BEST RUNNING BACKS IN TSSAA HISTORY

[briarcrest23]

If u are in search of the best running back in TSSAA History, you would have to take a trip down to lower hardeman county. I currently can't recall the name of the school, but they were know for their dominatination of the football field back in the early 20s. There was a running back by the name of JonRufus Leroy Henning. I have one vivid memory of a game where he rushed for over 450yards on 45carries, on a cold snowy night in november. With the bad conditions of the then segrageted schools, they couldnt afford enough equipment for the whole team, so when offense and defense had to share equipment. Henning was not only a good runner he was tough, in the game of his 400+ yd performance he did it barefootedly, because of the finacial woes of the great depression he couldnt afford shoes or even socks. Also he had no breaks because that game his team only had 10 people that night because half of his teammates were drafted into the war and half of his teammate's parents wouldnt let them play that night, and the other half were somewhere in alabama picking cotton in the blazing hot sun, and the other half of his team died the week before in one of the first recorded racist acts of the ADA in co-ordaniance with the kkk. most people have prolly never heard of him because at that time it was hard for african americans to get noticed in a society ruled by jim crow laws. JonRufus Leroy Henning later became the first african american player to be on the roster of a mlb team but sadly he was assasinated before he could play his first game.

i thought jackie robinson was the first black player to be on the roster of an mlb team? then again i may be wrong.

[5astatechamps04]

No actually Jackie Robinson was the third black player on a baseball roster, and was the second african american to play. Henning was killed before his first game, but was on the roster of a mlb team before he died. Moses Fleetwood was the actual first black player in baseball

Edited July 12, 2004 by 5astatechamps04

[5astatechamps04]

http://www.ourgeorgiahistory.com/chronpop/47

[titanshater]

Jeff Womack from Warren County He holds more records than anyone else in Tennessee

[MaryvilleRebels]

I think that Gerald Riggs Jr. was HIGHLY overrated, his father gave him a name that was sure to please, and he did have some good high school performances. Sure my opinion of him comes from one game where he was SHUT DOWN by a Maryville team that was given no chance, but from what I could tell his talent and ability had peaked as a player.

[RCfan]

Nobody has seen them all....but the best that I have seen:

 

Troy Flemming BGA

Kurston Biggers BA

Eric Westmoreland Marion Co.

Gerald Ware Red Bank

Eddie Moore South Pittsburg

Alonzo Banks Rhea Co.

Scotty Whitt Clinton

Demetrius Feilds Cleveland

Terry Copeland Science Hill (just ask Red Bank fans)

Kippy Bayless Knox Central

Gerald Riggs Red Bank

Kevin/Keith Cobb Cleveland

Dante Hickey Cleveland

Frahn Danjou Baylor

Brigham Lyons Greenville

Quitman Spalding Franklin County

Lydell Blue Soddy Daisy

Jarvis Smith Soddy Daisy

[MLREB]

Without a doubt.......Brett (Sewer Head) Harmon..... Put a dip of Skoal in his lip and he and his QB, Elmo Hasty, were awesome. They are both official members of the Sandy Springs Park Hall of Fame........better know as the Park Rats!

[chasd]

From the west side of the state there has been a lot of good backs also. Two of the best that I have seen is probably Johnny Jones of Munford and Punkin Williams of Humboldt. Being from Obion County they were not much fun for our teams to play against but were awsome runningbacks.

[REBELRON]

MLREB

 

That was a great post. I forgot all about Brett "Blockhead" Harmon. I am suprised there was a helmet that could fit him.

 

 

Brett is my brother's good buddy. Hasty was my brother's buddy also. Brett had a great run in the 76 state title game. All joking aside Brett was a pretty good player. Me,my brother,Brett and his brothers used to go to Bristol and watch the races every year.

 

 

Brett has one bad habit. He is a Bama fan. Do you remember the article that Brett wrote in the News Sentenel about how UT should have played Brandon Stewart after the Bama vs UT game in 1994? What was funny is Bretts mom wrote an article the next week saying that she raised her son better than that

 

Do you remember that MLREB?

 

 

chasd

 

I saw too much of Punkin Williams in the 79 State Title game that pitted Maryville vs Humboldt.I was on the sidelines that game. Punkin was very good.

[Ti-Ta]

I think that Gerald Riggs Jr. was HIGHLY overrated, his father gave him a name that was sure to please, and he did have some good high school performances. Sure my opinion of him comes from one game where he was SHUT DOWN by a Maryville team that was given no chance, but from what I could tell his talent and ability had peaked as a player.

Obviously, you do not know a great back when you see one! I was at that game

and Gerald was running behind a small line that was injured riddled. I am pretty

sure that Maryville was picked to win that game and if I recall right Maryville went on to win the state in 2002. I wish Maryville would have played us the year before

when we had our best team ever, I'll tell you this it would not have even been close. I saw Maryville play in the state championship game in 2000 right before we

beat Riverdale by three touchdowns, believe me we you have toyed with them.

[briarcrest23]

http://www.ourgeorgiahistory.com/chronpop/47

that article says nothing about henning

[Manzikert]

briarcrest23, please tell me that you don't actually think the post about Henning was serious---- He's teasing--- its a made up story. Most folks would read it and see how over the top the story is and chuckle at the joke-- if you thought the guy was serious, be careful if somebody tries to sell you a bridge.