Corsicana ISD to pay tribute to '63 CHS state football champions Friday
Nov. 1—Sixty years ago this fall, the Corsicana Tigers last football state champion earned its spot in community lore. Friday, they come home.
Members of the '63 Tigers will be the guests of CISD, its Board of Trustees, and Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost in the VIP portion of the press box during Friday night's season finale against Joshua. It is also Senior Night for the Tigers, with festivities for the current Tigers set to start at 6:20 p.m. on the track in front of the home-side stands.
Kickoff for Friday's game at Community National Bank & Trust of Texas Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. You can purchase tickets at https://www.cisd.org/domain/1939 and enjoy Senior Night and pay tribute to the '63 team.
The last state title in Corsicana prep history belongs to Jackson High, which won the last of seven state titles in 1968. Old CHS and Jackson integrated in 1970.
Led by captains Gary Roman and Jim Wood, the '63 Tigers went 14-0 and defeated Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, 7-0, in the state championship game.
The Tigers also defeated old rivals Ennis (56-8) and Waxahachie (40-7) that fall, and Palestine twice — 27-7 in the second game of the season, and 21-14 in the first round of the playoffs. While they scored at least 21 points in all but one regular season game, the Palestine game marked the only time they did it in the playoffs.
As the competition increased, the games got closer. The playoffs were only four rounds long in 1963, but there was only one state champion per class. After Palestine, the Tigers defeated another familiar foe in the area round, doubling up McKinney, 14-7. They rallied for a 14-13 win over Graham in the semifinals on a two-point conversion by Roman.
The only score in the state title game came on a fake field goal, when holder Rankin Koch completed a touchdown pass to halfback Jim Hagle.
The team will be treated to dinner and will receive a copy of teammate Ronnie Ward's book, "Run to the Green House," which chronicles that glorious season. They will be honored publicly between the first and second quarters.
1963 Corsicana Tigers
Class AAA State Champions
14-0
Season
Tigers 35, Waco 6
Tigers 27, Palestine 7
Tigers 28, John Tyler 12
Tigers 13, Jacksonville 7
Tigers 34, Bishop Dunne 0
Tigers 56, Ennis 8
Tigers 40, Waxahachie 7
Tigers 21, Cleburne 0
Tigers 37, Athens 7
Tigers 53, Terrell 16
Playoffs
Bi-district: Tigers 21, Palestine 14
State Quarterfinals: Tigers 14, McKinney 7
State Semifinals: Tigers 14, Graham 13
State Championship: Tigers 7, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo 0
Coaches
Jim Acree, Head Coach
Raymond Anderson
Jerry Moore
Jerry Matthews
Paul Slaughter
Players
Bill Allison
Jerry Anderson
Bruce Butler
Sam Cooper
Ronald Cottar
Mark Dawson
Donnie Denbow
Lonnie Elmore
Roger Goldesberry
Robert Graham
Jim Hagle
Bill Henson
Holly Holstien
Don Ivie
Rankin Koch
Rick Libal
Marc Maxwell
Johnny Nelson
Ronnie Rhoads
David Robinson
Gary Roman, Captain
Stan Rosen
Jerry Sheets
Cody Sherrard
Ben Smith
Glen Smith
Joe Smith
John Stover
Ronnie Ward
Chick Whistler
Danny Wilcox
Jim Wood, Captain
