A new (published July
2017) book mentions Linfield’s famous ‘Hartford Pipeline.”
The book includes
biographical information about Pipeline members/Linfield grads Rick Turner, John Lee and
Ed Griffin–
Classes of 1963, 1967 and 1968 respectively – outstanding basketball players
for Linfield. All hail from Hartford, Connecticut.
For those who love the
history of Linfield athletics -- especially if they are familiar with its
famous ‘Hartford Pipeline,’ which helped get Turner, Lee and Griffin to Linfield
-- this book is a “must read.”
If you don’t know of
the ‘Hartford Pipeline’, read about it here:
It’s a “pipeline”
between about Hartford, Connecticut, on the U.S. east coast with Linfield, more
than 3,000 miles away, in McMinnville, Oregon, on the country’s west coast.
Hartford high school grads attended Linfield. (The “pipeline” was between Linfield
and public high schools in Hartford. That’s high schools plural, not high
school singular.)
The book “Oh What a Move! Profiles of Hartford
basketball players, 1954-1984” is by Michael Copeland and Howard Greenblatt.
It’s published by Fox Hall Press.
Wildcatville bought
the book and read it on the recommendation of Harold Abrams (Class of 1973), a ‘Hartford
Pipeline’ member and former standout basketball starting guard for Ted Wilson
coached Linfield Wildcat teams. Abrams – a retired City of Hartford parks &
recreation director -- lettered in the 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972 seasons for
the Wildcats and is in the Linfield hoops record book for career assists.
Abrams
said, "Rick and Ed were my mentors. They assured me Linfield was where I
needed to be. Attending Linfield was one of the best decisions in my life. Go,
Wildcats!"
RICK
TURNER
==Rick Turner is included in Part 1 of the book, Championship Fever,
1954-1959.
During the summer
between seventh and eighth grade, Rick
Turner “played on a VFW-sponsored baseball
team. He got along well with his teammates, and he noticed that they were
equally as concerned about academics as they were about sports.
“They talked about the
kind of courses they would need to take in high school to prepare for college.
It made an impression on him that would influence his thinking about the
educational process, especially as it related to his community,” says the book.
An outstanding
basketball player, track athlete and student, Turner “had the desire to go to
college” but he “needed a scholarship in order to afford college.” No college
recruited him, the book says.
But, Hartford’s pipeline
to Linfield resulted in a scholarship to the college.
(Turner was the second
member of Linfield’s ‘Hartford Pipeline’. The first was Curtis Manns, Linfield
Class of 1962).
During one of Turner’s
seasons playing Linfield basketball, he and ‘Hartford Pipeline’ member Bernie Grant, Class of
1963, were in Linfield’s men’s basketball starting five. During their careers,
they both received all-Northwest Conference (NWC) all-star mention.
In 1961, an Oregonian sports columnist
praised Turner’s basketball skills. The columnist wrote that Turner “has to be
the most improved player over last season. At 6-2, he can operate outside or
inside, has tremendous spring for rebounds, is a fine shooter, and tireless.”
Turner played Linfield
basketball for two different head coaches. In his first two seasons, 1959-1960
and 1960-1961, it was for Roy
Helser. In the 1961-1962 and 1963-1963 seasons he played for Ted Wilson. (For Hal Smith, Linfeld track
& field coach, Turner was a NWC championship broad jumper.)
--Read about Rick
Turner at Wildcatville:
--Rick Turner and
Linfield mentioned here in the New York Times:
==Part 2, Fierce
Rivalries, 1960-1969, includes cousins John Lee and Ed Griffin.
Lee -- played
football, basketball and baseball for the Wildcats -- is a member of the
Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame. Griffin -- played football and basketball for
the Wildcats – should be in Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame, too.
JOHN
LEE
“There has probably
never been anyone in (Hartford) as proficient in three sports,” football,
basketball and baseball, as John Lee.
But what set (him) apart was not merely his remarkable athletic ability,” the
book says. “He was a natural leader and one of the finest and most genuine
people you could ever hope to meet. He cared deeply about other people, and his
sincere humanitarian instincts were reflected in the exemplary manner he chose
to live his life.”
