GO HUBBERS: We have a full report today on another legendary
football team – the Smethport Hubbers of 1959.
We had reported about a St. Bernard High School team which had
lost to Smethport in 1959, prompting one caller to ask who had
coached the Hubbers that year. We learned that and much more about
this good team. It will take more than one column to share all the
details.
Courtney “Gus” Gustafson of Fort Loudon writes, “In regards to
your notes on the 1959 Smethport football team, Chuck Higgins and
myself shared the duties of quarterback for our coach Jim Donovan
or ‘JD’ as we came to know him.”
“We had quite a ride on that team but unfortunately we met the
St. Marys Flying Dutchmen the eighth game of the season and fell to
them by a score of 32-0! I probably remember more about that game
than the eight games that we won that year.
“I believe they had a running back by the name of Green and
there was also a Renwick involved, if I remember correctly. I
punted a line drive punt to Green which he ran for a touchdown in
about 6 seconds!
“The second quarter was terrible. We gave up 26 points.
Otherwise we would have lost 6-0! We beat Emporium on the last game
of the season to finish 8-1.
“My class is approaching its 50 reunion in 2010. It never fails,
at each reunion after a little drinking someone comes up and says
“we could have beat St. Marys if we played them another time that
year!” My reply – “Baloney, they outplayed us and I had the bumps
and bruises to prove it the next morning!
“JD is gone but he continues to be my hero.”
JD’s assistants were Clarence Strable and Neil Bailey.
Gus goes on to cite the scores that year: St. Bernard, 20-14;
Coudersport, 26-14; Otto-Eldred, 19-7; Renovo, 14-7; Sheffield,
24-12; Ridgway, 27-7; Port Allegany, 46-27; lost to St. Marys,
32-0; and pulled off another cliff-hanger at Emporium, 19-14.
“I believe Jim Ludwig scored late in the St. Bernie’s game for
the win and Tom McCord scored a late TD to win the Emporium
game.”
Our thanks to everyone who phoned with the names of the Hubbers’
coaches.
