Here’s a look at the worst season the late Lee Hedges ever had
Long before he approached winning 200-plus high school football games, Hall of Fame coach Lee Hedges, who died Sunday at age 93, went through a season at Woodlawn that could easily have defined his career.
It was 1960 and Hedges had coaxed another young coach, A.L. Williams, into joining him on the staff of the newly opened Woodlawn football staff. The two former college athletes took the reins with the vim and vigor only youth can offer.
That was until they looked at their first schedule provided by the central office. It included opening at West Monroe, followed by games against championship caliber programs in Ouachita, Haynesville, Fair Park and Byrd.
“We had a bunch of young kids, because the school district gave juniors and seniors the option of completing their school careers at the schools they’d been attending for two years,” Williams said recently. “We didn’t have a letterman and we didn’t have a 200-pounder on the team.”
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What followed was what you’d expect — a 44-0 loss to West Monroe in the opener in a game that could have been even more disparate. The Knights, who were being led by what would eventually become two of the greatest coaches in Louisiana history, didn’t win a game in 1960.
“And we didn’t score until the seventh game of the season,” said Williams with a chuckle.
The Woodlawn yearbook the following year had this to say: "The Knights did not know the taste of victory this year, but the youngsters had plenty of spirit. The gallant young Knights charged into battle with no past record and only one veteran — a transfer from Magnolia, Arkansas."
Hedges and Williams, who rode together to school every day, and spent more hours together pouring over game plans, questioned their own abilities after that campaign. But they dutifully put away the uniforms, folded towels and swept out the locker room at season’s end.
“I said, ‘Lee, you’ve been exceptionally quiet, what’s the problem?’”
He said, “Looking at this schedule, we might not win a game next year either.”
Williams brushed that off saying “surely we’ll beat someone.”
Hedges told his friend to point to a team on the slate that was beatable. Williams didn’t have an answer — but the Knights did.
The 1961 season opened with a win against Fair Park when Wayne Davis caught a pass in the end zone from Billy Laird with six seconds remaining for the win. Woodlawn shocked West Monroe winning a year after losing 44-0. The Knights would go on to win District 1-AAA in their second year of existence.
“We were small, but our kids played their hearts out,” Williams said. “Probably the best coaching job ever by a head coach in that era. After that, we were off and running.”
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
Lee Hedges services
Visitation: Friday, 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Funeral: 10 a.m. Saturday
Where: Both at Norris Ferry Community Church, 1509 Norris Ferry Road, Shreveport
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Did the late Lee Hedges ever coach a Shreveport team to a winless season?
