ODU Oral Histories Related to Football
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the transcript page.
Person interviewed |
Affiliation |
Summary |
Akers,
W. Gerald
|
Faculty, 1930-72
|
Recounts attending a football game with an attendence of
about 20 as justification for removing football from school's budget. (pages 12-13) |
Chandler,
Joseph C. "Scrap"
|
Athletic Director, 1942-71
|
Recalls the administration not reviving football due to
the debt it caused the school in the 1930's. Focus was put on other, less
expensive, sports like basketball. (pages 2, 9-11) |
| Charity,
Bessie |
Support Staff, 1934-69
|
Recalls Coach Tommy Scott and his team practicing in Larchmont
Field and using a basement as a locker room. Recounts how sad she was
to see the football team go, but the small college didn't have the budget
for it. |
Healy,
Joseph E.
|
Director & Organizer of Wm&Mary "Extension",
1920s-30s
|
Recounts hiring Coach Tommy Scott and the formation of the
football team. (page 3) |
Jackson,
Perry Y.
|
Faculty, 1930-39
|
Comments on the football team being aptly named the "Indians"
and how local opponents were scarce. (page 3) |
Kovner,
Edgar A.
|
Faculty, 1946-84
|
Discusses Lacrosse as a suitable substitute for the discontinued
football team. (page 2) |
MacDonald,
Frank
|
Faculty, 1938-56
|
Discusses Foreman Field, the financing of the football team,
and an "overemphasis" on athletics in those days. (page 6) |
Martin,
Mayor Roy B.
|
Student, 1930s; Norfolk Mayor
|
Discusses the contract between the City of Norfolk and Old
Dominion for the use of Foreman Field. Also mentions the Shriner's Oyster
Bowl. Nothing specific to the 1930's football team. (page 5) |
Metheny,
Arthur B. (Bud)
|
Athletics coach, 1948-80
|
Interview
1: Recounts playing football as an undergraduate at William and
Mary, a renewed interest in reviving football in the 1950's, and the
cost to finance a football team. (pages 1, 17-18, 21-22)
Interview
2: Discusses 1968 Southern Conference eligibility related to having
a football team, renewed interest in reviving football in 1968, and
the cost of football as a the reason it was not revived. (pages 11, 16-17) |
Pearce,
Edward
|
Student, 1934-35
|
Recounts Coach Tommy Scott and the football team playing
student clubs and small colleges. (pages 1-2, 4) |
Plummer,
Louis G.
|
Faculty, 1956-75
|
Discusses how not having a football team hurt
the track team. (page 4) |
Scott,
Mrs. Tommy L.
|
Wife of first Athletic Director, Tommy Scott, 1930s
|
Talks about how her husband, Coach Tommy Scott, had more
than enough interest to fill positions on the football team; the team
practicing at "Scott's field" before Foreman stadium was constructed;
taking the team to games in their old Studebaker; Tommy Scott's coaching
style; how he went about scheduling opponents for the football team; a
1932-33 trip the football team took to Miami, Florida; recollections of
football games at Foreman Field; the school's focus on track and less
expensive sports in the 1940's; and the attitude of Coach Scott and the
team during their final season in 1940. (pages 1-7) |
Sebren,
Herbert L.
|
Faculty, 1948-87
|
Recalls the band putting on a halftime show for a game William
and Mary vs. Wake Forest and being Chairman of the Athletic Committee
trying to get Southern Conference Eligibility which was denied due to
the lack of a football team. (pages 8, 12) |
Shufflebarger,
David
|
Asst. to President for Governmental Relations, 1970s
|
Discusses a 1971 university master plan that includes the
possibility of tearing down Foreman Field since there was no football
team to use it. The plan was revised in 1976 and the Foreman was use kept
because it was being used by women's sports such as field hockey. Also
discusses the contract with the City of Norfolk to use Foreman Field and
the possibility of a Regional Stadium being built to attract a professional
team to the area. (pages 7-8) |
Tatem,
Albert
|
Student 1946-48; Faculty, 1960-85
|
Briefly mentions coming to football games after Foreman
Field was built. (pages 1-2, 4) |
Teich,
Albert, Jr.
|
Student 1945-47; Faculty, 1957-92;
Norfolk lawyer
|
Compares his career at the University of Virginia, which
had a football team, and the Norfolk Division of William and Mary that
didn't when he taught here. Also mentions a football team as important
to school spirit. (page 7) |
Tonelson,
A. Rufus
|
Student 1930-33; Principal of Maury High School, 1957-?;
ODU Faculty & Dean 1966-71; Asst to President
1971-76
|
Interview
1: Recalls Tommy Scott, coach of the football team; covering football
games as a reporter for the High Hat where the college played high schools
and small colleges. (pages 2-3)
Interview
2: Recounts the trip where the Norfolk Division played the University
of Miami in 1932 as a result of a mix up between the Norfolk Division
of William and Mary and the College of William and Mary and other games
played that season. (pages 1-2) |
Webb,
Lewis W., Jr.
|
President, 1960-69; Faculty, 1932-74
|
Interview
1: Talks about how football was abandoned just before WWII and how
it has been a good thing that the college has not had a football team
because of cost and because football does not attract quality students. (pages 8-9)
Interview
2: Discusses the arrangement between the college and the City of
Norfolk regarding Foreman Field. (page 22) |
White,
Edward
|
Dean, School of Engineering, 1932-74
|
Briefly mentions football debt and attracting spectators
to an after hours event on a commuter campus. (page 5) |
|