PurpleNation

. Lufkin dunbar had won the State PVIL 3A championship several times just before playing DF in their last year before full intergration. Not only DC Nobles but running back Marvin Mills. Marvins brother Curtis won the 440 NCAA 440 , setting the world record and beating Lee Evans and another olympic medalist in 69. Marvin also went to A&M and joined his brother on the 880 relay team as a freshmen where they set the world record then also.

Lufkin Dunbar is/was the best team DF ever played. They were virtually a farm club for the U of houston and other colleges.

Driving thru the monsoon on the way to nacodoches we found it necessary to buy rain gear. the town was already sold out. We settled for heavy duty trash bags. One play stands out and I may have it out of context. I think it was on the try for two. Within the 5 yard line James Howell grabbed Marvin Mills by the face mask and drug him out of bounds. The penalty was only half the distance . DF held on the next play

and the rest is history.

Courtesy of Buntz from Smoaky.

I told you Bunzt would know lol

LOL you wasnt lying. I feel complete now. Always wanted to see something from this game

A notable link with the all-time PVIL 1st team offense and defense. As well as the PVIl players that made the NFL Hall of Fame.http://pvilca.org/athletes.html

still one more coming trying to figure out how to do it

Guys we stroke gold pics coming

Maybe I can help here. Give me some time to work.

That would be sweet PA. Not to mention it just makes Lufkin football look better. I have no idea why they nothing about the 43 state runner up team either.

Get in contact with Bunzt on there. He was telling me some things about the Daingerfield and Dunbar game. He did say that Dunbar was the best team Daingerfield played in 68.

Thanks bro I will certainly be looking for him.

The pictures of the link I posted was not Dunbar vs Daingerfield. I got that confirmed on smoakey.

That is an awesome idea...that will never, ever happen in a million years. I attended Lufkin Intermediate on the Dunbar campus in '79-'80 and don't think the history of the campus or it's origin was ever mentioned. I know that after that it was renamed Lufkin Dunbar Intermediate (I believe)or maybe Dunbar Intermediate. I think the chances on that happening are slim to none but I was being serious when I said it was an awesome idea.

Maybe we should email the new SI and push for banners to be hung somewhere at Abe Martin. I just think it is an injustice to just forget like Dunbar never existed. I think the sickest thing ever would be to have a alternate Dunbar throw back all-black jersey and pants complete replica of course tight fit new look with Dunbar across the chest uniforms. I think they would be extremely symbolic not only towards he black community but for Lufkin football period.

What makes me think it may be Dunbar is they had a black uniform with the stripe down the pants. The white helmet was a standard back then and it does look a Tiger on the side. You know it has been awhile, forty five years to be exact, the brain plays tricks on you after that many years. Dangerfield was the visitors for that game at the old SFA stadium too.

My grandpa seems to think it is Dunbar. What makes me think that it is if you look at the Dangerfield helmet you can almost tell that it it seems to have that trademark D on the helmet just from the portion that you can see. It did pop up when I googled Lufkin Dunbar. I wish Abe Martin Stadium would add the Dunbar championship banners somewhere on the facility. It is still a part of Lufkin football history.

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4934553553339373&pid=15.1

It will not let me paste the picture get an error.Maybe the link will work and maybe someone can tell me that if that Dunbar vs Dangerfield. Hard to tell but I went to google images and typed in Lufkin Dunbar football and out of a bunch of images I found this connected to some UIL Link and I cant see the helmet clearly of the defender on the WR but it sure does look like it could be that trade mark Daingerfield D on the helmet. Not to mention the WR going for the pass has on black uniforms wish it was in color so I could see the color of the stripes.Maybe PA can go take a look. I think it is Dunbar hope I am right.

It was exciting to watch Dunbar play because they played a more open brand of football than Lufkin, they actually threw the ball more and Lufkin ran more. Oh no, we went inside just like watching a Panther game, sat and watched or stood at the fence by the sidelines, there were lots or white folks that came to watch Dunbar play ball. Lufkin at that time had blacks and whites working together at Lufkin Industries and Texas Foundries and they knew each others kids were playing football and they would all come out to watch football together. Now, Lufkin High games before integration was a little more segregated although they had a black player on the team in 1968 They had a RB cat named Ray Harper in 1968 that could flat out tote the ball. Ray Harper was one of the first black students to integrate Lufkin High School was a record-setting running back for the Panthers, Ray also earned a full-ride football scholarship to Baylor University. Today, he's a businessman in Houston. In fact he is #3 and #5 respectively on the Panther all time rusher list with 1297 yards in 1968 and 1500 yards in 1969. In 1968 Lufkin finished 8-1-1 scoring 279 point and giving up only 102. In 1969 they were 8-2 scoring 179 point and giving up 104. Only one team went to the playoffs back in those days, so Texas High went in '68 and Longview in '69 based on our district loss to them. I think LHS would have competed well with Dunbar in those years.

This has been a real treat PA. Thanks. Hopefully we can get more people that can share as well. I wonder if anyone has any kind of pictures or videos out there they could share.

That is awesome PA. I found a little information on them how they won 3 PVIL 3A state championships and competed in the UIL 2A for 2 years. Losing to Dangerfield and then going undefeated in 69 but Klein advanced on penetration to the championship the next week.

What was it like going to watch them play ? Did you have to watch from the outside ? Was it like who is this white guy watching us play lol ?

http://lonestarfootball.net/team.asp?T=7237&S=1968

I found that there 2 years in the UIL 68 and 69 they where 17-1-2 and we all know about the 3 PVIL championships. What can you older guys tell me about Dunbar. What was the school colors ? How good where they ? Could they beat Lufkin back then ? Did they every play Lufkin in any sport ? What was the chances this could still be a HS today ? Like Dallas Lincoln,Houston Yates, FW Dunbar and a handful of others that refused to merge. I need help from the old timers. Any information would be great.

Abe Martin was here 7 years and what he accomplished here as a football coach was the best ever up until the time the stadium we now call Abe Martin was built in 1973. My uncle, grandfather and mother all knew Mr. Martin or were at Lufkin High when he coached there, they talked alot about those times  to me when they were living.  He like Outlaw had great influence on the kids but mostly the ones on just one side of the tracks.  Lufkin was about 5000 population at the time and media coverage was limited to mostly a newpaper or radio. Just a different time and different era all together. It has been 69 years since Abe Martin coached in Lufkin.  Anyone played for Abe Martin in 1942 and still living would be 85 or 86 today.  I don't think we should forget his legecy and time in Lufkin.  He and John Outlaw both left their mark of success on Lufkin football.  My biggest regret is our future kids will not get to know and play for John Outlaw.  Someday, 60 or 70 years from now, they will be asking the same question, Who was John Outlaw?  That is just the way it is, we have our time on this earth and we are only remembered for a short time by the people in the present day.  As we all fade away, so will the memory of those we honor  today to the generations who follow us.

My thought is we need to honor Outlaw in some way now.  Whether it be renaming the stadium or football field or indoor workout facility in the name of John Outlaw.

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Amen