CLIFF KELLETT

When Livingston resident Cliff Kellett ’51 is inducted into the Schreiner University Athletic Hall of Honor on April 21, 2007, it will be a moment that will bring him full-circle.

Over the years, Kellett has given tirelessly to Schreiner, especially to the former student association.  During that service, one of his proudest moments occurred when his dream of establishing an Athletic Hall of Honor become a reality in 2003.

Bill Thompson ’51, who played football with Kellett, and has stayed friends with him throughout their lives, nominated Kellett for the Hall of Honor.

“Cliff really had to battle to get the Athletic Hall of Honor established— without a go-getter like him there would be no such organization today,” Thompson said.

When Kellett arrived at Schreiner Institute in 1950, his reputation as an outstanding athlete preceded him. His Galveston high school coach called him “the best small tackle I have coached.” While at Schreiner, Kellett played guard for what turned out to be the most successful Schreiner football team in a decade, with an undefeated home game record and an overall 7-3 season. Leaving Schreiner after his first year, Kellett went on to star as an All South Texas Conference guard at Wharton Junior College, and then as an offensive/defensive guard at Lamar University, where he graduated in 1954.

Kellett served in the U.S. Army in Korea, where in addition to his military duties, he played on the Korea Championship Team, All Far East All-Star team. When Kellett returned to Beaumont, joined Gulf Consolidated Services, rising to vice president before his retirement in 1990. In addition to a long, successful business career Kellett gave untiringly of his time and energy to a wide range of Beaumont-area community organizations including Boy’s Haven, 4-H, FFA, and the Young Men’s Business League.

Upon retirement to Lake Livingston with May Dell, his high school sweetheart and wife of 53 years, Kellett remained active in community affairs, continuing his work with 4-H and FFA, Lions Club, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Polk County Youth Rodeo Association and many other volunteer jobs.  Throughout the years, Kellett has been recognized many times for his work with volunteer organizations.

With Kellett’s 2007 induction into the Athletic Hall of Honor, which he fought so hard to establish, his dedication to the success of generations of Schreiner athletes has come full circle.  “This is one honor that I cherish very much,” Kellett said. “I particularly want to thank all of the people who helped me along the way.”

JOE LOVE HEDRICK

Longtime Franklin ISD football coach, Joe Love Hedrick will be inducted into Schreiner University’s Athletic Hall of Honor on April 21.

Hedrick graduated from high school in 1939, after which he enrolled in Schreiner Institute. Hedrick was a standout football player at Schreiner under the legendary coaches W.C. “Heine” Weir and Rex Kelly. After graduating in 1941, he attended Tulsa University where, playing under coach Henry Franka, he capped his college athletic career by playing in the 1943 Sugar Bowl.

After graduating from Tulsa with a degree in business administration Hedrick joined the U.S. Marines, and participated in several of the toughest battles of the World War II Pacific Theater. He was proudest of his service in the battle for Iwo Jima, during which he was both wounded and decorated with the Bronze Star for exceptional bravery under fire.

After the war, Hedrick returned home to marry Tillie Kunover. He earned his master’s in education from Texas A&M, and to begin a long and distinguished career in coaching for Franklin ISD, where he served as both coach and teacher from 1946 to 1985. Hedrick was head football coach for most of his career with Franklin ISD and, in addition, served as Superintendent of Schools from 1965 to 1985. He and Tillie had six children, all of whom are college graduates, and who have pursued careers as varied as teacher, lawyer, and engineer.

One of those children, Joseph Lawrence Hedrick, said his father would be really excited about being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor.  “He was very fond of Schreiner and the time that he spent there,” Hedrick said. “It was a very special place to him.”

A Schreiner classmate and teammate of Hedrick’s, Frank Crain ’40, remembers him as “a perfect example of a man who always addressed every activity with integrity, good will, and a genuine desire to improve his community, and to instill these qualities in the young men and women he encountered.”

Hedrick was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association’s Hall of Honor in 1979, and when he finished his coaching career in 1985, his teams had amassed a lifetime record of 247 wins, 119 losses, and 15 ties. During his tenure, Hedrick’s teams won 13 district championships, 6 bi-district championships, 2 regional championships and 2 quarterfinal championships. With Hedrick’s induction into the Schreiner University Athletic Hall of Honor, the memory of one its finest scholar/athletes will be enshrined at this school that he loved and supported throughout his long and distinguished life.

Tom Ball, Jr.

Schreiner University has named Tom Ball, Jr. to its Athletic Hall of Honor.  He will be honored at a banquet on April 1, during Recall, Schreiner University’s annual homecoming event.

When Tom Ball, Jr., '42 entered Schreiner Institute in 1940 he was already a celebrated high school football player. To this day he is remembered throughout East Texas as a versatile triple threat running back, who was strong on both offense and defense.

In his freshman year at Schreiner, Ball excelled as half-back and punter. According to the 1940 Recall, the team, under Coach Rex Kelly, began the season with the motto “Nothing less than the conference championship.” On November 22 that dream came true as Schreiner defeated Kilgore Junior College for the Texas Junior College Championship.  Of that season Recall states, “Tom Ball’s punting…..  was worthy of mention and commendations.”  He was named captain of the 1941 Mountaineers, and although the season record reflected four wins and three losses, Ball once again distinguished himself on the field.  After having his education disrupted to serve in World War II, he finished his education and went on to distinguish himself in his professional life, retiring as a vice-president with Paine-Webber Investments in 1999.