In high school he was
a “superior all-around athlete” who was “eminently coachable, a player with
ideal temperament for competitive sports, supportive of his teammates,
respectful of his opponents, unflappable under pressure, and always willing to
accept instruction and strive for improvement.”
As a baseball player,
John Lee was one reason his high school team have its first winning season
since World War II and its first city championship in nearly 20 years, says the
book.
A highlight of John
Lee’s time as a Linfield athlete was in 1965-1966. He was the first NAIA
athlete to compete in national playoffs of football, basketball and baseball in
the same academic year. As a prelude, in the 1963-1964 school year, he became
the first freshman in Northwest Conference history to be named to three all-NWC
teams.
The book credits John
Lee, after graduating from Linfield, for keeping the ‘Hartford Pipeline’ --
started by Joe Beidler, a Hartford
high school coach who had coached at Linfield NWC opponent Whitman College of
Walla Walla, Wash. -- going. As part of that effort, Lee helped Ronnie Smith, Merle Lawrence, Stan Mason,
Lance Powell and Carl
Hardaway get to Linfield.
ED
GRIFFIN
As a Linfield student,
John Lee gets major credit for Ed
Griffin transferring to Linfield.
Griffin attended
Virginia State in Parkersburg, Virginia, as a freshman and was a starter on its
basketball team.
But, he left Virginia
State after his father died and returned to Hartford. He told the Oregonian in 1966 he went back to
Hartford to “work to help out my Mom and stayed out a year and a semester.”
Then, he followed Lee to Linfield, but had to attend Linfield a year before
gaining athletic eligibility.
Those who know Ed
Griffin as a Linfield athlete, will be surprised to read that he began singing
in Hartford’s Mt. Olive Baptist Church youth choir as a 13-year-old. But, they
would not be surprised that in addition to the choir he also played for the Mt.
Olive team in a church basketball league.
“There was nothing (Ed)
Griffin loved more than winning. It became part of his DNA. You only had to
watch (him) play a single game at any stage of his life … to see how embedded
wining was in his basketball psyche. He always made winning his first priority,
and the intense desire to come out of a game with a victory would stay with him
throughout his life,” says the book.
In high school Ed
Griffin was basketball all-state, all-New England, all-conference and all-city.
He was a Parade (Sunday newspaper
supplement) All-American 3rd team 1961-1962 season pick and on the 30-member Scholastic Coach's (magazine) seventh
annual News magazine All-American High School Basketball Squad. Oh, he was also
a high school all-state football player.
The Scholastic Coach article accompanying
its 1962 All-American team selections described Ed and another player as
“backcourt whizzes.” It said 5-11 Ed “sparked his team to the New England
crown, moving one coach to this unsolicited testimonial: ‘I’d put him on the
all-state team if he had his right arm tied to his side.’ ”
During high school his
team won two consecutive state basketball championships. Later, as a coach, he
would lead Hartford high school teams to two state hoops titles.
“As a player and a
coach,(Ed) Griffin was all about winning, and his determination to succeed make
him one of the greatest high school basketball players the city of Hartford had
ever known,” the book says.
Among his
accomplishments as Linfield athlete was twice making the all-NWC team as a
football halfback and then repeating on the NWC basketball all-star team as a
forward.
After Linfield, Lee
and Griffin – who had a tryout with the NFL Dallas Cowboys -- played for the
Hartford Knights of the professional Atlantic Coast Football League. Griffin
also played for the Hartford Capitols of the professional Eastern Basketball
Association.
--Read "Still A
Straight Shooter: Griffin's Philosophy Working At Bulkeley" by Desmond
Conner, Jan. 31, 1997, Hartford
Courant.
Story (link below) includes,
"Eddie Griffin, who once scored 70 points in a game, was one of the very
best basketball players to come out of Hartford. Using a combination of speed
and a silky smooth jump shot, Griffin led Hartford Public High School to
consecutive New England titles in 1961 and '62. He received Parade All-America
honorable mention the second year."
Hartford
Courant says Ed Griffin was a Parade All-American high school honorable mention pick. But, this
posting (link below) says Griffin was a Parade
second team All-American during the 1961-1962 season:
--Read
"Ex-Hartford Basketball Stars Still Lighting The Way For Youths" from
June 11, 1997, Hartford Courant.
