football

Sponsors of the Interstate Classic.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 20 September 1941.

Five Black businesses in the 500 block of East Nash Street took out a joint ad welcoming fans to the 1941 Interstate Classic — North Carolina College for Negroes (now North Carolina Central University) vs. South Carolina State College.

After the game, Johnson’s Happy Pals were playing a dance at Reid Street Community Center.

Offie E. Clark excels on the field and in the classroom.

Though his stellar collegiate career unfolded after Black Wide-Awake’s coverage cut-off 0f 1950, Offie Elliott Clark was born in Wilson in 1932 and graduated from Darden High School in 1950. His remarkable three-sport achievements at Atlanta’s Clark College are worth remembering and celebrating.

Clark played basketball for the Panthers.

Atlanta Daily World, 29 January 1953.

And ran track.

Tampa Bay Times, 15 May 1953.

And was a honor-roll scholar.

Atlanta Daily World, 23 October 1953.

And on the gridiron, despite having played only one year of high school football, he was an all-conference quarterback, who also ran the ball, served as kicker, and was a safety on defense. (He also was a member of Clark College’s modern dance troupe.)

Atlanta Daily World, 12 November 1953.

Alabama Tribune, 4 December 1953.

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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 502 East Vance Street, fertilizer factory laborer William Clark, 37; wife Katie E., 37, laundress; and children Romaine, 16, Elaine, 14, Geraldine, 12, Arthur [Offie] E., 8, Addie E., 5, and William T., 2.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1300 Washington Street, William Clark, 47, mechanical helper in guano factory; wife Katie E., 47; and children Offie E., 18, Addie E., 15, and William T., 12; and grandson Milton Grady, 2.

The Trojan, the yearbook of C.H. Darden High School, 1950.

Offie Clark died 16 March 2006.

Atlanta Constitution, 21 March 2006.

The Darden Red Raiders?

Wilson Daily Times, 29 September 1938.

The Red Raiders of Darden? I have never known Darden High School’s mascot to be anything other than the mighty Trojan, and the school colors were blue and white. I’ll have to dig into this.

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  • Coach Miller — John M. “Bing” Miller Jr.
  • Glenwood Bass — Noah Glenwood Bess. In 1942, Glenwood Bess registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 25 October 1922 in Wilson; lived at 208 Pender Street; his contact was Mrs. Clinton Bess [mother]; and he was not employed.
  • C.C. Dawson — Clarence C. Dawson Jr. In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 619 Green Street, Charlie Thomas, 74; daughter Sarah Bryant, 29, movie theatre cashier; her husband Willie, 29, bicycle shop repairman; and children Jean, 6, and Fay G., 5; daughter Beatrice Neal, 29; her husband Willie, 28, retail grocery delivery boy; and grandsons Clarence Dawson, 17, and Thomas Dawson, 13.
  • George Swinney — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 602 Viola Street, Samuel Swinney, 76, painter, daughters Ester, 22, a tobacco stemmer, and Gracie, 22, superintendent at NYA project, and sons Johnnie R., 18, “in CCC camp,” and George, 17.
  • Leroy Foster — in 1940, Leroy Foster registered for the World War II draft. Per his registration card, he was born 10 January 1917 in Wilson; lived at 303 North Vick Street; his contact was sister Carrie Highsmith, 1910 North 21st Street, Philadelphia; and he was a student at Livingstone College, Salisbury, N.C.

Darden High School’s football team.

Wilson Daily Times, 9 November 1949.

The members of the 1949 Darden gridiron squad were Eddie Best, Hunk McNeal, Herman, Hall, Bill White, Leo Dancy, Harold Darden, Charlie Floyd, John Wesley, Joe Tucker, Offie Clark, Bill Kerr, Booker T. Bridges, Fred Barnes, Jimmy Ellis, Clyde Speight, Johnny Moore, Ben Knight, and Isiah Ward. 

Everybody played both of the ball and subbed.

 

Darden grid stars!

Wilson Daily Times, 20 September 1950.

  • William White — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 614 Green Street, George C. White, 41, hotel cook; wife Jane, 38, hotel laundress; and children Hampton, 3, William, 6, Margurite, 14, and Lucile, 4. In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: William H. White, 15, and brother Hampton, 13.

The Trojan (1952), yearbook of C.H. Darden High School.

  • Cornelius Moye — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Anderson McCall, 30, mortar mixer; wife Annie L., 26, cook; and sons Feral McCall, 6; Fred Moye, 8, Cornelius Moye, 7, and William A. Moye, 5.
  • Eddie Best — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 406 Walnut, rented for $12/month, Aaron Best, 39; wife Estelle, 39; and children Rudolph, 14, Royce, 10, Harper and Gerald, 8, Eddie, 7, and Nannie Jean, 5.
  • Albert Cannady — in the 1940 census of Sand Hill township, Moore County, North Carolina: public laborer Albert Cannady, 35; wife Sylvan, 30; and children Lunia, 12, Harold, 9, Albert Jr., Graddick, 4, and Betty Jean, 3 months. In the 1950 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: on Lipscomb Road, Albert M. Cannady, 45, chief cook at state hospital; wife Sylvan, 43; children Albert M., Jr., 16, grocery delivery boy, Graddick, 14, and Betty J., 10; and granddaughter Amanda Farmer, 3.

The Trojan (1952), yearbook of C.H. Darden High School.