MOULTRIE — Dear editor:

So far, it’s been a good year for Packer football. I hope our team makes it all the way to the State finals like last year.

With that being said, I think for those of us who love Packer football history, we need to begin thinking about what an historic football season next year will bring.

Next year will be the 100th Anniversary of Packer football and the 50th Anniversary of the historic 1963 Moultrie High Packer football team.

In 1913, the first Packer football team took to the field. The first game was played on October 13, 1913, against Norman Institute. I wish I could say the Packers won their very first game, but they didn’t. The Packers lost by the score of 25 to 7.

The 1913 Packers went on to compile a record of 0 wins, 3 loses, and 1 tie.

The team was led by Head Coach George S. Roach. Team members were: James M. Scarboro, Herbert Smith, Thelma Dekle, Henry Evers, John Hartsfield, Leo Barber, Captain Robert N. Nelson, Homer G. Wilkes, Ashburn Harper, Alvin R. Rogers, Branwell Kerr, Robert Roddenberry, and John T. Coyle.

Flash forward fifty years and the 1963 Moultrie High Packers opened their first game against Jordan High from Columbus. The game was played September 13, 1963, in Columbus, Georgia. That night the Packers put a whipping on the Jordan team defeating them by a score of 34 to 18.

The 1963 Moultrie High Football team went on to capture the South Georgia Championship for the first time since 1937, and they were the second Moultrie team to play for a State Championship.

The Packers finished the 1963 season with a record of 9 wins, 3, loses and 1 tie.

Again, I wish I could tell you the Packers won the State title in 1963, but they didn’t. The Packers lost to Avondale on a cold frigid night in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 1963 Packers were led by Head Coach Knuck McCrary and a great group of Senior football players. They were Lester Passmore, Tom Beard, Bud Beaty, Doug Hall, Jimmy Jeter, Bob Montgomery, Bobby Cobb, Norman Millsap, Dickie Traylor, Doug Tucker, Ray Williams, and Tommy Bradberry.

I would like to ask Moultrie Mayor Bill McIntosh to set aside a day next year and proclaim it “100 years of Packer Football Day” and “Remembering the 1963 Packers Day”.

I also would like to ask Colquitt County School Supertendant Dr. DePaul, CCHS Principal Bob Jones , and the Colquitt County School Board to start planning how to celebrate 100 years of Packer football and how to pay tribute to the members of the 1963 Packers.

Here are a few ideas I have: Locate the oldest Packer football player, the oldest cheerleader, and oldest band member and pay tribute to them.

Another idea is to have the Moultrie Observer print a 100 Years of Packer Football special edition along with a page dedicated to the 1963 Packer football team.

I also think it would be great if we could open the 2013/14 season with a fireworks display over the Stadium.

Yes, as a Packer fan, I would like to see the 100th Anniversary of Packer football and the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Packer football team celebrated in a big way. “Go Pack”!

Clint Chafin

Moultrie