Miller School of Albemarle - Blue Ridge Blast Yearbook (Charlottesville, VA)

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Herring, VV. H. F. Rasche, jim Johnson, Wfeams Durrett, Wfilbur Ellis, Flint Wood, Henry Bowen, Davis Thompson, Butler Page, jim Powell, Homer Clarke, Levin Powell, Roy Smith, Virgil Bragg, Henry Falwell, and Heath Lewis are names that, had records been kept, would have occupied prominent places. VVhen the School opened in 1897, for some reason, no one knows just why, the Athletic Association was dead, and athletic interest seemed to be dead also. Some of the boys tried indeed to organize a football team, but they were jeered at and laughed out of it by those who should have been the moving spirits. Thus for two years the Athletic Association existed only in name, and while there was a baseball team in the spring of both 1898 and 1899, the management was as it had been before there had been an Athletic Association. The mo-st notable athletic event of these two years was a game of baseball with Locust Dale Acad- emy on the University of Virginia grounds, which resulted in a score of I to 1. None who saw the pitching of John Durrett in the last three innings of that game will likely forget it. ln the fall of 1899 the Athletic Association was reorganized, the moving spirits being Archie Hubbard and J. M. Phelps. Mr. Phelps was elected president of the Association for the entire session and reelected for 1900. In the fall of 1900 athletic relations were renewed with Wfashington and Lee University-relations which have existed ever since. In 1901 O. E. Herring was elected president of the Association and reelected in 1902. ln this latter year the baseball team began playing the University of Virginia. In IQO3 L. S. LeTellier was elected president of the Association, and was succeeded in September of 1904 by J. E. Vawter, who holds the office at the present time. Under the present management of the Athletic Association the teams are well equipped, and excellent schedules are arranged, so that in baseball and football the Miller School occupies a top place among the schools of the State. No one has had a larger part in bringing about the present state of affairs than tl. Heath Lewis, who on all occasions gave of his time and talent. No man has ever worked more faithfully than he to make his Alma Mater first in the arts of peace and war. The session of 1903-1904 witnessed three events of great influence and im- measurable benefit to athletics at the Miller School. The first of these was 'the htting of Union Hall, in which the meetings of the Association could be held and its records and trophies kept. For this the credit is largely due to R. H. Latham. The second was the passage of a by-law by the Association forever debarring all save 170110 fiffc students from participating in athletic contests, and to L. S. LeTel- licr, then president of the Athletic Association, belongs the credit. The third was the organization of a track team by G. Newman Harris to take part in the inter- scholastic meet at the University of Virginia in the spring of 1904. At the present Q2

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score of 22 to 6. In the spring of 1895 the baseball team had in johnson and Rasche a battery that was never equalled until 1904, when jones and XVoodson formed what was probably the best school battery in the South. During this season the baseball team first discarded the old mits and adopted finger gloves. That event is familiar to many in connection with the humiliating defeat at the bands of VV'o0dberry Forest in Charlottesville. On the 22Ql of April, 1895, Miller played Cove Academy on the latter's grounds, winning by a score of 23 to 4. Un the 26th of April, Miller played on her own grounds a team from Charlottesville and won by a score of 33 to 4. May 7th, Miller won on her own grounds from the Charlottesville High School by a score of 33 to 4. In February of 1895, C. E. Vawter, Jr., was reelected president, Jim johnson became vice-president, Charles Hancock, treasurer, and O. B. Harris was reelected secretary. Athletics at the Miller School had now been fairly launched and the progress was rapid. In September, 1895, Conrad Hibbeler became president of the Athletic Asso- ciation, Roy Smith, vice-president and 0. B. Harris, secretary. The football team of this session, played the University of Virginia and VVashington and Lee Univer- sity, and although defeated by the former 30 to 0, and by the latter 22 to 0, yet it is impossible to calculate the great influence for good of these two games. Espe- cially is this true in the case of the VVashington and Lee game, for so plucky and clean was the game put up by the Miller team that it established a permanent bond of friendship between the two institutions. Ever since that time the annual game in Lexington is looked forward to by all aspirants for the team. The principal games of baseball of this season were with the Staunton City team. During the spring of this year an attempt was made to organize a track team, but the efforts came to naught. In February, 1896, jack Tinsley became president of the Athletic Association, Wills Johnson, vice-president, O. B. Harris, secretary, and O. E. Herring, treasurer. ' In September, 1896, the Association elected O. E. Herring president, H. Bowen vice-president, C. H. H. Thomas secretary, and VV. H. Ellis treasurer, these same officers presiding during the second term of the session. In the fall of this year the best football team up to that time, and one of the best up to the present time, was put in the field. This team was coached a little by Bob Groner. Miller scored on the University of Virginia, 26 to 2, tied V. M. I., 4 to 4 in an unfinished game, and the next day played Wfashington and Lee University and lost, 22 to 0. The ill-treatment received at V. M. I. broke off athletic relations with that school until the spring of 1904. In the spring of 1897 the baseball team again played a series of games with the Staunton City team, and made a reputation which has not yet been forgotten in that city. Before going further it would be well to give a list of those whose names should not be forgotten by the present and future generations of those interested in athletic achievements at their Alma Mater. Col. QI

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time no better managed Athletic Association exists in any school in the State, and no school can boast of teams that are composed of truer sportsmen. The influence for good of all these forces culminated last session in a baseball team which went through the session without the loss of a single game, playing the best schools and colleges of the State. The record of this team will be found in another part of this Annual. But there is in the athletic development at Miller School one force, mention of which has as yet not been made, and without which those who labored would have labored in vain. Captain Vawter, with regard to athletics, as in other ways, is the godfather, the friend, and the adviser of every llfliller School boy. He is a man who will never grow old, full of sympathy for young men, and his love for athletics is proverbial, so much so that the teams of Miller School are often desig- nated Captain Vawter's boys. He has never failed to lend his sympathy and support to the cause of athletics. No one rejoices in victory more fully or feels a defeat more keenly than he. Many a time has his presence on the field lent so much new vigor to his boys that victory has been wrested from defeat. The long yell for Captain Vawter, and long may he live! L-.Egg N f vs - X - xx X, f' 4 S : Q we - x K - sf ' f , A 5 . 4-,Q-,. , - .-ezieiaf-eiizmacf Q.-11ness-e-:die-mais-Q.:-fra ' He1i'1'1v5lU.q,i11'ko'.v2 'Q -'f - ftwsi-Wav-ea-fefav-A ' 1n'..l,0g' 04 gl gn' 149 19:3 , ima- van' .-'L' n?,.q:g' ,- - 1 1 M- -. .. 'WS-M1653-2a.9?:51 151359:-:.g:-:fnfr1!'4i ,x ,x'Z-- fi 4-.5 f i-132.1 . !1Ma':'9-52:gWv2+,.g.-.-2 . .,., . .. sz-33-3:-2 . 1 -Qtgx-.yd-jf ' ' xv. .va-' '-1 ' ,wi- nvno-.q ,wu- 1-. star 309. 'J' '- -Q. Ou qa:2':v'?: -w . 9 -.gvuv .fp-339.1 4 ' 59 , f'z3sj.fi.-. X- 'NSS-3:2 - S9 N wx? e . V L 93