WHAT KIND OF TEST WAS THAT AGAIN?

PRIDGEON STADIUM CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

Texas football: a myth, a legend, or a way of life? Honestly, it is all three. In each small town from six-man football to the behemoths that is 6-A football, this sport is embedded in every community across Texas. Of course, we had football in Woodville: the might Eagles of Kirby High. Lamar University had the Cardinals. As a member of the bands in each of these places, I never really took any of it very seriously. Our job in the band was to ignore the cheerleaders for most of the game through heat and freezing cold and enjoy ourselves talking and carrying on. My first true indoctrination into Texas football came through Cy-Fair High School. As one of the few unmarried young teachers in the early 70’s, I was designated the Pep Squad and Cheerleader SPONSOR. Mr. Watkins decided that I had the time and the energy to give to these programs. Seriously? I did not know a pompom from a Pomeranian. Oh! And it would be done with no extra pay. Really? With absolutely no training or will to do this into which I been drafted , I did my job. And, the rest is history. However, this post is concerns one event I have never forgotten that still makes me laugh every time I tell the story. I hope you enjoy.

My first years at CFHS all football games were played in a very traditional small stadium located behind the high school. You know: wooden bleachers giving you splinters in your nether regions, creaky, and bowing under the weight of the spectators. For 6 years every Friday night we would sit on the Cypress prairie through all the elements and watch Coach Ken Pridgeon and later Coach Tommy Ward do their thing. CFHS was the only CFISD school during most of that time. The equilibrium was changed when Jersey Village High School opened around 1974-5. Now two schools had to share the stadium which schedule wise was very easy to do. One Friday, it was the Falcons in Bobcat Stadium (see the problem already?) and the next the Bobcats in Bobcat Stadium (all is right with the world on those nights). Along comes 1976-77 and a third high school was added, Cypress Creek High School, the Cougars. FYI: the split from CFHS to form CCHS is whole other blog/post. More on that later. Scheduling and school pride became entangled on having to play games in Bobcat Stadium. The other major issue was that the schools were moving up in massive numbers of students which resulted in large bands, drill teams, and spectators. It was announced that CFISD would follow Spring Branch and build a central stadium to be named KEN PRIDGEON STADIUM. Once again, cries of joy went out from some circles “CFISD is entering the big boys club!” “A modern monument to football.” We had a group of girls that were fantastic (and two boys: here’s to you Rob Stillwell and Jimmy Jowell) who were awesome at leading large big crowds. CFHS was to play the very first game in Pridgeon Stadium…because Bobcats!

On that Friday evening, the cheerleaders, the mascot (Don Ryan, the best mascot I ever had), cheerleader manager (Andrew Reder, someone has to hand out water and stare at the girls), and myself stood on the brand new grass, looking at the white façade in front of us. Now I will not try to guess the cost of Pridgeon Stadium in 70’s dollars, but it was a lot. Newspapers and TV came to the opening. But, back to the pre-game incident. Carlos Watkins, Mr. Bobcat, had purchased a sound system for the cheerleaders so everyone could yell at the top of their lungs “BOBCAT FIGHT NEVER DIES.” We unloaded this ELECTRICAL system, and Becky Reder proceeds to plug it in. She walks up and down the home side wall…no electric outlets. She comes over and tells me this and I think she probably doesn’t know what to look for. (sorry Becky) What did I NOT find…. electrical outlets. I had been instructed to use that brand new sound system. One of the cheer dads ran home and got four or five orange extension cords and duct tape. The dads then proceeded to run the cords all the way up the stadium, across the main walkway, and into the concession stand. VOILA! We’re live.

I see Carlos Watkins, Allen Labay (the superintendent of CFISD) and Ken Pridgeon, the district athletic director running down the stadium steps to the side line. Here’s what happened:

CW: Twitchell, the hell are you doing?

ME: Plugging in the sound system?

CW: What the hell are these cords doing running all the way to the concession stand?

ME: Sir, there are not outlets on the wall.

CW: Sure there are. You just don’t know what to look for. See here they are!

ME: No sir, those are the jacks for the coaches’ headphones.

CW: Oh. Well we can’t those cords, it’s dangerous and looks bad.

AL: Carlos what’s the problem? 

CW: Allan there’s no damn plugs on the wall for electricity.

AL: If there’s no plugs, I’ll eat my hat.

KP: No plugs? We signed off on everything before this. This cannot be right.

ME: saying nothing, no sir, I’m not stupid. My boss, his boss, and the namesake of the stadium arguing right in front of me. No sir…. I’m as invisible as I can be.

CW: Ken, go find Larry. (I think it was Larry Cooper who was the manager/supervisor of the stadium. If I am wrong someone correct me. Tell him we need power down here.

Well, we got the power using a tractor battery, those cables used to jump start a car, and thankfully no one died that night of electrocution. Come to find out, the visitor’s side had all the plugs in the world. Mr. Labay did not eat a hat…and by the next game, plugs were installed.

As the crowd is coming in oohing and aahing over the new facility, Becky begins to test the mike. The cheerleaders of this year were a funny, funny bunch of girls. Becky was very adept at funny. They were excited losing sight that the band was there, the drill team, and a crowd was growing. I said Becky see if the sound system works. She picks up the mike still giggling over something, and instead of saying “Mike Test…Mike Test” she said “Pap Test.” I mean the sound system worked folks. A call went out for a pap test over several miles (not really, but sounded like it) There was a moment of silence and then a smattering of giggles started in the band, and then general laughter. It was such a random and crazy thing to say. But it was funny! I don’t know what you were thinking Becky Reder, but it was a perfect cap to the great electrical outlet debacle of 1977.

Now look what CFISD has come to. A stadium complex many colleges would love to have. But somehow it will never replace the original Bobcat stadium and the cry across the prairie of BOBCAT FIGHT NEVER DIES!

(photo is not old Bobcat stadium, a facsimile)