1950s Football

1950: Billy Bookout of Wichita Falls, Tommy Ward of Galveston and Kenneth Buckley of Childress had touchdown runs for Texas in a 21-7 win. Oklahoma had its first lead of the series on a 3-yard run by Kenneth Lawson of Vinita in the second quarter of the game. Lawson and Tom Miner of Checotah were named the top players for Oklahoma, and Ward and Eddie Hodges of Abilene were the top players for Texas.

1951: After helping Wichita Falls win back-to-back state championships in 1949 and 1950, speedy James Self had a big night in his final game at Coyote Stadium. Self contributed 134 yards of total offense in Texas’ 20-6 Oil Bowl victory. He ran four times for 59 yards and caught two passes for 75 yards, and it was his 44-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Duane Nutt of Corsicana that sealed the deal in the fourth quarter. Max Boydston of Muskogee was voted Oklahoma’s top back after a 71-yard rushing performance. Nutt was voted the top back of the game, for Texas, and Ed Bernet of Highland Park was the top lineman.

1952: Ronald Robbins, the son of Breckenridge coach Cooper Robbins, ran for one touchdown and threw for another in Texas’ 18-6 win. Robbins threw 33 yards to Bob Wilson of Fort Worth Paschal for one TD and ran 4 yards for another. James Sides of Lubbock also scored for Texas on a short run, and Bill Pierce of Chickasha did the same for Oklahoma’s only score. The game featured a 62-yard run by Austin High’s Delano Womack, an Oil Bowl record that stood for 33 years.

1953: The 16th Oil Bowl game was played in brand new Midwestern Stadium . Ramon Towry of Vernon blocked an Oklahoma extra point attempt with 8:56 left in the game to preserve a 20-19 win for Texas. Despite the loss, Oklahoma had the top back in the game. Jack Witucki of Tulsa ran 20 times for 84 yards and two touchdowns to nose out Texan Jack Throckmorton of LaMarque for the honor even though Throckmorton had more rushing yards (109 on 11 carries). Buddy Cockrell of Pampa was the game’s top lineman.

1954: Ardmore quarterback Royce McQueen’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Dean McMasters gave Oklahoma a 6-0 lead, but LaNoal Castleberry of Childress countered for Texas in the third quarter. That gave the Oil Bowl its first tie, 6-6. It was a game of errors. The two teams combined for a dozen turnovers — seven pass interceptions and five fumbles.

1955: Larry Click of Paris ran for 113 yards and Texas’ only touchdown in a 7-0 win. Don Smith of Phillips set up Click’s 2-yard TD run in the third quarter when he jarred the ball loose from Poteau fullback David Rolle. Click was named the game’s top back, and Muskogee end Joe Rector was named the outstanding lineman.

1956: Charles Milstead of Tyler passed for two touchdowns, ran 23 yards for a TD and kicked a 25-yard field goal in Texas’ 37-0 pasting of the Okies. Both of Milstead’s touchdown passes were caught by Nederland’s Larry Ward. Henry Colwell of Abilene and Bobby Boyd of Garland also had TDs for Texas. Linebacker Jere Durham of Muskogee was named the game’s top lineman, and Milstead was the outstanding back.

1957: History was made — thanks to fullback Ronnie Hartline of Lawton. Oklahoma won over Texas for the first time in 13 meetings, 21-7. Hartline carried 26 times for 73 yards and a touchdown and kicked all three extra points. He was voted the outstanding back of the game, ahead of Texas’ talented Glynn Gregory of Abilene.

1958: Texas had some big-name offensive weapons in this one — quarterback Guy “Sonny” Gibbs of Graham and running backs Jackie Collins of Highland Park and Ronnie Bull of Bishop. But it was the Texas defense that shined in a 20-0 win. An interception by Billy Ryan of Seymour and a fumble recovery by Karl Milstead of Athens led to two Texas touchdowns. John Ed Clark of Bonham was named the most valuable back, and Ronny Payne of Breckenridge was tabbed the top lineman in the game.

1959: A third-quarter interception by Joe Kidd of Borger fueled Texas to a 21-14 come-from-behind victory. The Texans were down 14-13 when Kidd’s interception set them up at the Oklahoma 25. Sweetwater’s James Parker powered 3 yards for the winning score with 10:25 left in the game. San Angelo’s Emery Martindale came up with two key tackles of Oklahoma quarterback Don Trull of Oklahoma City Southeast late in the game to preserve the victory. Johnny Genung of Wichita Falls and Ronnie Goodwin of Odessa were voted the top backs, and Wayne Lee of Ada was named the top lineman.

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