Buster's Writing ::

This article will appear soon in the local paper.


Sometimes you are at the right place at the right time. Once or twice in your life you will catch lightening in a bottle. In 1964 many of us local youths had the stars aligned appropriately and became members of a team that is legendary in the annals of South Carolina high school sports history. We became members of a high school football team that went unscored on during the regular season.
What is interesting is that when we see a teammate for the first time in a long time we shake hands, grab shoulders, or hug. There exists the same unique bond that war veterans, best childhood friends, or old college friends share. I am not sure I can find words which adequately explain the delight.
Several former teammates, Chuck Sturkie, Ray Robinson, Billy Ammons, Blair Holden, coach Clyde Jones and I traveled to Charlotte to say goodby to James Williams. James is our third teammate to be stricken with cancer. We have already lost Bruce Rush and Lin Watkins.
Bruce and Lin were both really tough starting defense lineman who were largely responsible for no one scoring on us. When we did those 'man on man' drills against each other in practice there was no fun facing either of them. You will never find a good football team that does not have several hard nosed guys as they were.
James was a skilled athlete as in one of those athletes who could compete successfully in any track event. He signed with Clemson but his grades were not high enough. James and I were both ends and once there was a college coach who needed to sign an end so he called Coach Lynch and asked Red to send some film of me. Red sent the film and the coach called back quickly and said Beckham was not what we need, but tell us about Williams.
As stated James was a great talent, but he would never win any sportsmanship contest. His profanities could turn the sky blue. We played Eau Claire in a tremendously hyped and emotional regular season game. At the end of the game we intercepted a pass which allowed us to run out the clock. Some of the Eau Claire lineman were crying and telling us to run one more play. James put his thumb on his nose and wiggled his extended fingers at them.
James was such a good athlete that after the starting cornerback Sammy Small got hurt they moved James to the defensive backfield as a cornerback. In the 12th game of the year, we played Stall for the lower state championship and Stall had one of those big 220lb fullbacks, who was a good player. Some Stall scat back ran for a long touchdown against us for the only score we gave up all year.
Stall lined up to run for the two point conversion and I heard this voice coming from below me. "Run that big #^#* over here, send that fat a.. fullback this way." I looked down and James was in a 4 point stance as a defensive lineman. All I could think of was I hope they don't throw a pass over here.
My favorite James story happened in the second game of the year against Sumter. Early in the game Sumter scored on a pass play were James was the defensive back, but the play was called back because of a penalty. The receiver said something to James and me and James quickly reminded the gentleman of his canine ancestry. They later had another touchdown called back on the same pass play and in the exchange of pleasantries James reminded the receiver of his illegitimate birth. James and I agreed that we were not going to send this mouthy receiver a Christmas card.
In the old days the teaching of defensive back technique was not very complicated. Basically the coach taught the defensive back to extend his arms straight up in the air and arrive at the same time that the ball did. Late in the game Sumter was throwing to try to score. A Blair Holden punt had backed them up close to their goal line.
Their receiver ran a curl route and James extended his arms and completely ran over the kid before the ball got there. The referee called pass interference on James. James looked at me and asked what he did wrong. I looked down at the receiver who was now slowly picking himself off the ground and replied, "Nothing, you are dong what the coaches told you."
Sumter ran the same play. This time James trampled the receiver like a runaway elephant. The flag came in again for pass interference. James again asked what he was doing wrong. I looked down at the mouthy receiver who was now trying to get his nose out of his earhole and replied. "Everything looks ok to me."
Sumter ran the same play again. Same result. James tramples the receiver and the official throws the flag. James has this look of confusion and this receiver is having a near death experience. Red takes James out and the Sumter coach changes the route because his star receiver is now on the sidelines being treated for footprint abrasions which now run the length of his body.
We all have lost friends and family. As we grow older we learn to appreciate our journey. These three teammates made the journey more enjoyable and enriching, and made better people out of each of us.
Thank you for your attention.