1956 Championship Team

Bottom Row: Clarence Newton, Max Bainter, Rob Wakely, Bob Clark,
Herb Heronime, Bob Hays, Veron Robinson.
Second Row: Jack Dancer, Jim Leonard, Jerry Watson, Ray Littrell,
Phillip Fast, George Hulsey, Jim Damron, Tom Fraley.
Third Row: Bobby Batten, Connie Brooks, Larry Mills, Jack Parrott, Eddie Kyle,
Keith Semisch, Ron Moser, Bob Ott, Carl Slayton, Larry Bowman.
Fourth Row: Jim Jones, Jim Culbertson, Bill Ott, Ed Freisburg,
Artie Smith, Don Smith, Gene Carrol, Lee Billings, Jack Wyatt, Larry Lippard.
Fifth Row: Wayne Hitckock, (student mgr.), Coach Jack Hartman, Head Coach Cliff Long, Coach Bill Jurney, Elmer Beck (student mgr.)

Coffeyville's First National Title Team

If Coffeyville Junior College had a theme song in 1956, it might have been "When You Wish Upon a Star." The school has had many great teams, but in 1956 it was fortunate enough to participate in a rare, magical Disney-like moment. The Red Ravens went undefeated and won the National Championship with a victory over Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the National Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

It was a year in which Coffeyville featured an abundant of stars, both in the backfield and the line, and all of them were aligned perfectly when the Ravens crushed Grand Rapids 46-6 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. To top off the team’s fantasy-like visit to the west coast, the players even visited the newly opened Disneyland Theme Park.

Tremendous depth enabled Coach Cliff Long to have three units, with the first two each playing roughly half the game and the third unit playing mostly when the Ravens were ahead. Each player took great pride in being with their unit and would not want to advance to another unit. Some of the best games were played on the practice field during the week when Unit 1 would scrimmage Unit 2, or Unit 2 vs. Unit 3.

They were small in size, but both of the top units had great team speed and were tough. The quality of depth was indicated as second unit halfback Larry Bowman was selected as the M.V. P. in the National Championship game. Nineteen of the 33 Coffeyville players were from Oklahoma, nine from Kansas, and two from Texas.

The theme for the Ravens was "one play all the way." On the first play of the Championship game Mark White returned a punt 31 yards for a touchdown. For being such an outstanding team with so many outstanding coaches and players, this will be the first team to be placed in the Lettermen’s Hall of Fame. All players, coaches, team members and team managers are included in this honor.

The National Junior College Athletic Association has selected the 1956 National Championship Team into the National Football Coaches Hall of Fame. This was the 11th class which was inducted into the Hall since 1995. Only five other teams have been inducted. May the memories of the Great Team of 1956 always be a part of the Red Raven history and tradition.