Story (link below)
includes about Ed Griffin: And Griff, well Griff, he was the man. “Eddie
Griffin … ah, that guy Eddie … he was so good,'' said Walter “Doc'' Hurley, a
legendary player, coach and teacher in Hartford. “That guy was one of the
greatest ballplayers to ever come out of the state.'' About Ed Griffin and two
others: “Not only are they great athletes, but they're good people,'' said John
Wardlaw, director of the housing authority. “They're great role models for
young people.''
ERRORS
IN THE BOOK
All of this praise is
well deserved. This book is obviously based on much effort. Unfortunately, it
includes errors which would not have appeared in print if the writers had fact
checked their manuscript.
Among errors, the
book:
--calls it the
“Hartford Connection” instead of the ‘Hartford Pipeline.'
--does not include
mention of all members of the ‘Hartford Pipeline.’ In addition to Turner, Lee
and Griffin, the book mentions ‘Hartford Pipeline’ members Curtis Manns, Pete Dengenis, Bob Sullivan
and Bob Rafallo
(incorrectly listed as Bob “Rufallo”) as well as Ronnie Smith and Lance Powell. But, is
does not include the aforementioned Harold
Abrams, Mike Stelman, Charles Ferguson, Clifford Mitchell, Tony Ragazzi Jr.,
Billy Scott , Bobby Williams , Kevin Rivers , Pete Casarella, April Everett,
Brenda Joiner or Eddie Ware.
--identifies six ‘Hartford
Pipeline’ members as having becoming college educators. Indeed, all of them
became educators. But, not all of them were educators in college
-- incorrectly says John
Lee served as a Linfield athletic director.
POSTSCRIPTS
--Ed Griffin is a member of the New Haven,
Connecticut., Register newspaper
All-Time, All-state (Connecticut) boys' basketball teams and the Hartford
Public High School Sports Hall of Fame. John Lee is a member of the Linfield
Athletics Hall of Fame and the Weaver High School Sports Hall of Fame. Both are
members of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ed Griffin was nominated to the Linfield
Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and 2008.
Paul Durham coached Ed Griffin in football at
Linfield and was Linfield athletic director during the time Ed Griffin competed
in football and basketball for Linfield.
Paul Durham died June 22, 2007.
In February 2004, Paul Durham wrote about Ed
Griffin's nomination for the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame: "I will vote
for Eddie Griffin. He was really outstanding in both basketball and football.
His high school basketball team recently won a state title in Connecticut. I
know about his trouble on the Alaska trip but that doesn’t need to be
publicized. My quote about Eddie: In my opinion Eddie Griffin was as
outstanding a 2 sport man as anyone who ever played at LINFIELD! He was a good man,
likeable, dependable in sports, and probably a good student, at least I’m sure
he graduated & is a credit to LINFIELD. I don’t know much more except on
the basketball court he could run down the floor covering the guy he was
guarding and often end up with the ball. Never saw anybody else with that hand
quickness.”
In April 2004, Durham also wrote, "I’m 100%
behind the move to get Eddie Griffin into the LINFIELD Athletics Hall of Fame.
He was a great athlete in two sports for us, one of the tops in my time at
LINFIELD. He helped make me a better coach. Memory tells me he had a tryout
with the Dallas Cowboys and that doesn’t happen to every guy across the block.
And he coached a state high school basketball team to a state championship in
Connecticut recently.”
--“Dodging with Durham” sports column by Paul
Durham, McMinnville News-Register,
Nov. 12, 1958 -- 6-2 Rick Turner, a freshman member of the Linfield basketball
team: As a basketball player Turner is graceful, quick and “has some of the
moves and shots of that greatest of all Northwest Conference basketball players
when he played at College of Idaho, Elgin Baylor.”
