Fort Worth Masonic Home Mighty Mites

[Antec]

They had a cool feature on this school and the Mighty MItes week on Eyes Of Texas Show on NBC Affiliate Channel 2 in Houston

Didnt know all the history about the school and the football team

[Hang Ten]

There is an EXCELLENT book by the same name written by Jim Dent (formerly of the FW Star Telegram. It is a great read about high school football of that era and coincedentally the likely invention of the spread offense!

[IHStangFan]

LOL...Mighty Mites.....that's awesome!

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by Hang Ten
There is an EXCELLENT book by the same name written by Jim Dent (formerly of the FW Star Telegram. It is a great read about high school football of that era and coincedentally the likely invention of the spread offense!


the name of the book is Twelve Mighty Orphans...it's a great read.....couldn't but it down....its amazing that some of those schools mentioned in the book are still power houses....almost seventy years later.

[Buffgal]

Very good read.

Depression era, many families having to give up their children to the orphanage. Actual photos of many of the kids, brings to life the relationship between the football coach and the kids. All they had was each other. Also, very interesting to read how successful many of them became later in life and how some never had a life after the Mighty Mites.

Can't wait for a movie.

[All out CAT]

It's really nice to see that some of you have seen and read the book. I posted about it right before this season started. I am a graduate form the home, 1993. We were labeled the "Mighty Mite" because were were typically smaller than any opponant we faced and still manage to go out there and scrap with the biggest of them. Throughout my days at the home we played the likes of Prosper, Grandview, Santo, Perrin-Whitt, Throckmorton, and Meunster to name a few.

I know or have known many of the folks in the book and practically grew up knowing the story before it was even a thought in Jim Dents head.

What was really great was the stories of them growing up at the home and how they lived day-to-day, much like we did when I was there. Just different era's. I used to think that hazing was created there. I know there are large families out there and you may have 4 or 5 brothers in one house. Well, look at it this way, I had about 40 brother's and many of them I still claim today.

The difference was, we didn't win the way they did.

[All out CAT]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
LOL...Mighty Mites.....that's awesome!

Yea, If you knew me you would see how we got the name.

I was 5'-8" (qb/lb), my fb/lb was 5'-4", wr/db 5'-4", both tailbacks 5'-8".

The line averaged 165 lbs and 5'-10". The biggest player was 6'-2", 225 lbs and played TE and DE.

[All out CAT]

.

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by All out CAT
Yea, If you knew me you would see how we got the name.

I was 5'-8" (qb/lb), my fb/lb was 5'-4", wr/db 5'-4", both tailbacks 5'-8".

The line averaged 165 lbs and 5'-10". The biggest player was 6'-2", 225 lbs and played TE and DE. that is too cool. had a buddy in the army.....he was 5'4" bout 160. tough little dude......we called him Scrappy as in Scrappy Doo. :D

[Phil C]

Originally posted by Antec
They had a cool feature on this school and the Mighty MItes week on Eyes Of Texas Show on NBC Affiliate Channel 2 in Houston

Didnt know all the history about the school and the football team

Antex I admire the Masons.

[Antec]

Wish yall could have caught the feature on Eyes OF Texas

The host person did a great job of interviewiing graduates and players

They showed a lot of tape and pictures as welll

you may be able to view it at www.click2houston.com

http://www.click2houston.com/eyesoftexas/index.html

[Antec]

They also said on the show that a movie may be made of it

[Antec]

Just found and bought the book on Ebay

Can't wait to read it

[coach]

its a great book and i love the story...i think that team had one of the best coaches in texas history

[NastySlot]

I believe I heard one time Masonic Home is the only school to win football titles in the UIL and TAPPS.


It is a great book by 16 year daughter is reading it right now....I couldn't put it down...finished it two days.

[Antec]

Are there two books on the home or the just one?

[nobogey72]

I just finished this book. "Twelve Mighty Orphans". That will go down as my all time favorite book. I am now obsessed about finding out more about those guys in the book. Lots of familiar names throughout the book. Of special interest to me was the name Myrle Greathouse, who was a very important character towards the end of the book. Myrle owned and operated Wes-Tex Drilling here in Abilene for many years, until purchased in the late 90's by Patterson Drlg. of Snyder. He just died here in the last couple of years.

