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This day in sports history

BY COLIN “BIG C” MACGUIRE

The Greenville Standard

 

This Friday, Dec. 2, will be exactly 56 years ago, day and date.

The first AHSAA State Playoff was played between Lanier and Lee Montgomery.

The game was played at Cramton Bowl. The week before the semifinal games were played there.

Class 4A was the only classification to have the playoffs that year. All four classifications had the playoffs the next year.

This was the second time, the teams played each other. Three weeks earlier, Nov. 11, Lanier won 10-0.

This game was for all the marbles. Lanier scored nine points in the second quarter.

Mike Kelly threw a five yard pass to Danny Speigner. The kick failed.

Randy Moore kicked a 32-yard field goal. It was Lanier 9-0 at the half.

In the third quarter, Lee scored on one-yard run by Jerry Fontaine. The extra point was good.

The touchdown was set up by a 50-yard pass from Tommy Traylor to Terry Beasley.

Lee had three chances of winning. A Traylor to Beasley pass went thru his hands for an interception. Lee threw another interception.

At the end of the game Lee tried a 55 yard field goal but missed it. Lanier was offside.

Lee tried again and missed again. Lanier won the first state playoff championship.

The next day, Dec. 3, Alabama beat Auburn 31-0 on national television.

Alabama finished the regular season 10-0 and were SEC Co-champions with Georgia.

Alabama was selected to play in the Sugar Bowl against Nebraska.

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