Published: May 20, 2008 10:37 am            

Open the doors

Duncan Athletic Hall of Fame inducts four new members

There were tears, solaced pauses and reminiscent flashes Monday in the Duncan High School auditorium as four new members of the Duncan Athletic Hall of Fame stood before present Demons while being honored for their past contributions to the program.

Lute Croy, Gayno Shelton, James Harris and Jeff Kaley were inducted into the Duncan Athletic HOF during the DHS All-Sports Assembly, conjuring memories as far back as the 1940s.

Before the assembly, the inductees attended an informal reception at the Stephens County Historical Museum in Fuqua Park. There, Harris, who was a member of the 1945 undefeated state champion football team at DHS reflected on a journey that saw him become a college All-American en route to laying the foundation for one of Oklahoma’s top high school football programs at Carl Albert.

“I’m what you would call ‘old time’,” Harris said with a grin. “I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of things I wanted to over the years.

“There were mixed emotions coming back because there are so many memories. Bottom line, it’s just an honor to be associated with so many good players.”

Croy, introduced by DHS cross country coach Joe Harper, is the only Duncan athlete to be named to an All-State team in three sports. The former football, track and wrestling star went on to play college football at Southern Methodist University before becoming a high school coach in Texas.

Croy said afterwards that he and Harper, who coached him in track, have remained close friends since graduating from high school.

“Even when I went to college, I kept in touch with him,” Croy said. “He helped make me the man I am today, and I can’t thank him enough. It was good to see him.”

Croy added that coming back to Duncan brought back memories.

“I love this town,” Croy said. “I have a lot of great moments here and this is where me and my wife would look to end up one day.

“Of all the things I’ve done and accomplished, this is the most memorable. I’m a product of the people in Duncan.”

Shelton couldn’t attend the induction ceremony because of the illness of his wife, Mary Katherine. A member of the Texas Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Shelton graduated from Duncan in 1955 before playing on two national tournament teams at Murray State and Stephen F. Austin.

DHS grad and friend John Strickland accepted the award on his behalf, while Shelton’s sister, Ilene Zimmerman, represented him.

“He is a small man, but he accomplished a lot,” Zimmerman said. “A lot of times, you couldn’t see him in the huddle, but you could sure hear him.

“His personality was ball, ball, ball. He loved it.”

Former Banner Sports Editor Kaley said that even though it’s been five years since he’s been in charge of the Banner’s sports department, he never really left. Kaley expressed his affection for the program afterwards.

“I’ve stayed so close with it since then,” Kaley said. “I watched the programs expand over the years and saw some really good athletes and teams. What impressed me was even though some sports would go through a cycle, they wouldn’t stay down long. Two or three years below .500 and they were right back up there challenging in the state.”

The current editor and general manager of the Waurika News-Democrat added that his proudest moment covering DHS athletics was expanding coverage to the non-traditional sports.

“The so-called ‘non-revenue’ sports kids worked just as hard as the guys on the football field and on the basketball court and I made it an effort to include everyone,” Kaley said. “Sports like tennis and golf were successful, really successful and deserved the attention.”

Notes: Duncan honored its letter winners, individual state champions, All-Stars and All-State performers during the banquet.



Past inductees

1978-Howard McCasland

1978-Nolen Fuqua

1979-Jess Welch

1980-Quanah Cox

1980-Earl Presley

1981-Bill Stamps

1982-Hamer Prestidge

1983-Virgil Smith

1984-Harold Howard

1985-Doug Nix

1986-Buddy Campbell

1987-Andy Cary

1988-Phil Leonard

1989-Bobby Richardson

1990-John Humphrey

1991-Tom Goodner

1992-Mike Reding

1993-Dr. William Edwards

1993-Dr. James Jones

1994-Ed Hicks

1995-Tommie Ellis

1996-Joe Holladay

1996-Bill Buxton

1997-Rick Stewart

1997-Pee Wee Cary

1998-Dr. Cindy Norman

1998-Quinn Grovey

1999-Mary Leyrer

1999-Charles Lynch

1999-Ray Hall

2000-David Reavis

2000-Monte Hendricks

2000-Johnny Lowry

2001-Gary Vorpahl

2001-Joe Daniels

2001-Dick Dozier

2005-Phil Landrum

2005-Bill Cotton Dunn

2005-LeRoy Taylor

2006-Jason Benson

2006-Bill Shelton

2006-David Davis

2007-Danny Eoff

2007- Erle P. Halliburton

2007-Tricia Payne

2008-Gayno Shelton

2008-James Harris

2008-Lute Croy

2008-Jeff Kaley

        

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