Anyway, anybody that loves HS football would absolutely love every page of this book. I know that some of you in Brownwood can't read, so find someone to read it to you.:D

[All out CAT]

Nice to see you folks appreciating the book.

Yes, I believe in 1996 the guys that were freshmen my senior year won the championship. Hugo Ramos was a tailback during my time and became QB after me and won the championship with a last second pass. he was an excellent athlete and is a coach now down on the border aroud Presidio, I believe.

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by nobogey72
I just finished this book. "Twelve Mighty Orphans". That will go down as my all time favorite book. I am now obsessed about finding out more about those guys in the book. Lots of familiar names throughout the book. Of special interest to me was the name Myrle Greathouse, who was a very important character towards the end of the book. Myrle owned and operated Wes-Tex Drilling here in Abilene for many years, until purchased in the late 90's by Patterson Drlg. of Snyder. He just died here in the last couple of years.

Anyway, anybody that loves HS football would absolutely love every page of this book. I know that some of you in Brownwood can't read, so find someone to read it to you.:D


No Bogey...it is one of my favorite all-time books also....hey read one not too long ago...Carlisle v. Army about Ike and Jim Thorpe it was pretty good also...a new out call The Real All Americans: The Team That Changed a Game, a People, a Nation...also about Carlisle, Pop Warner and other Native American Players...saw it this weekend....was running low on funds so i will have to wait to buy it.

[Antec]

Got it from EBay a few weeks ago and just getting into it-finding time to read it

First part is very interesting so far

[RTigMom]

Great read! I purchased the book over a year ago. Very inspirational. Can't wait to see the movie.

[nobogey72]

Originally posted by NastySlot
No Bogey...it is one of my favorite all-time books also....hey read one not too long ago...Carlisle v. Army about Ike and Jim Thorpe it was pretty good also...a new out call The Real All Americans: The Team That Changed a Game, a People, a Nation...also about Carlisle, Pop Warner and other Native American Players...saw it this weekend....was running low on funds so i will have to wait to buy it.

The elementary school library where I went had a bunch of biographies of certain athletes. (this was in late 50's and early 60's) I read the one on Jim Thorpe about 20 times. I'll have to find the one "Carlisle v. Army" and read it and also the other one you mentioned. Thanks

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by nobogey72
The elementary school library where I went had a bunch of biographies of certain athletes. (this was in late 50's and early 60's) I read the one on Jim Thorpe about 20 times. I'll have to find the one "Carlisle v. Army" and read it and also the other one you mentioned. Thanks

I remember seeing the movie Jim Thorpe All American...with Burt Lancaster....when I was a kid...then reading about him...wrote a paper in junior high about him....imo greatest athlete ever......was mad when he was not name top athlete of the century by espn....he could do everything....was also a great ball room dancer.

[slpybear the bullfan]

There is just the one book and yes, it is "Twelve Mighty Orphans" by Jim Dent of the FWST.

It is very interesting reading and if you love TXHSFB then you would love it.

And yeah, evidence points to the Mites coach Russell as being the founder of the spread offence. Interesting things you will read in the book...

When Russell came to the school, they had to bet the opposing coach at their first game that the winner would get to keep the ball. The school had no money for sports and they practiced with misc. objects... after their first win they had a ball!

They petitioned the TIL (pre UIL) to let them into the biggest school divisions at that time... first A, then later AA... even though they were small enough they should have played class B.

They only played 12-18 players on the varsity team. Year after year after year.

They played and regularly beat larger schools like Highland Park, and Forth Worth Poly to the point that local schools persuaded the TIL to demote the Mites back down to class B. After thousands of Masons were enlisted for political pressure, they were moved back into AA.

Coach Russells playbook had 700 plays in it. No one is for sure just how many different plays he ran in a season.

The mites attracted quite a following during the depression. Crowds of over 20,000 were common during the playoffs... including one state championship game at Corsicana where the crowd grew so large the refs decided to let them come onto the field and stand behind the offensive huddle!

I won't tell you much more... just ask that you get the book and read it. You will enjoy it!

[icu812]

Twelve Mighty Orphans is a must read for high school football fans. Great Great Book!