--“Wildcat
Preview” by George Murdock, McMinnville
News-Register, Sept. 9, 1964 -- “Prior to the 1963-1964 school year, no
freshman in the history of the Northwest Conference had ever earned a berth of
three All-Conference teams. Last year, the record was shattered by wingman John
Lee, who was then a freshman safety (on the Linfield football team). Lee earned
his three All-conference bids in football, basketball and baseball. At 5-11 and
185 pounds, Lee is slated to handle the Wildcats kickoff and PAT work in
addition to his job at wingback which will require him to run, pass and
receive. As a freshman at Linfield last year, Lee earned his letters in
football, basketball and baseball. As a student at Weaver High School in Hartford,
Conn., Lee picked up an impressive list of honors. Playing quarterback on
Weavers grid unit, he lettered three years and was named to the All-Conference
and All-City team three straight years. His senior year he was named to the
All-State and All-American High School squads. In addition, Lee was named the
outstanding back at Weaver ball club. As a forward on the basketball squad, he
was All-City and All-Conference three straight years. He was named the
outstanding freshman at Weaver and as a senior the most valuable player on the
maple court five. In baseball, Lee earned a berth on the All-City and
All-Conference units for three straight years and his senior year was named to
the All-State unit. (For Linfield football) as a sophomore this year, Lee will
be one of three Wildcats called on to go both ways. He will see action both in
the wingback spot and in the safety slot. Lee’s natural ability, speed and
agility makes him one of the top backs in the conference…”
--“Dodging with Durham” sports column by Paul
Durham, McMinnville News-Register,
Oct. 17, 1965 -- “When John Lee came out west to Linfield from Hartford, Conn.,
in September of 1962 he told Wildcat coaches about his cousin back home in
Hartford who was a great basketball player and who that winter was named to the
All-American High School Basketball team. That young man’s name was Eddie
Griffin. When Griffin graduated from high school in the spring of 1963 he was
somewhat interested in coming to McMinnville to college with his cousin but
decided instead to enroll at Virginia State. As a freshman there that winter he
was a starter on the varsity basketball team but dropped out of school early in
the second semester due to the death of his father. Lee was more persuasive
when he flew out west again last fall, 1964, and brought cousin Eddie with him.
During the 1964-65 school year Griffin attended classes at Linfield,
straightened out his eligibility which was fouled up because of the transfer
rule, and became eligible for all athletics here this fall. Although he hasn’t
played football since the fall of 1962 when he was a senior in high school,
Linfield coaches know he had ability in the gridiron game since Griffin was
picked as the outstanding back of (an all-star football) game in Connecticut
the year he graduated. So, it made
Wildcat mentors happy to know that Griffin has decided to participate in both
football and basketball here. And now, after six weeks of the season have flown
by, the ‘Cat coaches are more sure than ever that they have a great one in
Griffin. So far he has played primarily at a defensive halfback position, but
more and more he will be used as a running back. Early in the Lewis and Clark
game he showed tremendous talent carrying the football and at 205 pounds he has
been very impressive as a blocker. Griffin, like Lee, can become one of the
all-time greats in the history of Linfield athletics. He’s rapidly getting the
“feel” of football again. He can “do it all,” both on offense and defense. And
he’s even better at basketball … At least Coach Ted Wilson hopes so.
--“County Clatter” sports column by George
Murdock in an October 1965 issue of the McMinnville
News-Register -- It mentions Linfield 62-16 football win in McMinnville
over Whitman in 1965 season. (Some records incorrectly show game score as 61-12.
But, 62-16 is correct score. ) One of the finest performances in the game was
by Ed Griffin “halfback who doubled as a starting halfback on defense. Griffin
got the Wildcats rolling Saturday night when he appeared out of nowhere to
intercept a Whit pass and race 54 yards along the sidelines to score. Another
time, Griffin race 33 yards to spark a Wildcat drive. For the night, the
Wildcat performer carried five times for 71 yards to lead the squad. His effort
bounced him into first place among the Wildcat ground gainers with 167 yards in
19 attempts. Griffin’s efforts earned him Wildcats back of the week honors.
Griffin … had to sit out last year because he was a transfer from Virginia
State. He attended that school during his freshman year. At Virginia State,
Griffin started on the hoop lineup and earned all-conference honorable mention
recognition…” At Hartford High school he was a two-year football starter on
offense and defense at halfback. earning all-conference and all-state honors. For
high school basketball he was a three year started and all-conference and
all-state as a senior. As a senior he was the most valuable player award
winning the Connecticut state high school basketball tournament and also in the
New England tournament. Griffin was “persuaded to transfer to Linfield” by his
cousin, Linfield student-athlete John Lee, and since graduated Rick Turner, who
played basketball and competed in track for Linfield. All three are from Hartford.
