Jim Hebert:
CLASS OF 1964
LaGrange High SchoolClass of 1964
Lake charles, LA
McNeese State UniversityClass of 1971
Lake charles, LA
McNeese State UniversityClass of 1968
Lake charles, LA
Hastings High SchoolClass of 1964
Hastings, MN
St. Joseph's High SchoolClass of 1964
Ironton, OH
Jim's Story
A really True La Grange Gator Tale never before told, to anyone, dead, or alive........
Once upon a time, deep in bayou country a young gator was born in at St Patrick Hospital in Lake Charles, LA. on July 13, 1946. His Mom had been Rice Festival Queen, and too much for his Dad to resist.
This young bright gator grew up loving to play football. Wherever, gators would gather, he would play.
One day, his family drove past the LA Grange Gator
Football Stadium. He thought to himself, "Self, one day, I want to play Football in that huge Gator Stadium."
His dream was not to be for some years, as his family moved from LA, to Lyons, Kansas, To Ironton, Ohio, To Baytown, Texas, To Hastings, Minnesota, and finally, to Lake Charles, LA. In the summer, of the year 1963. At that point in time, the population was 100.000 Gators.
Well now, as his life long dream was about to come, true, there was hesitation. Over, the years he had always played first team at several positions at several High Schools.. He had never missed a start, or a game, and was just tired. Football, had become a job , since he began play in the 3rd grade at Dolby Elementary, in Lake Charles, LA.
It was the summer of 1963, that his best childhood friend, Frankie Harris, informed the head Gator coach that there was a new kid in town. Who, happened to be a football star from several states..
The head Gator coach called the young Senior gator at home. The old coach wanted to know measurements, statistics, past performances, past positions played. Then, he inquired, if the young Senior Gator would come out for the 1963, summer football 2 a day training/practice sessions?
There was just one catch, Despite all the accolades, the Senior Gator, would have to began at the "fresh gator meat", JV third team, or Green shirt team level. Then, work up through the second team, or purple shirt team. In order, to achieve, the first/starting team, or white shirt team level.
With a moment of contemplation, the senior gator agreed to become "fresh gator meat" on the La Grange High School Football team.
At long last, his dream...Expand for more
was coming to fruition. Let the games began. Within, the first week the senior, gator was promoted to the second team, or purple shirt team.
Within, the second week the senior, gator was promoted to the first team, or white shirt team.
The senior gator was given a white jersey, with #79, and was appointed as the monster man, on the Gator, "Terrible Turks" defensive team. He also, managed to break his old, childhood nemeses' leg in practice. The blows from their epic encounters where like bombs going off. In countless, battles, since the second grade, the encounters had always ended in a draw. This time, the Gator Bully was out for the year, and little Gators where once again safe in Gator land.
The old Gator Coach gathered the entire 3 teams together, and proclaimed, this was the first time in his long football career of 30 some, odd years, he had ever seen any football player move to the first time so quickly, or fast in only two weeks..
This feat has never been accomplished since that time in Gator history.
The Senior Gators went on to win 3rd place in state, losing in a very, very close game, to Jesuit of New Orleans, in the semi-finals at Tulane. Stadium. Jesuit, was a team they had tied earlier in the year. It was the Gators first game at home in Gator Stadium. They
had played against High School all-Americans in both Texas, and Louisiana, and had only lost to Port Arthur, Texas, in a very, very close game. They where on regional television, when they beat arch rival Lafayette High School, like a drum, at home in Gator Stadium. That same year, they also, beat their cross town, arch rival, Lake Charles High School, by a touchdown, at their stadium.
Jesuit High School of New Orleans, became the 1964, State 4-A Champions.
That is the true, truth in La Grange High School Gator Football History. The 1963-1964 football season.
How about them Gators?!!!!
In the spring of 1964, the senior gator was invited to try out for the McNeese State Cowboys' football team.
He was allowed to skip study hall, in order to attend the cowboys' spring practice.
to be continued.......
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