marion played sports

When Marion Played Sports – the Collins’ played it best

By Jackie HuntContributing WriterWhen Linda Andrews married Glenn Collins 39 years ago, it was predictable that they might have tall and talented offspring. After all, she was 6 feet tall and a record setting star for Northeast Louisiana University’s Lady Bulldogs. Her husband was 6 ft 5 in and had been a very good player at nearby Linville High. Both …

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1980 — A Good Year to be a Panther

By Jackie HuntContributing WriterOne of the more interesting and informative times of researching and developing articles for When Marion Played Sports was a long conversation I had with Mr. Malcom George, the long-time multi-sport coach at Marion High. Jackie HuntJackie Hunt is a native of Marion who served 26 years as a U.S. Marine, 16 of which were served as …

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When Marion Played Sports – The Douglas Family Legacy

Editor’s Note: This is the tenth installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. By Jackie HuntContributing Writer Legacies – “something that is a part of your history or that remains from earlier time”… Cambridge Dictionary.  It would be hard to discuss sports legacies around Marion, LA without starting with the …

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When Marion Played Sports – Laying a Foundation 

By Jackie HuntContributing Writer Editor’s Note: This is the ninth installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. The early to mid-1970s was a time of program building for Marion High School. Although the school was just a small lower classified school, it did not take long to see there was …

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When Marion Played Sports –Integration Came to Union Parish

By Jackie HuntContributing Writer Editor’s Note: This is the eighth installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. The seniors and juniors of Eastside were not happy with the move to the local white schools for the second semester of the 1969-70 school year.  The seniors had been looking forward to …

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When Marion Played Sports – Another Year, Another School

By Jackie HuntSpecial to The Gazette Editor’s Note: This is the seventh installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. While still basking in the glory of a state football championship and watching their girls’ basketball `team race out to an 18-0 record and the boys 17-2, Eastside athletes were on …

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When Marion Played Sports – Demons Go Out With a Bang

By Jackie HuntSpecial to The Gazette Editor’s Note: This is the sixth installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. “Confident” is how Bobby Lanell Andrews recalls the 1969 Eastside Demons squad at the beginning of the season. “We just felt we were going to be good. We had some very …

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When Marion Played Sports – moving up to the Eastside

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. By Jackie HuntSpecial to The Gazette The doors to Marion Industrial High School closed for a final time at the end of the 1958-59 school year. Students who had studied and played in the cluster of buildings …

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When Marion Play Sports – Girls played too

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. By Jackie HuntSpecial to The Gazette Long before Lillie E. Davis became a teacher and principal at Marion High School, and a prominent respected face throughout the parish, she was an athlete at Marion Industrial High School.  …

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When Marion played sports – the Hilbert Lee story

Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of the When Marion Played Sports series. Click the link to see all the articles in the series. By Jackie HuntSpecial to The Gazette Jordan, Koby, Bird or Labron? Brady, Montana, Manning or Brees? Ruth, Bonds, Aaron or Mays? Enter the term “Greatest of All Time” into a conversation and varied opinions will …

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