--
“Sportslightner” column by Salem Oregon
Statesman, sports editor Al Lightner, Jan. 18, 1966 – “Ted Wilson’s
Linfields weren’t really much in December basketball, but what an outfit
they’ve grown to since Wilson added the Hartford, Conn., representation to the
lineup. That would be personified by Joe Lee, the swift, high-jumping
six-footer who just becomes eligible after battling grade problems in the fall
term, and Ed Griffin, the chunky, 5-10 sophomore who was the football team’s
fullback until he suffered a broken leg … As a freshman, Lee had the
distinction of earning All-Conference accolades in basketball, baseball and
football at Linfield. Perhaps Wilson himself didn’t know that footballer
Griffin was also a spectacular basketeer. We accidentally heard of it while in
(Augusta, Georgia, for the 1965 NAIA national championship football game:
Linfield vs. St. John’s) and ran into Pete Dengenis there. From Hartford also,
and a Little All-American touchdowner when at Linfield, Dengenis extoled the
merits of Griffin, the basketballer. ‘Fantastic’ was a word he often used in
describing the youngster.”
--By
Joe Much, Sports Editor, Salem Capital
Journal, March 2, 1966 – Ed Griffin is the “Wildcat with the bored look and
middle-age spread. He’s listed as a six-footer, but looks two inches shorter
and a step slower … That’s until they throw up the basketball. The he turns
into a player who puts the “gosh-awful go in Linfield’s fastbreak, rebounding,
stealing the ball, setting up the thing and whipping murderous passes right
under the nostrils of startled enemies. When that isn’t working, the portly
soph transfer from Virginia State just fills the hall with soft little
jumpshots that get home in amazing profusion.” In the NAIA District 2
championship game Eastern Oregon College at Linfield in McMinnville, Linfield
won, 74-49. Interim coach Roy Helser (filling in for Ted Wilson, recovering
from a heart attack) “admitted some early agony in the game and his
thankfulness Griffin has come all the way from Hartford, Conn., to sample Rain
Belt basketball. ‘You shouldn’t be hasty about these things I know,’ said
Helser, ‘but this guy shows me more than anyone I’ve ever seen here. And that
goes a long way back through a lot of people.” EOC coach Bob Quinn said about
Griffin: ‘He’s unbelievable. I believe he could score anytime he wanted to and
I know he could against anyone we could put on him.’
--
Lee, Griffin Insure ‘Cats Future by sports writer Dick Fishback, March 6, 1966,
Oregonian – “(Cousins) Ed (Griffin), a 5-10 sophomore, and John (Lee), a 6-0
junior, are links in a chain that has fed Linfield a number of Hartford
athletes.” … The cousins “played their way through grammar school and kept
their close ties through the recreation programs. But in high school they were
rivals, Griffin played for Hartford Public and Lee for Weaver (high schools).”
After graduating high school, from Griffin went on to Virginia State and was a
starter on its basketball team, but left school after his father died. ‘I went
to work to help my mom and stayed out a year and a semester,’ he said. Then, he
followed Lee to Linfield, but had to sit out a year before being eligible to
compete in athletics. Roy Helser, Linfield’s basketball coach (filling in after
coach Ted Wilson had a heart attack) said of Griffin: ‘There are a couple of
things that make him great… First, he’s a terrific shooter and a good
rebounder. But what probably distinguishes him most is his ability to take the
ball from an opponent. He has the quickest hands I’ve ever seen.’ Lee and
Griffin can both “come up with great plays.” Griffin has “all the tools –
dribbling between the legs and behind the back, the dipsy-doodle layup and the
defensive skill that can drive an opposing team into a frenzy.”
--
By Bob Schwartz, sports news editor, Salem Oregon
Statesman, Oct. 23, 1966, edition – In the 1966 Linfield Homecoming
football game versus Pacific, John Lee scored TD on a 26-yard pass reception.
Ed Griffin intercepted a pass and was Linfield’s leading rusher with 49 yards
in 13 carries. Lee gained 60 yards on two receptions.
