North Caddo Parish: Vivian High Football 1935

The 1935 Vivian High football team was special in that it posted the school's only undefeated season, a perfect 10-0 win/loss record..

Shreveport Journal 27-Nov-1935, Page 8

Journal 25-Sep-1935, Page 14

Beginning in February, a possible sign of great things to come was the announcement that a new 500 seat football stadium would be constructed..

Shreveport Times 15-Feb-1935, Page 14

1935 SEASON

This preview of the team's season opener against Waskom provided background on the coaches as well as the schedule.

Journal 25-Sep-1935, Page 14

Scores/details of all games are not known, other than that all were Vivian victories. However what could be found is posted below.

Vivian 25, Waskom, Tx. 0

Journal 28-Sep-1935, Page 11

Vivian 14, Springhill 0

A schedule of Class B playoff participant Springhill lists an early season loss to the Warriors.

Shreveport Times 27-Nov-1935 Page 11

Vivian 6, Mansfield 0

With starting backs Cotton Barnes, stated to have been injured in the Springhill game, and (Allen) Cook out; Wilson Almokary stars in a Warriors victory.

Other players identified include:

Selwyn "Beans" Browning - Center (Captain)
James Florence - Back
Parker Wilson - End
Bub Haley - Guard
Bedford McLendon, J. D. Fletcher - Tackles
Claude Teel - End

The article also mentions the next opponent was to have been Jefferson (Tex.) High, though game details or a final score are not known.

Shreveport Times 13-Oct-1935 Page 3-A

Vivian 39, Bossier City 6

Again Almokary is the star, scoring three touchdowns. Flowers (likely the aforementioned Florence, although there was a Raymond Flowers in the correct age range) also scored twice against the Bearkats.

Shreveport Times 26-Oct-1935, Page 15

In November the Vivian Sideline Club was organized with 75 founding members. Among the officers was secretary-treasurer Ellis Almokary, a local merchant. He was an older brother of Wilson, which likely explains how the younger Almokary, who had played three years for his hometown Oil City (and where his parents still resided), ended up on the Warrior Team.

Shreveport Times 07-Nov-1935 Page 12

Vivian 14, Atlanta, Tx. 0

Oil City transfer Wilson Almokary scored twice in the shutout win over the Atlanta Rabbits. Though undefeated on the season, Vivian did not qualify for the state playoffs as they had but three league games, when a minimum five were required.

Shreveport 29-Nov-1935, Page 14

NOTABLE PLAYERS

Almokary, Wilson Paul (1915-1983)

At season end, Wilson was named an alternate (second team) to the Class A All-North Louisiana Team.

Shreveport Times 22-Dec-1935 Page 1-B

Per a 1958 article about his running for the position of District Clerk of Gregg County, Texas, he moved to Texas shortly after graduation and went to work for Magnolia Petroleum Company. He served as a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II..

At the time of his death in 1983, Wilson was serving as justice-of-the-peace in Teneha, Texas.

Barnes, James "Cotton" (1919-2011)

Cotton attended Centenary College in Shreveport, LA where he played quarterback and halfback on the football team, and pitcher and outfielder on the baseball team. He was also president of the freshman class in 1937.

Shreveport Times 04-Nov-1937 Page 9

Barnes and Vivian teammate Claude Teel listed as starters against Southwestern Louisiana (now UL-Lafayette).

Shreveport Times 25-Nov-1939 Page 12

Cotton is named team co-captain for his senior season..

Shreveport Times 21-Sep-1940 Page 14

Cotton as Centenary quarterback.......

1940 Centenary Yoncopin (yearbook), Page 119

......and below, batting for the Gents against Southwestern Louisiana.

Shreveport Times 15-Apr-1941, Page 12

In May of that year, Shreveport Sports owner Bonneau Peters signed him to a contract.

Shreveport Times 17-May-1941, Page 19

Below Cotton is shown in a 1942 Shreveport Sports team photo.

Shreveport Times 15-Apr-1941 Page 12

He was assigned to Opelousas of the Class D Evangeline League and later Class A Waterloo, IL.

Per his obituary, he was also a World War II veteran, and refereed high school and college football games and is in the Centenary Athletic Hall of Fame.

Shreveport Times 16-Jan-2011 Page 11A

Cook, Allen Bennett (19?-?)

Below he's shown crowned King of the 1935 Caddo Parish Fair, along with Queen Eloise Thompson. In the accompanying article, he is mentioned being a junior halfback at Vivian High.

Shreveport Times 12-Oct-1935 Page 1 (pic)

Not much has been found of Allen's later life. Per the 1940 U.S, Census he was living in Mooringsport with wife Berta Mae and daughter Patty Sue, at the home of his mother-in-law Emma Brau.

Teel, Claude Andrew (1916-1983)

Like Cotton Barnes, Claude attended Centenary where he played football, basketball, and baseball.