We’re still working hard on the Hundred Years of Rice football project, so interesting things related to athletics continue to surface. Most recently a couple of very fun boxes of photos from football media day in 1962 emerged from somewhere in the bowels of Tudor Fieldhouse. (And I owe a hat tip to Chuck Pool, Rice’s Sports Information Director, for locating these pictures and sending them over to the Woodson. Thank you, Chuck!)
For a little context, check out these images from the most recent C-USA Media Day which was held just this last weekend. Coach Baliff and the players are certainly dignified and articulate.
Things were a bit different in 1962. I’m sure Coach Neely was articulate, but the proceedings were both less elaborate and a little bit more . . . . well, let’s say “imaginative.” First, here’s the actual media. They’re taking the photos by the baseball scoreboard:
Anyone who knows me won't be surprised to hear that it took about 30 seconds for me to get fixated on those sheds.
And here’s what was going on: something that sounds like a contradiction in terms, “posed action shots.” I’ve selected for your enjoyment a few of my favorites from the hundred or so shots in the boxes:
And finally, the most impressive one of all:
Total. Maniac.
I don’t care who you are, that’s a lot of fun. I say bring it back! I’ll even go out and fling myself into the air to get things started. I’m not even kidding about that.
Bonus: This is a really bad quality picture, but it’s so fun I have to post it anyway. Who doesn’t love pictures of people holding live owls?
1) #45 is Wayne McClelland, 2) #85 is Gene Raesz, 3) # 76 is John Mims, & 4) I always thought Jess Neeley looked a little like an owl.
You may need to join Fanbase to view the site, I’m not sure, but here’s the page for the ’62 season: http://www.fanbase.com/Rice-Owls-Football-1962 .
I think that was Coach Jess (Wait’ll November) Nealy who was holding the OWL.
[I can’t ID any others: I was doctoring Indians that year.]
Flying Owls, indeed! Must have been some rough landings, too.
Wonder why they didn’t do these shots on the football field?
Perhaps they were thinking of future Rice historians when they chose to include some sheds in the background 🙂
I believe George Schulgen is #66. Johnny Amorelli[asst trainer ] is next to him. #41 is L.V. Benningfield. The photographer is the infamous Jim Laughhead[ Go Go Go Go!] Players of that era will remember him!
The picture with George Schulgen 66 Johnny Amorelli And L.V. Benninfield also includes Stan Smith 50, Virgil Phelps 70, and Hugo Hollas 44. none of whom were at Rice in 1962.
Uh oh. Mislabeled photos are even worse than unlabeled photos. So what do you think the correct date would be? Forward or backward from 1962?
Phelps and Smith matriculated in1963. I believe that Hollas matriculated in 1965 as did Schulgen. Thus this picture is from 1965 or 1966. Thanks and God Bless.
Bruce is closest on the dates. The group photo was from 1966. We were Juniors and opened the season with a 17-15 win over LSU. I’m still trying to forget the rest of that season. We finished 2-8 and Coach Neely was replaced by Bo Hagan the following year. We faired much better in 1967, we doubled our number of wins!!
Like most of my teammates, I wouldn’t trade my experience at or degree from Rice University for winning seasons elsewhere.
#76 is, as you noted, a complete maniac. They don’t pose for action shots like this anymore.