--
“Dodging with Durham” sports column by Paul Durham, McMinnville News-Register, Sept. 4, 1966 – “Three
members of the Linfield student body, from Hartford, Conn., traveled across the
country by bus from the east coast to the west to get to the local campus for
football drills. There were two
gridders, John Lee and Eddie Griffin, and an All-American of a couple of
seasons ago, now a member of the coaching staff as a student coach, Pete
Dengenis. They made the jaunt in three-and-a-half days and except for sleeping
problems once or twice, thoroughly enjoyed seeing the country first hand. They
made several friends along the way and Dengenis became particularly well
acquainted with a pretty young miss who unfortunately debarked at Chicago but
prior to that time found the Linfield man’s shoulder very, very soft whenever
she felt drowsy. But even some of life’s most pleasant moments are sometimes
tinged with sadness, according to Dengenis.”
--
Salem Capital Journal, Nov. 13, 1966,
about Linfield football – “The Wildcat running back has been somewhat crippled,
however, by the loss of fullback Ed Griffin with a broken leg last week.
Griffin also played defensive back.”
--
Column in Salem Capital Journal, Dec.
1, 1966 – About Linfield’s men’s basketball:: “The Wildcats this year will put
a pair of polished pogo sticks named Ed Griffin and Johnny Lee into action for
a reasonable demonstration of how the game in played in Connecticut. But the
two New Englanders may be quite yet a full cry, both having squandered the
autumn playing football.”
--
Honolulu Sunday Star Bulletin &
Advertiser, Sept. 24, 1967 – One of the reasons Linfield won its historical
game, 15-13, in Honolulu over the University of Hawaii was Ed Griffin. Story in
the Star Bulletin & Advertiser said Linfield’s go-ahead touchdown (11-yard
pass from Mike Barrow to Rogers Ishizu) was set up on a drive which was a
“march” of 60 yards in 13 plays. “The passing of Barrow to Ishizu and Maurice Okumura
plus the running of Griffin highlighted the drive.” Later in the game, setting
up a 31-yard field goal by Tim Kubli, was a drive in which “Griffin and Ishizu
were the main guns”
--
About a Linfield football, Oct. 2, 1967, Salem Capital Journal – “Then suddenly a small hole opened in the middle
of the (Linfield) line and thick-legged fullback Ed Griffin popped through. He
veered past two linebackers, then outran three deep defenders 81 yards to the
goal line.”
--About
Whitman at Linfield football game by Joe Much, sports editor, Salem Capital Journal, Oct. 23, 1967 – In the
game, “Ed Griffin used the occasion to run 140 yards nearer possible
All-American recognition in 17 carries. One was a sensational 80-yard scamper
from scrimmage on a delayed rip off tackle. The fullback Coach Paul Durham
thinks may be his best runner ever also caught a pass for a 45-yard touchdown
that required some twinkle toes and finished with 24” of his team’s 40 points
in the 40-7 win.
--
Salem Capital Journal, Nov. 14, 1967,
about Willamette at Linfield football game – Linfield QB Mike Barrow “pitched
out to the right to fullback Ed Griffin, while split end John Sadowski moseyed
downfield. Suddenly Griffin stopped and flung the ball. Sadowski had been left
so open that a decent pass would have sent him speeding to a touchdown. As it
was, he had to circle back and make his catch just 25 yards away for a first
down at the Linfield 39.” Linfield football Coach Paul Durham called it the
‘first pass Griffin ever threw for Linfield.’ Durham clarified, ‘Actually, (Ed)
didn’t throw that… but he got it there and it started us rolling.’ ”
--
Linfield Grid Coach Durham Pleased with 8-1 Season, Nov. 23, 1967, Salem Oregon Statesman – Linfield football
coach Paul Durham said, “In my 20 years at Linfield I would say that this
year’s players did more with their ability than any team I have coached. The
team just wanted to win and did the job. ‘Ed Griffin, Mike Barrow and Rogers
Ishizu were the keys to our offense. I believe that Griffin is the best
fullback to come along in the conference for several years.’
--
By Joe Much, sports editor, Salem Capital
Journal, Dec. 23, 1967 – Linfield men’s basketball played the University of
the Pacific (of California, not to be confused with Pacific University of
Oregon) at the Portland Memorial Coliseum and lost 103-78. But, Griffin shined.
