Faculty & Staff
1952 Basketball Eastern District Champions

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Woodrow Wilson
High School
Portsmouth, Virginia
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web pages designed and maintained 
by  John "Eddie" Lee class of '68
The pictures are as represented in the Woodrow Wilson High School, Portsmouth, Virginia yearbook or annual of the year indicated on the page.  The Memory pictures may not be complete and pictures and names may have been removed by request of the person involved. Also, it does not offically indicate the year of graduation and/or that the party in question graduated. This section of the website is dedicated to the memories of all alumni and are found in personal items that alumni have saved and were kind enough to allow it to be shared with others.  Thank You. If you are not represented in your class, or have other pictures for the memories section you may submit a photo to be added.  John “Eddie” Lee ’68.



1952 Class Roster
Football Pic
Basketball Pic
FOOTBALL
BASKETBALL
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Basketball . . .  District
  Champions . . . again!
SEASON'S  RECORD
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48
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52
49
64
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61
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61
39
33
62
37
80
75
70


37


54
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47
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34
27
48
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53
63
Norfolk Academy
South Norfolk
Lynchburg
Maury
Newport News
Norview
Granby
Warwick
Hampton
South Norfolk
Cradock
Norview
Granby
Newport News
Hampton
Maury
Cradock
Warwick
Norfolk Academy

District Play-Off
Newport News

State Tournament
Lynchburg
Washington & Lee
Coach McClurg is carried from floor after Newport News victory.
Curry
Dalton
Beards off after Typhoon victory
Moynithan
Myers
Daniels
Kneeling:  Ireland, Myers, Sidwell, Coach                                 McClurg, Curry, Moynihan, Key,                           Clark
Back:  Dalton, Mason, Slaughter, Daniels,                          Hutchinson, Walker
Qast, Landers -- Managers
Clark
(1)  Knowles, Riley -- Managers
(2)  Male, Skeeter, Kidd, Campbell, Lee,         Smith, Taylor
(3)  Cummins, Baily, Johnson, Keel,              Williams, Leonard, Coach Mills
(4)  White, Martin, Severin, Bruce,                 Rakestraw
Football . . . seven points
                                                     away from title
  When Coach Gray greeted the initial turnout of football candidates for 1951, among them were thirteen lettermen back from the 1950 edition of the Fighting Presidents. It was from these tested performers that the Prexie coaching staff formed the nucleus of this year’s successful team.
   Leading the array of lettermen was big Jerry Mingis, who made just about everybody’s all star team at his tackle post. Running with Mingis at the tackle position was Jimmy Wynn, a rugged 190 pounder who has one more season of eligibility left. The guard positions were so well manned by J. W. Frankos, Tommy Stearns, Dick Joumee and James Parrish that Steams was switched to center, where he stood out as a linebacker all year. This left Frankos, a three year man, and Journee and Parrish to stop the opponents up the middle, which they did very capably.
   At the ends were Cully Dalton, Carter Wiggins and Bob- by Bunting. These three boys bore the brunt of the end play all year, and certainly deserve credit for their aggressive and hard play. Wiggins was also honored in making many all star teams.
   In the backfield the only lettermen were Jessel Curry, Blackwell Jackson, James Henderson and George Riggs. Curry was the offensive sparkplug all year at quarterback. His flashy passing, running and kicking brought him All State honors, along with Mingis and Wiggins. Jackson, al- though plagued by injuries at the first of the season, came back strong at the fullback slot. Rounding out the list of lettermen were Henderson and Riggs, who were outstanding halfbacks all year, with Henderson coming into his own late in the season.

Co-Caps Jerry Mingis and Cully Dalton
 talk over game strategy.
   The 1951 football season brought many thrilling moments as well as a few sad ones. The upset win over Lynchburg’s Hilltoppers, which stamped us as a state power, was quite a surprise to local sportswriters, who wrote that we would be lucky if we won four games all season. This, of course, was said before the schedule started, but once the ‘Passing Prexies’ got under way the writers climbed the Wilson bandwagon.
   After almost a month of drilling in the hot sun under the watch of head Coach Woody Gray and his assistants, Charley McClurg, George Davis and Pete Mills, the Prexies were ready for their opener with the South Norfolk Tigers. It was expected to be a fairly close game, but proved otherwise as the Orange and Blue won 34-13. It was in this game that the locals were branded the “Passing Prexies” as Jessel Curry connected for two touchdowns with passes to end. Carter Wiggins.
   The Presidents traveled to Newport News for their fifth contest. After the opening kickoff, the Prexies got their only scoring chance of the night, and took advantage of it to gain a 6-0 victory. Continually pushed back into their own territory, the forward wall of Wilson managed to rise to the occasion each time.
Mills - backfield, Gray - head coach,

