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The Panther
November 17, 1978
Champs Seek Bowl Nod
By Charles Anderson
Panther Sports Editor
Nothing would be more fitting for Clark’s football team
than to wrap up regular season play with a win over Morris
Brown on “Turkey Day,” something the Panthers haven’t
been able to do in recent years.
‘ ‘For some reason, we just can’t beat them,” lamented coach
Jesse McClardy.
Morris Brown is beatable. Look what happened to them
against Florida A & M (56-0) and Alabama A & M (36-0). You’d
expect Morris Brown to receive a thorough licking from a
powerhouse like FAMU, “But we could give them (FAMU) a
better game,” said McClardy, whose team is seeking a bowl
bid.
“We don’t want to look past Morris Brown though. They’re
going to be tough and ready to play,” he said.
That doesn’t mean McClardy and company wouldn’t want
a crack at FAMU, perhaps in a playoff game. Clark is the
Division II Champions and FAMU is Division I Champs in
the SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).
The main reason for the Panthers’ success has been the
Crunch Bunch, my tag for the defensive unit. Dallas has the
“Doomsday Defense.” Denver has the “Orange Crush.” And
Minnesota has the “Purple People Eaters.” So why not the
Crunch Bunch.
They’ve helped to keep the Panthers’ seven game winning
streak alive.
By the way, those seven straight wins have putClark in the
news more this year. It seems The Atlanta Journal and The
Atlanta Constitution feel the University of Georgia and
Georgia Tech still “represent a larger scope of readers.’’That’s
what Journal sports writer, Bill Bryant said.
Maybe so. But what was Bryant’s excuse when he
repeatedly misspelled the names of Clark’s coach and
players? In a Sept. 29 article, Bryant called McClardy,
“McClarity,” running back (Charles) Metts, “Mince,” and
linebacker (Larue) Letson, “Lester.” Bryant claimed he didn’t
have a roster. Any reputablei reporter would have double
checked
“Charlie Mac”Kicks 'em High
The Crunch Bunch has gotten a lot of help from punter
Charles McPherson, whose booming punts have kept op
posing teams in poor field position.
He looks like a ballet dancer. His right leg stretched high
above his head, his arms extended in front of his body, and
back slightly bent.
Actually McPherson, 6-4, 240 pounds, isn’t quite as graceful
as a ballet dancer. But dancing’s not his strong point. Punting
is. McPherson’s towering punts were crucial in Clark’s 31-29
homecoming triumph over Savannah State Oct. 21.
“It’s a defensive weapon,” McPherson said of his punting.
“It tires a team out when you can kick it deep.”
McPherson, who leads Division III in punting with a 48.8
yard average, can do a lot of other things well too. He caught
three passes from his tight end position for 5»yards, kicked a
27 yard field goal, and added four extra points. The most spec
tacular reception of the game was made by McPherson, a one-
handed grab for a 13 yard gain late in the third quarter. That
catch eventually set up his 27 yard field goal giving Clark a 24-
22 lead.
“I wasn’t supposed to be kicking field goals and extra
points,” said McPherson, “but we were having trouble with
our place kicking. The coaches knew I could handle the job.”
McClardy still feels McPherson could be a whole lot better.
“He’s a fine athlete,” said the coach. “Charles is beginning
to realize his potential as an athlete. He can catch the ball and
we’re going to throw to him more. Charles is a nice asset for
anybody — anybody who wants to win.”
Unsung Heroes
The Panthers didn’t win the title for the first time since 1974
on the performance of one individual. You’d have to obtain a
roster and go one by one down the list. You always hear about
Dwellie Hynes, Kenneth Standifer, Mark Brown, Phillip
McCrary, and Charles Cheeks.
Rarely do you hear of Phillip Goff, a freshman safety, who,
in his first game against Savannah State, picked off two
passes that set up scores; or Jerome White, Hynes’
replacement in the last two ball games. According to
McClardy, Hynes, who slightly injured his knee in the
Knoxville game, is going to have to show he really wants his
job back, because White has been playing superbly. “Dwellie’s
not just going to come back and assume his job because he’s
had it,” said the coach.
On offense, it’s been running backs Johnny Richards,
Frank Walker, and Charles Metts carrying the pigskin up
field en route to many touchdowns. Richards was the hero
against Albany State Nov. 4, scoring two touchdowns, one
with 1:16 left in the game to give Clark a dramatic come-from-
behind 14-13 victory.
Then there’s the offensive line, anchored by tackle Lamar
Smith. “If I had to pick an all-conference tackle.it would be
Lam#r,” said McClardy.
Charles McPherson, (85) is about to boot one against
Albany St. (Photo by Jerome Gwinn)
Renfro Scores for Blacks
By Kent Hindsman
There are few men who
emerge into the mainstream of
American life and engrave
their success story into the
hearts of thousands of Atlan
tans. However, every once in a
while, an individual emerges
with a remarkable character
and does just such. WIGO
sportscaster Othello “Chico”
Renfro is such a man.
Renfro was born in Newark,
N.J. in 1923 and later moved to
Jacksonville. He later came to
Atlanta, where he played a
couple of years of football at
Booker T. Washington High
School. After graduating from
: high school, he decided to join
the U.S. Navy, rather than
accept a scholarship to college.
Upon returning from the
service, he entered Clark
College where he made the
small college All America
team. During the summer
months he played professional
baseball in the black minor
leagues. He signed a contract
with the Kansas City
Monarchs and gave up his
eligibility as a college football
player.
“I never regretted giving up
college for baseball. I loved
baseball, that was my life and
I loved every moment of those
years as a pro,” Renfro said.
Renfro also played profes
sional baseball in Honolulu
where he became the “Jackie
Robinson” of the Hawaiian
Islands. He was the first black
to play professional sports in
that state and went on to play
twelve years of professional
baseball in the minor leagues
before retiring.
After his retirement from
baseball, Renfro began a
career as a sportscaster in the
Atlanta area, a career which
has spanned over a twelve
year period. Renfro is also a
sports writer for the Atlanta
Daily World and hosts a T.V.
program, “Chico’s Whistle”on
WTCG. Also, Renfro broke
another racial barrier by
becoming the first black of
ficial scorer in major league
baseball.
Belt Officiates
(Photo by Lens News
Service)
By Feltcher Peacock
Panther Staff Writer
When Valerie Belt throws
her yellow flag, fellows, you
better believe it doesn’t mean
caution. It means FOUL
PLAY!!!
Ms. Belt is in her first year of
membership with the Capitol
City Officiating Association,
calling the games on the field
and on the court.
Ms. Belt, a native Atlantan
and senior physical education
major at Clark, says she has
been involved in sports since
her early childhood years. “I
used to live right across the
street from a park and I used to
spend a lot of time there. I
guess that’s how I got so in
volved in sports,” she said.
There’s no doubt that Ms.
Belt knows the rules of the
game. She said she drills every
Monday to go over the rules
and regulations of basketball
and football. She also played
for her high school basketball
team as well as two years for
the Clark College Pan-
therettes. Unfortunately, she
hasn’t been able to play lately
because of her part time job
with Atlanta’s Bureau of
Parks and Recreation.
A very personable young
lady with a smile you’d never
expect to find on a football
field, the 20-year-old referee
said it’s not always easy to
control her emotions on the
field. “I had to keep myself in
check when I ran the chains at
the Clark vs. Albany State
game. I found myself rooting
for Clark.”
Ms. Belt said, “There is a big
misconception that physical
education is an easy major but
that’s not true. Many people
are not qualified for the field.”
She said there is a definite
need for more women in this
area. She knows of only five
other females at Clark ma
joring in physical education.