Cleats

This is not just a story of high school football, but teenage love, tragedies, and some wild rides. During Oak City High School's 38-year history, their football program amassed a total win/loss record of 197-197 with eight ties. In 1959, the team won the state championship after only two years of existence and the following summer one of the team captains and his girlfriend died in a horrible accident. The 1963 team had the largest player in the nation at 380 pounds, and the coaches had to get equipment for him from a nearby college. The quarterback during that season became a Navy fighter pilot and was shot down in Cambodia. He did all that he could to survive without being captured. Oak City integrated in 1970 and black and white players were forced to play together and gelled so positively that they won their second game, 86-0. In my own playing days as "Red Dog'' back-up quarterback, I played many fourth quarters and even started in a playoff game. In 1985, the team was saddened when one of their junior players was accidently shot in the face and killed by his own friend. The 1989 team was devastated by Hurricane Hugo and had to improvise when many stadiums lost their bleachers and press boxes. The final team of 1995 made it to the third round of the playoffs on a kick that hit the upright and went through, with two seconds to go. Every October, we, of the original 508 players, come together on Cray Field to hold our "Huddle-Up" reunions and we will continue to do this until the last Oak City player dies. We are black and white Red Dog brothers, and we love each other. We will never forget the sound of our cleats walking to the field.