EDITOR'S NOTE -- George Plastrias sent this article for the Sports page. Want to be sure I credit the Arkansas Gazette-Democrat. His Wilson's article was a clipping of the local paper so had to retyped it.
They call themselves Wilson’s Tigers, and they range in age from about 78 down to 67. Their common bond is the fact they played football for Coach Wilson Matthews at Little Rock (now Central) High School from 1947-1957.
Twice a year, late summer and early December, they gather in force, about 100 to 150 strong. Most any midmorning of any week; though, you might find a dozen of them in Andy’s Restaurant, drinking coffee and rehashing ancient times. (They’ll argue two hours about some play in a 1953 game,” one of the regulars said.)
During Matthews’ 11 years as the Tigers’ head coach, they won 10 state championships and regularly whipped the strongest opponents they could schedule in neighboring states.
Wilson’s Tigers held their first formal reunion for their former coach and Martha Matthews, his wife, in 1985, 28 years after he left Little Rock Center with a 33-game winning streak to accept an assistant’s job on Frank Broyles’ first Arkansas staff.
Martha and Wilson Matthews are deceased, but the Tigers’ reunions thrive on. To this point, everything has been about the past. Finally, the Tigers are looking to the future.
Last week in the Letterman’s Lounge at War Memorial Stadium, about 100 members of the Wilson’s Tigers unanimously approved a motion by Ralph Brodie, seconded by Gene Eberle, that the organization explore the possibility of establishing a Wilson and Martha Foundation.
George Plastiras, a 1949 Tigers letterman with expertise in foundations and trusts, was there to outline the process for them.
Some time ago, Wilson’s Tigers cantacted David, Scott and Bruce Matthews, the coach’s sons.
“We wanted their approval before we tried to go ahead with anything,” George Clark said. “We found them extremely enthusiastic about it.
“We’re off the ground, but it’ll probably take several months to iron out the details,” Clark said. “We understand that about 700,000 organizations apply for tax-free charitable status, and the IRS is very careful about checking them out these days.”
“It’s too early to know how soon we can get up and running, or exactly what direction we’ll take,” Mike McGobbony said. “Will we award scholarships? Contribute to P.A.R.K. [Positive Attitudes Reaches Kids], boys and girls clubs, Y.M.C.A.? Help buy leather jackets or equipment for schools? Do all of those things? That’ll give you an idea of the sort of things we intend to do.”
A few months ago, one of the Tigers expressed it this way:
“You know all of us are getting pretty in the tooth and the time is coming when none of us will be around to tell people about Coach Matthews. But we ought to leave something for people to remember him by. I can’t think of anything better than something like this.”
EDITOR'S NOTE -- Bill Floyd scanned several copies of the Wilson Tiger story and wrote to Wally Hall and Jim Bailey about using Jim's story on the LRHS Website! He even sent me both e-mail addresses to write both gents. Wally Hall sent the following story to me via e-mail for use on the LRHS Website. Thanks to Bill Floyd you can read it here, too, and it appeared in the Arkansas Gazette-Democrat. Wally said we must credit the Arkansas Gazette-Democrat. If Bill tracks down ANY pictures they will be shown below!
Wilson Matthews died at 80 in 2002, but summer reunions of his former Little Rock Senior High (now Central) football players show no signs of fading away. Actually, they seem to be gaining ground.
The latest gathering of "Wilson¹s Tigers" drew 115 people to the Razorback Letterman¹s Club lounge in War Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, up about 40 from last summer.
From 1947-1957, Matthews¹ Tigers won 10 state championships in 11 seasons, dominated the strongest out-of-state opponents he could schedule, and finished on a 33-game winning streak. Matthews then joined Frank Broyles¹ Arkansas staff, first as an assistant coach and ultimately as an administrator.
At some point in the 1980s, about the time Matthews went on emeritus status at Arkansas, the Tigers¹ annual reunions became a fixture. No one is sure who came up with the idea, but a decision was made that Wilson¹s Tigers would store away a ceremonial bottle of wine. The last surviving Tiger would drink it, or maybe the final two surviving Tigers would split it. Details get blurred with the passage of time.
The late Jim Wetherington, a former Tigers and Razorbacks running back, was commissioned to buy the wine. In this case, "commanded" probably would be more like it, since the word came directly from Matthews.
"Jim didn¹t know anything about wine," said Emogene Wetherington, his widow, "so he asked a friend who was a connoisseur to help select it. It was an $80 bottle in a white box: I don¹t know what kind of wine. Coach Matthews put Jim in charge of it and, for some reason, told him to be sure and Œshake it¹ once a year, which he did."
Jim Wetherington also figured in a Matthews story repeatedly rehashed at these gatherings. As a high school star, Wetherington overslept one morning. He was awakened by a pounding on the door and a ³roaring voice² that any Tigers athlete could readily recognize. The player panicked and told the coach he had stayed home because of a toothache.
Matthews handed him bus fare and gave him the name and address of a dentist. "Go get it pulled," he said. "Right now."
After explaining his dilemma to the dentist, Wetherington said, "Please, you have to pull a tooth." The dentist, who knew Matthews well, understood. He pulled a tooth.
