On those North Avenue Insects

One Old Dawg concludes his regular season commentary with these remarks about the 1964 Georgia-Georgia Tech game.

“I can’t believe the Tech game is this Saturday, it seems like the season just started.  

I first stuck my hand in the Yellow Jackets nest in the 1962 freshman game and didn’t get stung, but 1964 was supposed to be a different story. We were the Cinderella team in the SEC and the Jackets were flexing their new wings as an independent, having dropped out of the SEC the year before. They had won their first seven games and then lost two at the hands of good Tennessee and Alabama teams but were still favored to whip us just as they had done the last three years and secure a Gator Bowl Bid in the process.”

It’s important to note that on the field that day for Tech was Bill Curry , who went on to play professional football and then became head coach at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky. Players like Curry made Tech a formidable opponent.

One Old Dawg continues, “It was a really big game for me as Tech was a big deal in my hometown of Valdosta. Four former teammates would see action for the Jackets and  several others at Tech were being red-shirted. Unlike my former teammates, I was not an outstanding player in high school.  I walked on at Georgia. Now I was starting as a redshirt sophomore.  I was wound up tight; this was for a full year of bragging rights back home.

"The game turned out to be a rainy, muddy, cold slugfest with a total of eleven passes thrown by both teams and only five completed. Georgia fumbled three balls and Tech fumbled five, but none of the players attributed that to the weather, it was hard hitting. The stats tell the story. Tech finished with 134 yards and Georgia had 191; Georgia recovered seven of those eight fumbles – all of ours and four of Tech’s.” Head Coach for Georgia Tech, Bobby Dodd , was quoted by Jim Minter in the Atlanta paper as later saying, “I thought we played well, except for the fumbles, and if I ever find a way to keep a team from fumbling I’ll get me a $50,000 a year job somewhere.”

On the front page of the Atlanta Journal sports section on Sunday, November 29, 1964, Jesse Outlar summed it up eloquently, “On a dark gray Saturday afternoon in Sanford Stadium Georgia’s Bulldogs tied a Sun Bowl ribbon around a rainbow season by pounding out a 7-0 triumph over Georgia Tech.”

 One Old Dawg says, “It was Tech’s first shutout in thirty-three games, and they didn’t go a bowl game”

Grainy newspaper photos from 1964 papers highlight several Georgia players including Barry Wilson (All SEC, Captain of the team,  Coach at Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Tampa Bay Bandits, Duke Florida), Vance Evans , John Glass, Jerry Varnado, Doug McFalls (All SEC, Chicago Bears), George Patton (All SEC, All American, Atlanta Falcons), and Joel Darden, Bob Taylor, and Frank Lankewicz made significant contributions on offense. Jimmy Denny, Wayne Swinford, and Leroy Dukes made big hits on defense. Quarterback Preston Ridlehuber (Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets) scored the only touchdown of the day, but had assistance from Leon Armbrester and Fred Barber getting the ball down the field. Bob Etter (Atlanta Flacons, Memphis Southmen) kicked the extra point. Mack Faircloth also received special recognition when he punted the ball thirty-nine yards and then acted as safety by tackling the receiver.

About this coming Saturday’s game, One Old Dawg has this to say, “This year the Jackets are buzzing into Athens and flying high with a 9-2 record and the ACC Costal Division championship. They lead the conference in offense, but they are toward the bottom in defense which will be their downfall this Saturday. Georgia’s defense will be too much for the high flying North Avenue Insects. The Dawgs will clip their wings. Swat ‘em Dawgs.

"The Vols let us down Saturday but the Arkansas Hawgs are on a roll. Friday afternoon put some duck tape on the D of your Dawg Jersey and write an H on it. If the Hawgs whip Mizzou we’re in the Dome December 6.  Wooooooooooe, Pig ! Sooie!

"In the August 27 post I quoted Zechariah 4:10, 'Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? Reducing our loss to Alabama from thirty points in previous years to twenty-eight in 1964 was a small beginning, but it was a beginning. A good ending has to start somewhere.  A win against Tech that year would mean an invitation to our first Bowl game since 1960; a good ending with a small beginning. Who knows what a win against Tech might mean this year?"

Grace Chapman, administrative assistant in 1964 to both Athletic Director Joel Eaves and Coach Vince Dooley sent us another photo, this one of Coach Vince Dooley at Moody Air Field. It seems appropriate to use it here. Because at the conclusion of the regular season in 1964, it was apparent to all that the University of Georgia Football program was taking off.