Ball makes his home in Houston, where he enjoys spending time with his two children and four grandchildren.

W. C. (Heinie) Weir

W.C. (Heinie) Weir '45 was Schreiner Institute’s head football coach and athletic director from 1937 until 1945. After that he served in a variety of other roles at Schreiner, retiring as academic dean in 1971.

Weir served as captain of the Texas A&M football team in his senior year there, wrote Sam M. Junkin '51, former Schreiner president in his nomination. “When his leg was broken in a game, the A&M coach told the student body to be ready, that someone might be called from the stands during the game. Hence was born the 12th man tradition,” wrote Junkin. He went on the say, “In many ways, Coach Weir was a stern man, one who did not rest easy with what he considered ‘nonsense.’ But, he was respected and he served Schreiner admirably.”

William G. Gillis Jr.

William G. Gillis, Jr., '37 distinguished himself while at Schreiner Institute having been Best All-Around Cadet, a football and track letterman, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa. He was from Cameron, Texas.

Maj. Gillis '41 went on to glory at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, where he was a cadet lieutenant, captain of the 1940 football team and a three-year track letterman.

He was killed in action October 1, 1944 in Gremercy Forest in France during WW II. When he died Gillis was married to Lenore Riley Mudge '37.  Gillis received the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, Distinguished Service Order (British), Croix De Guerre, Silver Gilt and Vermillion Stars (French).  As a testament to his popularity and the legacy he left behind, West Point dedicated the Gillis Field House in his memory in 1989.

Rex Kelly

Rex Kelly '52 coached track and football and taught Spanish at Schreiner Institute from 1935 to 1952.

Sam Junkin '51, who nominated Kelly, said, “Rex was an outstanding track coach, but an even better friend. Often a friend to the least likely. Many are the stories of the young men Rex ’adopted’ when all others had given up. I have heard of those the administration voted to suspend, only for Rex to ask that they be given one more chance and that he be given responsibility.  After his service to Schreiner, Rex became and full-time rancher, but he kept up his relationships to his athletes and other Schreiner students. He was a rare and wonderful man.”

Schreiner University has announced its 2004 Athletic Hall of Honor inductees. They are John R. "Bob" Bowmer '53, the late H.C. "Bully" Gilstrap, the late Donald "Red" Richardson '51 and Donald W. Suman, Sr. '38.

Schreiner will honor the inductees, along with two Distinguished Alumni, during a recognition banquet at 6 p.m. April 1 at the Floyd A. and Kathleen C. Cailloux Campus Activity Center. The public is invited to attend. Cost is $40 per person- call (830) 792-7201.

The keynote speaker at the banquet will be Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association and Baylor's all-time winningest coach. Teaff was head football coach at Baylor for 21 years, leading the Bears to Southwest Conference titles in 1974 and 1980.

Schreiner created the Athletic Hall of Honor in 2003 to celebrate former students' athletic achievements during their years at Schreiner and afterward.

John R. "Bob" Bowmer

Bowmer was quarterback at Schreiner for two years, leading the team to 6-4 and 5-4-1 records. He was selected twice as All Conference and All State Quarterback. He also played tennis at Schreiner, and was No. 1 in doubles and No. 2 in singles.

Bowmer then played football for the University of Texas for two years before serving two years in the U.S. Army. He then earned his bachelor's degree in geology from Midwestern State University. He worked for Shell Oil for almost eight years before being offered a position with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in 1967. Today, he is a vice president and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley.

Gilstrap played football, basketball and ran track at the University of Texas from 1921 to 1923. In 1925, he was named the head coach of a young Schreiner football team. He built the team into one of the state's top junior college powers. The highlight of his 12 years at Schreiner was winning the state junior college football championship in 1935.

H.C. "Bully" Gilstrap

In 1937, Gilstrap was hired as an assistant football coach at UT. He coached football at UT for 20 years. In addition, he coached basketball at UT for three years, compiling a 43-28 record and leading his team to the Southwest Conference basketball co-championship and to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Tournament.

Gilstrap retired from coaching in 1956 and became a physical-training instructor at UT until retiring in the early 1970s. He was voted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1968. He died in 1989 at the age of 87.

Donald "Red" Richardson

Richardson was a punter for the Schreiner football team, earning the All-Pioneer Conference punting crown in 1950. He also assisted the Schreiner track team to an undefeated year in 1950, taking first place in the high jump, placing second in the broad jump and running a leg on the championship 440-yard relay team. After graduating from Schreiner, he attended Alabama University.

Richardson's love for sports continued into his adulthood‹he played semi-pro football, softball and basketball; he coached a semi-pro women's basketball team; and he officiated football, basketball and baseball. He died in 1984.

Donald W. Suman, Sr.

Suman was first team All-State in football at Schreiner in 1938 and second team All-State in basketball that same year. He then played football and basketball at Rice before leaving at the end of his junior year to enter the U.S. Air Force. While at the second stage of his pilot training, he injured his knee and was given an Honorable Medical Discharge.

Suman returned to Rice and graduated in 1944. He then worked for Rice, eventually becoming the assistant basketball coach in 1947 and head basketball coach in 1949. In 1954, his team won the Southwest Conference Championship, with a 23-5 record. That same year he was named Outstanding Coach of the Year in the Southwest Conference.

After coaching for 10 years at Rice, he went to work for an American League Professional football team for three years and then joined John L. Wortham and Son Fire and Casualty Insurance Agency, where he remained for 22 years until his retirement in 1985.

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