McClurg - line, Davis - ends and centers.
   Continuing their winning ways, the Presidents traveled to Petersburg and whipped the Crimson Wave soundly, 26-0. The Orange and Blue drove to a touchdown the first time they got the ball, with the forward wall opening gaping holes for the Wilson backs. This quick score seemed to break the spirit of the Crimson Wave because they didn’t threaten until the last quarter.
1st Row: Managers - Walker, Areford, Morgan, Gould, Pollard, Gartmann, Winslow, Nimroff. 2nd Row: Wynn, Curry, Bunting, Dalton, Parrish, Stearns, Journee, Mingis, Henderson, Riggs, Lee. 3rd Row: McClurg - Assistant Coach, Browning, Smith, Topping, Tayloe, Riley, Knowles, Jackson, Blosser, Archer, Haythe, Buttler, Oast, Gray, Head Coach. 4th Row: Davis, Assistant Coach, Moynihan, Beale, Cummins, Mason, Peterson, Meginley, Montague, Framkos, Rose, Miller, Landers, Madigan, Mills - Assistant Coach. 5th Row: Richetts, Carpenito, Groce, Sanderlin, Slaughter, Wiggins, Sykes, Gaffos, Strickland, Richards, Sidwell, Dinmark.

Parrish - Guard
Curry- Quarterback
Henderson - Halfback
Riggs - Halfback
   Returning to home soil, the Prexies started preparing for the visit of the
Maury Commodores to Portsmouth. They never got here, however, as a continuous torrent of rain made the field a complete sea of mud on the day of the game, as well as the following day. Consequently the game was cancelled.
   Next came the showdown with Hopewell’s Blue Devils, undefeated in 29
straight games. The Prexie’s champion-ship hopes all hung on downing the Blue Devils. An added incentive was that it was Wilson’s Homecoming. Over 18,000 fans saw Hopewell win a close 20-13 decision. Almost everyone present agreed the Devils had the best team, and that the Prexies were gallant in defeat. Moving to Norfolk to meet Granby’s Blue Comets, the Presidents came home with a squeaky 17-13 victory. Trailing in the third quarter, Curry returned a punt 75 yards for the winning touchdown.
    The game was played in a driving rain storm. The last game featured a Thanks-giving clash between the Prexies and the Cradock Admirals. Led by Mickey Riggs, one of the state’s finest backs, the Admirals had high hopes of upsetting the Prexies. They saw their dream blasted, 20-7, as the Graymen won the hard fought contest.
Jean - End
Journee - Guar
Peterson - Tackle
Blosser - Center
Stearns - Center
Browning - Center
Gaffos - End 
Sykes - Guard
Co-Capt. Mingis - Tackle
Strickland - Guard
Frankos - Guard
Co-Capt. Dalton - End
Wiggins - End
Wynn - Tackle
Sanderlin - Center
Jackson - Fullback
Topping - Quarterback 
Richards - Halfback
 Slaughter - Tackle
SEASON’S RECORD
Wilson 34                              South Norfolk             13 
Wilson 20                             Lynchburg                     0 
Wilson 42                             Baltimore City College 0 
Wilson 34                               Arlington                     7 
Wilson   6                            Newport News               0
Oast - Center

Butler - Fullback

Madigan - Halfback
Moynihan - Halfback
Smith - Fullback
"Rain brings relief from scrimmage".
SEASON’S RECORD
Wilson 26                                        Petersburg 0
Wilson Maury Rained Out 
Wilson 13                                       Hopewell 20 
 Wilson 17                                          Granby  13 
Wilson 20                                           Cradock 7
                                   theirs is a thankless job
Managers . . . 
Managers - 
1st row - Pollard, Garrison
2nd row - Nimeroff, Morgan, Gould,
Winslow
3rd row - Dinzes, Powell, Gartmann,
Walker, Areford
Miller - Guard
Meginley - End
Front: Dalton, Wynn, Jackson, Curry, Riggs,
           Journee, Mingis
Back:  Bunting, Stearns, Parrish, Franko,
           Wiggins
Sport 1Sport 2