M Club Reunion

By Jimmie McDowell
Oxford---The University of Mississippi annual M Club gathering in August was well attended and former players were looking forward to the unveiling of Houston Nutt's 2009 Johnny Rebs. The general feeling seemed to be that after road games with Vanderbilt and South Carolina the Rebels could be ready for a series of home games with logical contenders. Let me say" Don't overlook the Memphis Tigers loaded with a half dozen or more red shirts who had transferred from other Institutions of Higher Learning to play for the Big Shelby Tigers.
Tall tales were told with such specialists as All-Americans Charlie Flowers, Jake Gibbs . Billy Ray Adams and Marvin Terrell recalling the good old days of Johnny Vaught's Glory Years from 1947 through 1963. I covered the Rebels in many of those games. Others chatting were Bobby Franklin, Ray (Buck) Howell, one of the Maryland game heroes, Buddy Allison, Most Valuable Lineman in the Eagle Day Cotton Bowl triumph over TCU,Vaught's alma mater, flingin:" Farley Salmon, field general of the once beaten 1948 team which should have been in the Cotton Bowl against Doak Walker, Kyle Rote, and SMU but stayed home with an 8-1 record.
Kent Jr. Lovelace was there but best pal Beaux Ball was a major absentee. Some of the Rebs attended Hap Hederman's funeral in Jackson including Flowers, Lovelace, and Possum Price, who was Vaught's favorite golf partner. In college Price had a bad habit developed when he was about 11. He was a chronic smoker. Wobble Davidson, the house Father, once asked Bruiser Kinard what should he do if he caught Possum smoking. Brusier, the All Time All-American, replied: "Don't catch him."
Retired Chancellor Rovert Khayat enjoyed being with his teammates. When he was named the top placekicker on the Ole Miss Centennial team he apologized to Paige Cothren, who was the first Reb field goal specialist, taught by Ray Poole, the master three point specialist.
Ray's widow Wanda was there with Sara Davidson, Wobble's better half. Wanda handled the sale of the Vaught house and acerage for over two million dollars and her commision was more than Ray's first 10 years salary at Ole Miss.
Ralph (Catfish Smith was there along with Ralph (Bream) Smith, who came to Ole Miss in a package deal with Buck Randall. Vaught called Bream in to his office one day and told him he would not play much at OleMiss and he should transfer to Delta State. Bream replied that the Coach had been so nice to him he could not leave Ole Miss.
It was my pleasure to present All-American Allen Brown the All-American Football Foundation's 40-year All-American Award as well the Eagle Day-Bill Wade Unsung Hero award to Red Owens at the golf tournament. Allen and Red, the master chefs for the great Golf M Club lunch, could not attend the February dinner in Jackson. Allen was
seriously hurt in a car accident, doing major damage to his arm. He still has not fully recovered.
Dr. Shed Hill Roberson was there and will return to Oxford this fall where he has been a graduate student, giving him the opportunity to meet eligible single ladies.
Tim Ellis who was the winning quarterback in Ole Miss' win over Notre Dame is the new President of the M Club. Athletic Director Pete Boone welcomed the group and played in the golf tournament with Paul Dongieux,who has moved to Oxford after many years in South Bend.
Sadly over 30 M Club membrers died during the past year since the 2008 M Club meeting including Pep Bennett, Bruce Bradley, Paul Davis, Charlie Duck, Gene Hickerson, Slick McCool, Oliver Poole, Pop Warner, Buck Buchanan, Houston Patton, Bob Travis, and Clayton Blount.
Ole Times are not forgotten. Look Away.