53 years later, Hall's high school records intact (Sugarland, Texas)

AP via MSNBC ^ | Oct 11, 2006 | AP writers

[Ready4Freddy]

Sugar Land star averaged 337.1 yards, 32.9 points senior season

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas - Every football season, Ken Hall expects a call telling him that someone has broken his high school rushing records.

More than 50 years later, he’s still waiting.

“I am surprised,” said Hall, now silver haired and 70. “We didn’t need to know at the time we were setting records. It was just a bunch of kids out there having fun.”

A lot of it.

From 1950 to ’53, Hall rushed for 11,232 yards for Sugar Land High School. His senior season was downright ridiculous — he averaged 337.1 yards and 32.9 points a game, also national records. His 4,045 yards rushing that year remain a national record for a 12-game season.

“It’s special to have those. There’s joy in it,” said Hall. “But records are made to be broken. I don’t know if anybody’s shooting at it. But if they are, hey, I gave them something to shoot at.”

Nicknamed the “Sugar Land Express,” Hall was also a track star, winning state championships in the 100-yard dash, long jump and shot put.

Now he shares a simple brick house in the Texas hill country with his high school sweetheart and wife of 50 years, Gloria.

They try to make every Fredericksburg High School home game, and they’re regulars at Memorial Presbyterian Church. Whenever someone asks Hall to relive the glory days, he patiently complies and tries to deliver a message along the way.

“I answer them, because if they’re bringing it up, then it has some meaning to them,” he said. “But I’ll say, ’I did set records, but I had help. You can’t do anything in life by yourself.’ And pretty soon, we’re talking about something else.”

[Ready4Freddy]

Day-ham - Sugar Land star averaged 337.1 yards, 32.9 points senior season

[Rocky]

Wow.

[100-Fold_Return]

Beyond legend! Hopefully, Joe Don Looney's history will come back to light.

[BelegStrongbow]

That is one sweet story.

[Skooz]

From 1950 to ’53, Hall rushed for 11,232 yards for Sugar Land High School. His senior season was downright ridiculous — he averaged 337.1 yards and 32.9 points a game, also national records. His 4,045 yards rushing that year remain a national record for a 12-game season.

Geesh. Those numbers would even be gaudy in Tecmo Bowl.

[whitedog57]

Joe Don Looney - the original Maurice Clarett!

[gumboyaya]

Bear Bryant misused him at A$M, and to his credit admitted it later.

[gumboyaya]

Opps A&M, now that was a Freudian slip.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

The only time my father took me to a football game was when my school "Aldine" played Sugar Land there.
He went to see Hall.

[weegee]

Houston PING

[weegee]

"I'll tell you what..."

[Ready4Freddy]

Heheheh, and here I was thinking it was deliberate... lol

[Ready4Freddy]

There ya go! Gotta have Hank on a thread like this! ;>)

[Ready4Freddy]

Look up 'wasted talent' in the dictionary and they have a pic of Looney.

Read an article a while back about Joe Don, said that when he was found face up under a cactus after his fatal motocylce wreck he had his helmet on. They surmised that it might have been the only time he was caught doing the right thing...

Hopefully, Joe Don Looney's history will come back to light.

[vetvetdoug]

The Fredericksburg Battlin' Billies aren't any slouches either. Fredericksburg has an excellent HS football program, as does Tivy.

[RichInOC]

Nicknamed the “Sugar Land Express"..."

No, really, they nicknamed him that? Twenty years before the movie? That's wild.

[Ready4Freddy]

Truly, 'art' (if I may be so bold :) imitating life, huh?

[afraidfortherepublic]

My kids used to attend school there 35 years ago, but the high school was named John Foster Dulles High School. They must have changed the name after this gentleman graduated.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Sugarland notice.

[SteveMcKing]

Great show, fine episode.