"The players love to tell those stories about how rough and tough Coach Matthews was," Emogene Wetherington said. "But eventually they all realized he loved them and had their best interests at heart. That¹s why these reunions have lasted."
After Wetherington¹s death in 1998, John Nutt became caretaker of the wine bottle. On Saturday night, care of the wine bottle was formally transferred to Igor Malczycki.
Wilson¹s Tigers also heard a different slant on Matthews from federal Judge Bill Wilson, who was a football candidate at Arkansas during Matthews¹ first spring practice on the Razorbacks staff in 1958. Wilson transferred to Hendrix College before attending Vanderbilt Law School. Eventually he and Matthews became close friends.
Wilson said Matthews once introduced him at a speaking appearance in Atkins, Matthews¹ hometown.
"He told them, ŒEvery talk he makes is better than the next one¹ and it took me a few days to realize that wasn¹t really a compliment," Wilson said.
Former quarterback Kermit Tracy, a main reunion organizer down through the years, said, "Coach Matthews has been gone two years, but I still half-expect him to come walking in.
"If he ever does, we¹d all be in trouble again."
EDITOR'S NOTE -- This picture was snail-mailed by Major General (Ret) Robert C. Hope '52 and Kermit Tracy '48 provided all of the IDs. Hope's letter and picture follow with Tracy's IDs!
Dear Ray
I am sending you a photograph of the Wilson Tiger Classic Race at Oakland Park held on March 3, 2004.
Kermit Tracy will send you the name of the entire individual in attedance. We had a great time and it was a silent tribute to Coach Matthews. This is an annual event organized by Buddy Matson. We hope you can come next year and be part of it.
Betty Brooks want you to have a copy of this race.
Robert "Bob" Hope rchope@ualr.edu
Bob Hope sent to you a picture taken last Wed, (3-3-04) at Oakland Race Track!
Here are the names -- left to right.
Lou Segal '56, Bill Kumpuris '52, Bob Hope '52, Louis McClure '52, Jim Stanley '54, Oley Rooker '50, *Bobby Joe Edmonds, Don Castle Berry '51, Betty Brooks '50, Ken Rowland '55, Buddy Matson '53, Henry Moore '52, Bob Fleming '51, **Steve Lehoczky, Dr. Ed Barron '51 and, wife, Bunny Barron, Marshal Gazette '55, Kermit Tracy '48, kneeling in front is Bill Hastings '52, Jockey's wife & son. Lou Segal is an Oaklawn employee. * denotes Bobby Joe Edmonds is a football letterman at Ark. Univ. and a friend of Buddy Matson, ** denotes Steve Lehoczky is a friend who comes from Hungary.
If you need anything Further please e-mail me at trac29ccc@aol.com
Best Regards, Kermit Tracy
Many LRHS classmates return frequently to honor their school, chat and see old friends, and Coach Wilson Matthews' get-together was NO exception on the weekend of August 26, 2000. Former Quarterback Kermit Tracy coordinated the affair. Bill Wright pulled out all stops to get permission from Assistant Sports Editor Wally Hall to use Sports Writer Jim Bailey's of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette story below on the LRHS website. Wright served as LRHS camerman taking, scanning, and sending several e-mail attachments of classmates which are shown below.
Former Quarterback Kermit Tracy coordinated the affair. Bill Wright pulled out all stops to get permission from Assistant Sports Editor Wally Hall to use Sports Writer Jim Bailey's of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette story below on the LRHS website. Wright served as LRHS camerman taking, scanning, and sending several e-mail attachments of classmates which are shown below.
To Top
The annual summer meeting of the Wilson's Tigers took place on August 26, 2000, at the Razorback Letterman's Club located at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. We had a total of 116 present which included wives and cheerleaders. After two hours of renewing old friendships and telling many tall tales (some of them true), we had a great meal. Pictures were taken of the 1950 Tigers team and coaches. Kermit Tracy then introduced Coach Matthews and asked him to say a few words and tell of some of his memories of the '50 team. Some of the things he revealed showed that we didn't get by with as much as we thought we did. The Wilson's Tigers group that meets at Andy's Coffee Shop every morning presented Coach Matthews with a duplicate sign that sits on our table: "Wilson's Tigers, Table of Knowledge." The meeting closed with Oley Rooker leading us in singing Hail To The Old Gold. We hope to see some new faces at our X-mas get-together; you will be receiving information in the mail within the next few weeks.
We had a total of 116 present which included wives and cheerleaders. After two hours of renewing old friendships and telling many tall tales (some of them true), we had a great meal.
Pictures were taken of the 1950 Tigers team and coaches.
Kermit Tracy then introduced Coach Matthews and asked him to say a few words and tell of some of his memories of the '50 team. Some of the things he revealed showed that we didn't get by with as much as we thought we did.
The Wilson's Tigers group that meets at Andy's Coffee Shop every morning presented Coach Matthews with a duplicate sign that sits on our table: "Wilson's Tigers, Table of Knowledge."
The meeting closed with Oley Rooker leading us in singing Hail To The Old Gold.
We hope to see some new faces at our X-mas get-together; you will be receiving information in the mail within the next few weeks.