Former Clovis students to gather for golf tournament

Two amazing athletes are still amazing the Clovis High School graduates of 1950.

Most of our graduates are over-the-hill when it comes to athletics, including yours truly, who in Clovis Junior High tackled a bigger football player than himself and got a mouth full of a boot and some broken teeth. That ended my athletic future.

Cecil Davis and Carroll Faris, two of the best athletes since 1950, have come together again this summer for the Sixth Annual Inz and Outz Golf Tournament up at Rio Rancho. The tournament was Faris’ idea, and it has reaped great dividends — not money, but devotion of love and help for one other. I’ll explain.

Cecil Davis was one of the greatest athletes who came out of Clovis. Both he and Faris had athletic scholarships to play semi-pro basketball at Wayland College in Lubbock. They played 21 basketball games and their record was 21-0. Both won all-state basketball in New Mexico too.

Cecil, after college, became superintendent of schools in Hatch, and when he retired he moved to Albuquerque and figured all athletics were over for him. He had leukemia, and then skin cancer. Cecil credits Faris for getting him on a golf course. And wouldn’t you know it, Cecil gained strength playing for several years and became the greatest golfer in the Inz and Outz Golf Tournament. He can now hit a golf ball more than 300 yards.

This year, Over-the-Hill Brat Pack Golfers, from Clovis and out-of-towners, will be gathering at the Santa Ana Golf Course, with tee-off times from 9 to 9:30 a.m., July 18 and 19. The golfers in the four-man scramble are Bob Andrews, Gerald Clanc, Cecil Davis and Leon Faris, then John Hager, Ducky Isham and J. T. Isham and Jerry Crook.

Next are Pete Isham, Buddy Prince, John Stagner and Clarence Rehorn; and last are Pascal Wickard, Fred Robinson, Carroll Faris and Eddie Harrington.

The women are not golfing, but Edna Hager and husband John will again offer to host a “Bragging Rights” cookout at their home, after the golf games on July 18, and Starla Faris Thomas and Carroll’s wife, “Buck,” will host a tea on July 19, for the golfers’ ladies at the Faris home.

Carroll Faris asks attending golfers mail or phone him with questions. His phone number is 994-1172 and cell 280-8104. Let him hear from you as soon as possible. His address is 765 Fairway Loop, SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124.

P.S. Jack Williams and Carmel Eastham from Clovis are planning to be there, not to play, but to fraternize, scrutinize and kibitz the golfers. Or is it duffers?