re: Shreveport recruits

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John David Crow

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Don't know if you saw him up close.
The most amazing thing about JDC is the fact that he had polio and has some permanent damage from it. One side of his face is paralized.

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Byrd est. 1924

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Some history for ya.
Byrd was to be opened as Shreveport HS. It was the first school in La. built for over one million dollars in the coin of the day.
Cliff Byrd was the old principal of Shreveport HS.
He never got to see it opened. He died in the summer and his funeral was held in the Byrd Auditorium prior to any classes being held.

The indoor swimming pool only lasted one year. A kid drowned during lunch break when no teachers were around in 1925. The insurance company told the board to shut it down or their premiums would be doubled.

Byrd, Bolton HS and Baton Rouge HS were known as the "The B's" of La. All built in the same era and dominated their towns in athletics and academics.

The architecture of those schools should be preserved.

I thought Byrd won a State championship sometime in the mid 90's?

Alright, perhaps you are not a douche. You have piqued my interest with your historical facts.

There is a very nice old school in the Garden District of Monroe called Georgia Tucker...it was the grammar school that fed Neville. The place was built in 1920 and closed in 2000. Sadly, the place is literally falling down. The apathy and lack of care, vision, etc. in Monroe is such that no one really cares.

There have been many classic old schools here in Atlanta that developers have converted to really cool condos. I have a friend that had a condo in one such old school. His place was where the gymnasium was during the school's existence and they preserved and kept the classic wood basketball court as his floor. Moreover, they kept the striping on the floor. The free throw line and the area "inside the paint (although there was no paint on this court)" was in his kitchen.

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JD Crow came back to give us a graduation speech a few years ago and tripped walking on stage and busted his arse. It was hard not to laugh.

ETA: homecoming not graduation

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Wade Phillips, what year was that? I remember the event, but not the year.

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Nope, Byrd hasn't come close to a FB state championship since the Korean War.

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dude, who cares? Byrd >>>>> Shreve x10000000000

That red brick against white trimmed windows is very common from the 1920s. A lot of those buildings were demolished because the bricks could be re used.

Shreveport elementary looks similar. It was on line Ave. NSU bought it and used it as a nursing school. Not sure what condition it's in now.

I'm from New Iberia. The old NISH was built in the 20s and had a similar style. When I walked through it in the 60s it was in horrible shape.

A builder offered the school board lots of money to tear it down and use the bricks. That was in the 80s. Alumni and historical folks fought against it. Not sure what the building is doing now.

Another interesting feature of old schools is the lack of fences. That's a recent thing due to security. In the old days there was no need for fences and the fence-less look is more aesthetic.

BTW, glad you no longer think I'm a douche.

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Don't know if you saw him up close.
The most amazing thing about JDC is the fact that he had polio and has some permanent damage from it. One side of his face is paralized.

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Yeah, I knew him when he was coaching at NLU. He could be a rather intimidating fellow, himself. I liked him.

My dad went to Bossier about the same time he was at Springhill and saw him play. He said he was very tough. Too bad he didn't play at LSU. It would have been something to have had he and Billy Cannon on the same team (at least for a year). The book says that some family friends had gotten wind of LSU getting rid of Tinsley, hurting LSU chances. Crow won Heisman in 57 and Cannon in 59. Two Louisiana boys in three years, not bad.

For "Wade Phillips": I found it interesting that Bum Phillips was an assistant under Bear Bryant at A&M when Crow was there. Crow/Jenkins mentioned him in his book.

Getting back to athletics. LSU baseball is starting up and I'm a big LSU bb fan. The first series will be against my old school, Centenary.

This kid will be one of the starters:

LINK

He was offered a scholarship to LSU but declined because he had an ACT over 30 and wanted to get a degree from a more elite college.

Go Fighting Gentlemen!

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Wade Phillips, what year was that? I remember the event, but not the year.

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2003 I think.