Hall of Fame
PICTURED: Left to Right, Front Row: Wayne Thompson, Tom Kennedy, Buddy Roberts, Gary Weed, Orville Adair, Jim Golden, Jimmy Jones. Second row: Luke Hudman, Mike Hamer, Brown Hardman, Charles Montgomery, Russell Cerrato, Charles Gibbs, Ronald Calvert. Third row: Gerald Entrop, Buddy Harp, Junior Nichols, Maurice Pearson, Joe Branch, Garnett Norwood. Fourth row: Freddie Glaze, Buddy Formby, Ray Tucker, Bill Canada, Johnny Hill, Wayland Lovell, John Goggans, Rex Fore, Carter Ashcraft, Joe Hart, Jerome Wesson, Charles Staggs, Joe Don Willis. Sixth row: Don Hubbard, Lloyd Gardner, Tad Krug, Jim Bivens, Charles Donaldson, Phil Jones.
The 1959 Henderson State under legendary coach Duke Wells won the AIC title with a 5-0-1 record and a 6-2-1 record overall. The Reddies outscored AIC opponents 82 to 31.
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Henderson had six First-Team All-AIC selections including Gary Weed, Joe Hart, Jerome Wesson, Charlie Staggs, Jim Golden and NAIA All-American Charlie Donaldson. All six players are current members of the Reddie Hall of Honor.
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Henderson finished ranked fifth nationally defensively and no. 2 in passing defense.
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Henderson’s first AIC win of the season came against Ozarks as the Reddies won 8-0.
Leading 2-0 after a fourth quarter safety, Don Hubbard scored the games’ only touchdown late in the game.
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Henderson would then shutout Millsaps 9-0 with the help of a 3-yard touchdown by Buddy Roberts.
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The following week in Magnolia, The Reddies upset Southern State (SAU) 7-6. Henderson would score late in the game on a Hubbard touchdown while Gary Weed provided the Reddies’ the winning extra-point.
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Henderson would then celebrate Homecoming with a 25-6 victory over Hendrix. The Warriors took an early 6-0 lead, but the Reddies scored 25 unanswered points. John Goggans scored a pair of touchdowns, with Freddie Glaze adding a second half touchdown run. The final score came on a Hubbard pass to Mike Hammer with 25 seconds left in the game.
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The Reddies avenged a loss from a year ago besting Defending Champion Arkansas A&M (UAM) the following week, shutting out the Weevils 21-0.
Charlie Gibbs got things started with a 13-yard touchdown in the second quarter. John Goggans added a 1-yard score, then Tad Krug intercepted a pass and raced 46-yards to pay dirt for the final score.
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In the battle of the preseason favorites, Henderson slipped past Arkansas Tech 14-12.
Henderson’s first score came on a Wayne Thompson Scoop and Score from 25 yards out. The winning score was set up by a special teams play as Tech’s punter was nailed at the two yard line. Charlie Gibbs would score on the very next play.
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The final game of the season was between the Reddies and UCA (Then Arkansas State Teachers College). Both were tied for the conference lead with game being a winner take all battle.
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Some 7000 fans watched perhaps one of the greatest games played between the two schools at Haygood Stadium.
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With UCA leading 7-0 midway through the 4th quarter, Jim Bivens provided what may have been the tackle of the year as he lowered the boom on a would-be Bear receiver after a punt. The receiver fumbled the ball and Wayne Warr was there to recover the loose pig skin.
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Don Hubbard scored on a 1-yard run, with Gary Weed again coming through with the magic toe to tie the score at 7-7. The game would end in a tie and the two teams would share the title.
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