Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame awards 1958 Oak Ridge football team
Even after 65 years, the accolades keep coming for the 1958 Oak Ridge High School football team.
On Saturday night, July 22, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame honored the Wildcats with the prestigious 2023 David Williams Significant Historical Achievement Award. The presentation was made before a sell-out crowd of more than 800 people at the Hall of Fame’s annual Induction Award Banquet at Nashville’s Omni Hotel.
While introducing the team, the most historic achievement noted by Mike Keith, voice of the Tennessee Titans and host for the banquet, included that the 1958 Wildcats were the first team in Tennessee high school football history to win a mythical national championship. He also cited the phenomenal success of the players later in life, citing careers in the areas of nuclear physics, architecture, and professions such as doctors, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs, and business owners.
He also noted that one team member served as science and technology advisor to two U.S. presidents and chaired the committee that transformed portions of some obscure internal government communication systems into what eventually became known as the Internet.
Forty-seven players were on the 1958 team led by coaching legends Jack Armstong and Don Bordinger. Seven of the original members attended the Hall of Fame awards banquet. They included Woody Barwick, Mike Brady, Skip Brinkman, Jimmie Culp, Howard Dunnebacke, Sam Owen, and Larry Richards. With other family and friends there to support them, the Oak Ridge team was well represented with more than 60 attendees from throughout the United States.
The honoree award comes 65 years after the team was the first Tennessee high school football team to be selected as national champions. The team led the state in offense and defense and had 16 players play college football, seven of which played Southeastern Conference teams.
Joe Gaddis, Oak Ridge High School athletic director, and Mike Brady, captain of the 1958 Oak Ridge Wildcat team, accepted the award on behalf of the entire team. Phillip Fulmer, former University of Tennessee head coach and athletic director, presented the award. Per Gaddis, the commemorative award cup will soon be on permanent display at an appropriate place of honor within the trophy area adjacent to the high school gym.
'58 ORHS team to be honored Aug. 18 in Oak Ridge
Area sports fans will get another chance to show their appreciation for the 1958 team’s accomplishments on Aug. 18. Members of the 1958 national championship team will be guests at a pre-game tailgate party prior to the opening game of the Oak Ridge Wildcats 2023 season and will be recognized on Blankenship Field either prior to kick-off or at half-time. Organizers of the Aug. 18 activities have had difficulty contacting many team members, especially those who were juniors and sophomores at the time and ask the public’s help in making sure all members of the 1958 team and their families are notified.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: 1958 Oak Ridge High football team honored by state Sports Hall of Fame
