12 Mighty Orphans...by Jim Dent

[FirefightnRick]

I'm sure many of you have heard of the new book Jim Dent(Junction Boys) has come out with lately and wanted to let you know that if you have a football fan in need of a great Christmas gift you couldn't do any better than this book. Dale Hansen did a story on it about three weeks ago. Thanks to my friend SUMG I have a copy now and have enjoyed the hell out of it.

Other than the fact that as a Fort Worthian I have really enjoyed the history this book gives on the city but it also gives insight into the life of Coach Rusty Russell who invented the spread offense with the Masonic team.

What gets me is that there may never be a bigger Davy vs Goliath matchup ever again than what the Masonic Home Orphanage of the 20's, 30's and 40's faced. The odds are too even now at all levels of football for anything remotely close to this to ever occur again. What brings it more close to me is that my 6th grade team played the Home in 1978 down in Burleson and the sight of their kids was something I'll never forget. It was the first time in my life that I came to the realization that there were other kids who didn't have it even nearly as good as we did. I'll never forget that day. Also, the Home which just recently shut down is located about 20 blocks from my firestation and I have seen it for years but never actually step foot on the campus. To think that at one time there was a team there that could easily draw an overflow crowd of 20,000 plus fans at TCU's Amon Carter stadium in 1932 is mind blowing. Not to even speak of what they did to some of the state's powerhouse programs of the day.

If your a football fan, get this book and read it. I can't wait for the movie that is sure to follow.

Rick

Edited December 7, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Thanks Rick for posting this...I heard Jim Dent on The Ticket about 2 months ago discussing this book and I thought "I should go out and get that." - but I forgot. "Junction Boys" was a great book.

[FirefightnRick]

I wanted to note that there were two players, Leonard "Snogs" Roach and Basel Smith from the 1938-1940 Mighty Mite squads that went on to play for North Texas after World War II, although Dent got our name wrong from that era, calling us North Texas Teachers College instead of North Texas State Teachers College. And there is no mention that we were in the Lone Star Conference at the time even though we were until 1948.

Rick

[pollock]

I just finished it a couple days ago. Great story. I had never heard of any of it until Dent was interviewed on the ticket.

The movie version is inevitable.

[Green92]

I finished it a month or two ago. Very interesting look at high school football in that era. Great read.

[GreenBat]

I saw a piece on Ch. 8 about a month ago saying it was full of inaccuracies by the people who played at Masonic Home. I’ve read Junction Boys and enjoyed it, but it was also full of falsehoods. I worked with Jim Dent about 10 years ago and he was a pretty good guy. But he was full of $hit back then. I’m sure the book is a great read, but please don’t take it as truth.

[Green92]

I saw a piece on Ch. 8 about a month ago saying it was full of inaccuracies by the people who played at Masonic Home. I’ve read Junction Boys and enjoyed it, but it was also full of falsehoods. I worked with Jim Dent about 10 years ago and he was a pretty good guy. But he was full of $hit back then. I’m sure the book is a great read, but please don’t take it as truth.

Reading the book it was obvious some of the stories are a bit exaggerated. It doesn't take away from the book. It focuses on the Mighty Mites during the depression era. Living in an orphanage during the depression couldn’t have been easy. Lots of interviews with really old people let to a lot of the information. Things tend to grow over the years.

[Guest JohnDenver]

Is the Bill Mercer mentioned at the school, *THE* Bill Mercer from UNT?

[FirefightnRick]

Is the Bill Mercer mentioned at the school, *THE* Bill Mercer from UNT?

I saw that too, not sure.

As for the innacuracy much of them are tiny mistakes, nothing the gentleman on Channel 8 was compaining about was of much significance in my oppinion. None of it changes the fact of the overall accomplishments of their teams during that era.

Rick

[FirefightnRick]

"12 Mighty Orphans" has taken the next step towards becoming a movie.

I wonder if I could secure the part as the Duck Mascot?

Rick