High School Sports

By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer

Tyler's Alan Shumate has been in the press box announcing Robert E. Lee games for 43 years, and is planning to retire at the end of this season. He recently sat down with the Tyler Morning Telegraph to discuss his memories.

If you were going to pick out your most memorable games, what would they be?

I have a way of things just running together. I remember things, but what ball game it was, I don't remember that.

I can rank three right off.

Obviously the state championship Robert E. Lee game would be No. 1. It was the thrill of it. After watching, in my case, so many years of losing and also some years of (not quite getting there) I frankly think that we had a couple teams that were better than the one that won the state championship. I just think that's a case of a bunch of kids that were cohesive, kind of like a family, and they were just determined to make it work and they did.

I can think of a Marshall football game. Lee was playing Marshall in district 10 or 15 years ago. It was a fun game because for Lee and Marshall I don't think it was a critical game, but it was one team scored, the other one scored; one scored again, the other scored again. The final score was something like 58-56 � just from a casual perspective, that was a lot of fun. Everyone in the press box was kind of having fun.

You get away from Lee with the John Tyler playoff game with Plano East, which of course took place at Texas Stadium. I remember that because it looked sewed up and with three-and-a half or four minutes left in the game, I get up and leave. One of the few times in my life that I've ever left a football game early and I chose that one to do it. Me and some other guys are on the way home � the guy on the radio is saying 'John Tyler wins the game 48-44 and we just laughed and said, 'God, someone fed him a line.' And just laughed about the whole thing. We didn't know until we got home that guy knew what he was talking about.

What is a play that stands out in your mind?

It was probably the fall of 68 and Lee is trailing like 7-3 or something like that and there is less than a minute left in the game, and (we are thinking) all is lost, you know, that Lee is going to lose another one to JT. Phil Brooks was the quarterback and there was a kid named Marshall. Phil Brooks was quarterback and it was one of those desperation plays. He's back there running around in the backfield looking for a receiver, and this kid Marshall was running around in the end zone, looking for the ball. And Phil threw him the ball for a touchdown with virtually no time left and Lee won the game.

That game went seven overtimes, I remember I sat there in total disbelief. I thought those kids are working their ever-loving (tails) off � they were so tired and you could see it, you could feel it. It was thrilling to watch that just to see it unfold, and even though it hurt to lose, it was almost like, "God, good thing it's over."

Any bad weather games you remember?

That Chaminade game (that had to be delayed until midnight because of weather). But one of the things about them, other than the fact of what the weather caused. I was absolutely amazed of the good feelings and the warmth of (the people from Chaminade). They were just overwhelmed and what a warm reception they got, they almost didn't mind losing.

But before they put in the artificial turf, there were some mud bowls.

What players did you remember sticking out?

I taught several. Randy Grimes, who went on to play for Tampa Bay, comes to mind.

And Fred Coleman, I thought the world of him. He was one of these that would never get the opportunity to get his head screwed on wrong because his mother was right behind him with the wrench.

Another one was the guy who played for Nebraska, William Washington. He was all-Big (Eight) with Nebraska.

Who would you say is the best Lee player that you remember?

There was a guy who is an insurance agent here in Tyler name Tim Jones. Tim Jones was quarterback for Lee; the first black kid, and went on to get a full scholarship to SMU. I always thought a lot of him because he was a good kid and a pretty good quarterback.

What is the craziest thing you can remember?

I've seen a lot of crazy things. I remember in high school, down in the Houston Area, Galena Park was playing Freeport Brazosport and it was right before a hurricane came in. The wind was so strong that Brazosport punts the ball and it went up in the air and circled back, and Galena Park recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.

Another time, I remember it was same kind of situation. It seemed to be near the time of another hurricane, and it rained and rained and rained. They played the game and the football field was under water. You could sit in the stands and see the lines as the water rippled. Literally, for most of the ball game, the official held the football and handed it to the center. And the coaches were allowed on the field during plays because as soon as the tackle was made, they didn't want anyone to drown, so they were there to grab people out of the pile.

Why are you retiring?

I've been in bad health the past few years with something called post polio syndrome. That's one reason I am kind of doing less and less and putting on more and more weight because I am sitting more � I can't walk long distances and I can't walk up or down steps. In fact, that is the reason Danny Long, who from my perspective has been an outstanding athletic director because he truly cares about people, moved the P.A. booth from upstairs to downstairs. That is why I am now down rather than up. I would much prefer being upstairs.

But I traveled all over creation watching football games, even starting when I was in high school.

Obviously 43 years of doing anything is quite a long time, but I don't think I've done anything special more than team has offered. I feel like it's time to get out because it has lost some of its luster, and physically, it's become a little bit difficult to deal with.

Is it almost fitting that the first Lee game of your last season doing P.A. is against Lufkin?

Yeah, I dislike Lufkin so much and I want to win so bad that is sort of exciting, to say the least. But as strange as this may sound, there are a lot of different people over the years who have spotted for me. One of those was a guy named Kevin McCugh who was an outstanding point guard on the Lee basketball team. Kevin is currently the principal at Jasper High School, so I sent him an e-mail asking to re-knew acquaintances and have the Jasper principal spotting for the Jasper-Gilmer football game.

He said, "I am going to be there and will see you, but I don't know about the spotting thing."

Just a lot of things like that. A lot of good people; a lot of neat people, fun experiences. I will miss the camaraderie with people.

ALAN SHUMATE has watched high school football in Tyler for the last 43 years from the best seat in the house — the press box at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
(Staff File Photo)