STAFF REPORTS

The home varsity football game for the Canton Eagles against Paris North Lamar Friday, Sept. 13 will have added significance as the1964 Bi-District Champion Canton High School Eagle varsity football team will be recognized on their 60th anniversary team reunion.

Not only did the 1964 Eagle varsity football team go undefeated during the regular season, the team was not even scored on by any of their opponents during their 10-game regular season schedule.

The day of events for the 1964 team will include the dedication of a Texas Historical Marker in their honor during a 4 p.m. ceremony at Norris Birdwell Stadium.

During the opening coin toss, the members of the team will join the game officials and the team captains on the field.

Each member of the team will be recognized during a halftime ceremony at the stadium as well.

The 1964 CHS football team posted shutout regular season victories over Seagoville,13-0; Edgewood, 32-0; Commerce, 26-0; Wills Point, 13-0; Lindale, 46-0; Mineola, 48-0; Van, 28-0; Grand Saline, 26-0; Chapel Hill, 38-0; and Kaufman, 22-0.

At the end of the regular season, Canton was ranked 10th in the state, according to the Harris Rating System in 1964.

The head coach of the 1964 Eagle football team was Dean Hesse, and his assistant coaches were Don Ross, Sam Yokley, and Tony Ogletree. Danny Malone was the team manager.

Norris Birdwell was the Canton ISD Superintendent and Liston Barber was the CHS Principal in 1964.

Team members included Ricky Ray, tailback; Mike Chambless, quarterback; David Keahey, tailback; Morris Bolton, wingback; Dennis Shaw, wingback; Ronnie Roberts, quarterback; David Robinson, fullback; Larry Hunter, wingback; Gaylon Etheridge, wingback; Tommy Roberts, tailback; David Hardy, end; Mike Phillips, guard; Eddie Valentine, center; Gerald Mitchell, center; Allen Hargrove, guard; Steve Hodge, guard; James Norrell, guard; Benny Pruitt, tackle; Gary Priest, tackle; Wayne Salsberry, tackle; Bill Norrell, tackle; Bobby Graham, tackle; Virgil Melton Jr., end; Eddie Sneed, end; Walter Murphy, end; and David Miller, end.

The Eagles finished the 1964 campaign with a 7-6 victory in the bi-district playoffs before their season came to a close in the regional playoffs by a final score of 6-0.

“We are sending this save the date email to each of you so that you can make plans to attend the 60th reunion of our team,” David Miller, a member of the team, said in a letter to teammates. “Canton ISD has once again accommodated us by setting Friday, Sept. 13 as a date for us to be recognized at halftime.  

“They will provide chairs for the team and their guests on the sidelines as they have done in the past,” continued Miller. “A reservation has been made for 5 p.m. that evening at Easley’s Restaurant in Canton where we will have a meal as well as a time to visit. Following this, we will proceed to the football stadium.

“We want to share some news with everyone,” said Miller. “We are honored and humbled to announce that our team has been awarded a Texas State Historical Subject Marker.  The process has taken almost four years, which entailed meeting with the Canton School Board, an extensive application that involved meetings, documenting and citing research, providing statistics, an informative narrative, photographs, citing sources of information, and working with the local Van Zandt County Historical Society Committee.

“Follow-up requests from the Texas Historical Committee for additional documentation were satisfied, and we were informed last fall that our application had been approved and the committee had sent the marker text to the foundry,” emphasized Miller. “The State receives hundreds of applications each month.  The unique story of our team, primarily due to the record still standing was of course the reason for this recognition.  No Texas team has done this since (going undefeated and unscored upon during the regular season).

“Barring any unforeseen delays, the State committee said markers are taking from three to six months from submission to completion at the foundry,” shared Miller. “For this reason, we are proceeding with plans for the marker to be unveiled and presented at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13 at the football stadium. CISD approved our request, and it was felt that this was the most visual site for the marker.

“Finally, it should be noted that the State committee allows no input as to the way the information we provided is presented,” pointed out Miller. “It is up to their committee to compile the data and present it as they see best.  Since the marker will be quite large, we are pleased with the final story, and we think everyone else will be as well. Canton ISD generously offered to pay for this marker.  The VZC commissioners will be doing the installation. 

“Finally, there is a rule that no person may be named on a State Subject marker unless they have been deceased for at least 10 years,” emphasized Miller. “Therefore, the State committee recommends an addendum, or ‘companion’ marker be ordered to recognize names that should accompany a ‘Subject Marker.’ After discussing this, we decided this was something of importance, and have ordered a smaller marker with each player’s name and jersey number along with the names of the coaches and the manager.  We are paying for this marker individually, and it will match the State Marker.”