JOHNNY PEEPLES

Across the Fence 

By Arvord Abernethy 

A few days ago I came back from town and Mary told me that I had a call from John Cox out Shive way. I couldn’t imagine what John wanted with me unless he wanted me to join the Grange, to sell some insurance or sell me some medal siding for the house. To settle my curiosity, I gave him a ring. 

John had noticed in the Herald-News that I had once lived at Allison, Texas and wondered if I ever knew Johnny Peeples there. That is like asking someone around Dallas if they ever heard of Tom Landry. Johnny coached the girl’s basketball team there back in the 1930’s, the same time John was the girl’s coach at Childress. They had played against each other and had been in tournaments together, so were well acquainted. John brought his Childress team to Allison one time for a tournament and while there, his wife came down to our store and bought their young son a pair of knitted bootees. John and I had a long interesting conversation that brought back a lot of memories. 

The Allison students published a little newspaper back in 1936-37 and I have a bound copy of all issues. It has been interesting to get it out and read about the happenings around Allison, especially about the ball games. 

Johnny Peeples had that special ability to get the very best out of the players, just as Tom Landry has with his cowboys. And he did it with a high moral standard also. If you couldn’t talk basketball around Allison, you didn’t have anything to talk about. 

Here is an account of just a few of the games they played. They came to Hillsboro for the State Tournament in 1937 and their first game was against Hillsboro which Allison won 49 to 11. The next game was against Walnut Springs whom they defeated 63 to 19. Allison then beat West by a score of 47 to 33. The next game was against Plainview, the defending state champions, but Allison won a tight one by the score of 42 to 40. Their next opponent was Emory from down in East Texas. Allison led all the way through the game, but at the last few minutes a left handed girl gave a long shot that let Emory win 30 to 29. Emory won the state that year, but Allison came back and won the state in 1938. The school paper noted that at that time, Allison had won 25 games and had lost only one. 

As you know the 1930’s were in the deep years of the Great Depression. Here are a few of the prices the merchants had advertised; a two pound box of crackers 18 cents, three boxes of bran cereal 29 cents, six boxes of matches 19 cents, hamburgers 5 cents and part wool blankets $1.89. I noticed where Loyd Jones had advertised Goodyear tires from $4.15 up and car batteries at $3.95. He would sell you a full gallon of lube for 41 cents. 

The seniors gave their play and charged 10 and 20 cents for admission. At that they raised $25.50 to take their seniors trip on. There were other accounts of social events that I had long forgotten. These years taught us one thing; you don’t have to be rich to enjoy a full life.

Shared by Roy Ables

ACROSS THE FENCE