To SeU or Buy A House, or Any Kind of Real Estate, Consult Us
Wimberley &Gre£rorv
• w
“The Reiil Estate Center”
FIRST FEDERAL BUILDL\G
116 South Franklin Street Dial GI 6-6195
A. HICKS
Agency, Inc.
132 SUNSET
PHONE GI G-7188
Rocky Mount
Laundry & Dry
Cleaners. Inc.
Dial 6-7158
223 S. Washington St.
Get The Best
Get Sealtest
Milk and Ice Cream
Phone GI G-4128
Rambler—MG—Austin Healey
Thonias-F arris
Motors
501 S. Church St.
DANIEL’S INC.
Fashion Center
For Jr. Misses