SPORTS
Looking back: First Bowie coach
This story and photo ran in the July 24, 1958 edition of the Bowie News. It is about Bowie Independent School District’s first football coach, Percy Stallings. If anyone has any stories about Stallings, we would love to hear about it.
A Bowie business man – Percy Stallings – was the first coach in Bowie High School.
Although he gave much of his time to the job he was not paid. He turned out some mighty fine teams from 1912 to 1917 when he was the coach. Bowie played teams from much bigger towns in those days as they did not have organized play for high schools.
Three members of the famous football teams produced by Mr. Stallings went on to live in Bowie – Bob Burgess of the Burgess Funeral Home, Jess Parrish who went on to play semi-pro baseball and C. A. Wilson who became a football star at Austin College and who owned a the Wilson Drug Store.
Those on the first football team coached by Percy Stallings were: Bob Burgess, Claude Buffalo, Emett Archer of Austin, Floyd Archer of Wichita Falls, Weldon Youree of Arizona, Floyd Springer of Wichita Falls, Jack Younger of Amarillo, Dick Gililland of Lawton, Ben Dearmore of Fort Worth, Tom Stephens of San Antonio, Robert Meyer who gave his life for his country, George Barry of Childress, Carl Hare of Lubbock, James Ayres of Fort Worth Jess Parrish of Bowie.
Percy Stallings was an outstanding player on the University of Texas football team and always has been a sports enthusiast, especially as a booster for the Jackrabbits. His high school team was the first team in North Texas to effectively use the forward pass.
“The Jackrabbits received their name from the Decatur fans when we were playing Decatur one time. The boys were moving so fast over the field that they nicknamed them the Jackrabbits,” Stallings said. “In the fourteen years that we played we were only beat one time and that was by Electra.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
Landry Norwood has agreed to become the new Head Boys Basketball Coach for Bowie High.
Norwood grew up in Paradise, playing a number of sports for the Panthers during his high school career. With a number of family members still in the area and the position coming open, Norwood applied and was hired.
“I know the tradition up here,” Norwood said. “I was glad (Athletic Director and Head Football) Coach Tyler Price felt he could put his trust in me.”
Bowie’s varsity went 2-10 last year, both wins coming against Vernon. Norwood spent five years as an assistant in Lipan before spending the next four years at Llano, three years as head coach. He said his last two years in Llano were rough after graduation of nine seniors his first year and a 26-7 squad.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News
Nocona came into game two of its Class 2A Division I bi-district series with Archer City looking to rebound from a 17-0 loss in game one.
The Lady Indians took a quick lead but the Lady ‘Cats had too much in the tank and knocked Nocona out of the playoffs courtesy of a 13-3, five-inning victory winning the best of three series, 2-0.
Kylea Wallace reached base on a second baseman’s error. With one out, M’leigha Franklin took a pitch over the wall in left field for a home run, igniting the Lady Indian crowd with a 2-0 lead.
Archer City prevented further damage by retiring the next two hitters. The Lady ‘Cats struck in the bottom of the inning for seven runs.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Culture. It’s a beautiful word.
Bowie Softball Coach Griffin Fields has been trying to install a positive, winning culture since taking over the job. For the first time since 2019, the Lady Rabbits qualified for the postseason, facing District 8 top seed Early in the bi-district round.
After beating the Lady ‘Horns 9-8 in game one of the best-of-three series April 23, Early came back and evened the series less than 24 hours later, 15-0. The Lady Rabbits used the aforementioned culture and got out to a quick lead in game three.
Bowie was then forced to come from behind for the second straight night. Kinley Baker, who had the game winning RBI in game one, came through again in game three and broke a 6-all tie with a single to lift the Lady Rabbits to a 9-6 victory in the finale.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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