I think it was Ken Jones that had the hole in his pants. I seem to remember him doing that crazy bear dance that he used to do and Coach Price making fun of him. As far as Loyd Wakefield goes, he was one of my closest friends and he was fearless on the field. He still has a scar on his nose from his helment hitting the bridge of his nose on every tackle. I remember looking at him in the huddle with blood steaming down his face. They would put a bandage on it before every game and it would last one tackle. I think our Quarteback at Garner was a guy named Mike Lawrence. I'm not sure what happened to him.

Tommy: Don Haines and Roger Kies were running backs and Gene Hickey was a wing back. Mike Lawrence was Quarteback and Snuffy Smith was our coach. His favorite saying when criticizing a lineman's stance was "You look like a bear taking a crap in the woods" another favorite was " Briscoe, you couldn't run out of sight in a day. Granma's slow, but she's old!"

Jim, you are correct. I remember now that Mike Lawrence was QB at Garner and that Haines was running back. I enjoyed Coach Smith. He was a decent guy and funny as well. 

I don't think that was Ken Jones with the hole in the pants. At least the time I'm remembering was on varsity and I don't think Ken was still on the team at that time, was he. I do, however, remember his *dances* on the JV field when the band was playing. I still think about that and laugh to this day!

Regarding your car, I remember your car well. You (and I think Loyd) were kind enough to give me a ride home from practice for many years. I hope I told you how much I appreciated that. We would drive from Mac, down Bitters, past Wetmore and continue on Bitters, down a pretty good *dip* where we pretty much always throw our soda bottles at a sign on the side of the road. Ah, those were the days.

Jim/Tom....I had forgotten about Mike Lawrence playing sports at all...as he was a bonafide "hood"...a badass...I can still see him clearly with his pegged pants, skinny belt,  and slicked back hair at Garner.   Since I am friends with Cindy Haslett I am aware of what happened to Mike. He still lives in the NE sector of SA...his brother is a successful businessman...but Mike has struggled.  The last time I saw him...was a a couple years back...at the Hangin Tree Saloon in Bracken when Debby and I went with Cindy.  Mike had one foot in the grave healthwise...from too much hooch I believe...and a few months later the Saloon was doing a fundraiser to pay his medical bills as he was in the hospital.  When I saw him he looked like he was 75...so he has had a rough ride.  I'm told that in the 70's he was the front man for a local band called The Branded Men and that he was a great Merle Haggard-like singer who had real potential which was never realized. 

Speaking of Coach Snuffy Smith...did he finally marry Miss Flood...the Art Teacher at Garner?  She was my Home Room Teacher in 7th grade and I remember there were some "vibrations" going on between them and the kids all talking and teasing about it.  And if they did marry....does anyone know if it lasted?

Yes and Yes. Mary Flood was the daughter of Virginia Flood, long-time Mac choir director. When Virginia Flood passed away last year, her obit listed her survivors including Mary Smith and her husband Jim. Mike Byrne would know more about this than I, as he is the one who sent the obit to me.

Roger, yes Snuffy Smith did marry Virginia Flood. I used to run into him at the Old Spectrum Club at West Avenue & Blanco Rd. The first time I saw him, I had to tell him who I was (His eyesight had obviously gotten bad.) Then my wife Kay walked up & he recognized her immediately. Go figure! I saw him again at Coach Baker's funeral earlier this year.

Snuffy actually came to the Class of 70's 35th reunion. He enjoyed it but said it was too depressing because it made him feel old!

Ol' Snuffy Smith.......he'll always look like Popeye to me.....