“Ed Griffin was working a clever con act on his keepers. Then Grif made a
mistake. He added insult to injury. Pacific’s Fred Carpenter has this cute
little behind the back dribble bit and was getting away with it. But late in
the half, Griffin coaxed him into giving it another go, then side-slipped
quickly and swiped the ball for an easy lay-in … Griffin later frisked two
other Pacific guards for the ball and baskets” giving the “sizeable Linfield
crowd” thrills. Carpenter led his team with 22 points, but Griffin was the
game’s leading scorer with 26 (12 field goals and 3-3 free throws).
--
Salem Capital Journal, Jan. 26, 1968
about upcoming Willamette vs. Linfield men’s basketball game. Story includes,
“The return of Ed Griffin has added to Linfield’s fluid motion.” Jim Boutin,
Willamette coach, knows Griffin must be controlled because Griffin is ‘the key
to Linfield’s success.’ Griffin is the “lad who keeps Linfield in high gear
with his passing finesse and playmaking.”
-- “Dodging with Durham” McMinnville News Register sports column
by Paul Durham, March 16, 1968 – Gil
Brandt, Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Cowboys … of the National
Football League, “flew to Portland Monday afternoon and drove down to
McMinnville Tuesday morning to sign Linfield’s Ed Griffin to a professional
(free agent) football contract. Considered to be an astute judge of raw grid
talent, Brandt has picked up numerous football ‘diamonds in the rough’ which
were completely passed up in the pro grid draft …” In the column, Durham wrote
that Ed Griffin is a “truly great athlete. He is a competitor who performs best
against the toughest opponent. He has quick hands and quick feet. And in sports
quickness is about as important as anything can be.” Durham said Brandt was
convinced Griffin was worthy of a contract because of one of the Dallas scouts,
who lives in San Francisco. The scout stopped at the Linfield Athletic Office
and was impressed after watching Griffin playing for the Wildcats in a film of
the Linfield-Hawaii game last fall.” Durham wrote that he thought Griffin had a
“terrific” chance to make the Dallas team. Griffin is fast and “what we call a
‘glider’ when he runs and covers ground must faster than he appears to. When he
got out in front on his long runs (for Linfield) no one ever caught him. But
even more important in football than pure speed is that quickness that is the
Griffin trademark.”
-- Wildcatville guesses that the NFL Dallas Cowboys did not have
preseason workouts at Linfield College in McMinnville.
It’s likely Cowboys’ Gil Brandt (Cowboys VP player personnel,
1960-1988, he ran the Dallas scouting department) or his representative came to Linfield during Wildcat football
preseason and ran some Linfield players through workouts on Maxwell Field ...
timed them, etc. Bet Linfield players Gene Forman, a tackle, was “worked out”
and Ed Griffin, a fullback, too.
=Ed did not make the Cowboys team. An Associated Press story in
the Tue. July 16, 1968, Oregonian
reported that “Ed Griffin, ex-Linfield star, was among the 12 free agents cut
from the squad Monday as the Dallas Cowboys stepped up training (on the California
Lutheran College campus in Thousand Oaks, Calif.)”
=“In 1954, 1955 and 1958, the NFL's New York (Football) Giants
held their training camp at McCulloch Stadium in Salem, and in those six weeks
each season became part of the community. The players spent their nights at
Baxter Hall on the Willamette University campus and their days at the athletics
fields in Bush's Pasture Park.”
=“The Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns
used Pacific University facilities (in Forest Grove) for (NFL) football
training camps in the late 1950s to early 1960s.”
Photos from Linfield Oak Leaves yearbooks and newspapers mentioned in this article.
........................
Postscript -- Photo taken during Ed and cousin John's time at Linfield
Postscript -- Rick Turner mention in Paul Durham newspaper column
Paul Durham’s “Dodging with Durham” sports column, McMinnville News-Register
May 30, 1962 N-R:
Linfield track and field coach Hal Smith pleased with Wildcat track athlete Rick Turner, who did not compete in the sport in high school in Hartford, Connecticut. Turner is a “springy-legged basketball forward has twice won the NWC broad jumping championship. “Both last year and this he took the only first places the Wildcats picked up in the conference meet with a 21-7 after knocking off a blue ribbon in 1961 with 10-6 …Rick expected to continue to improve and post at least 322-6 next spring when he’ll be a senior.”
