Published September 11, 1961
Editor’s Note: In observance of the 50th anniversary of the 1961 San Benito Greyhounds, the San Benito News will feature in each weekend edition the story that covered the game of that week 50 years ago. This is the first game, featuring the San Benito Greyhounds vs. the Brownsville Eagles.
San Benito News
Jim Helms (21) of San Benito is shown above as he starts to haul down Brownsville’s quarterback Mike Briggle, (7). The play gained one yard in the first quarter of the game Friday night, the season opener for both teams at Greyhound Stadium. (Staff photo)
San Benito’s Greyhounds thrashed the Brownsville Eagles 33-14 Friday night as Hound backs reeled off scoring scampers of 26, 94, 55, 47, and 75 yards in the season opener for both teams. Some 5,000 fans were on hand at the Greyhound Stadium.
It was swift halfback Jim Helms who uncorked the two longest dashes, a 94-yard jaunt in the second quarter and a 75-yard sprint in the third period. Halfback Gene Uptegraph scored on runs of 26 and 55 yards while quarterback Eddie McKaughan went in from 47 yards out.
Although less spectacular, the Hounds defense was almost as good as the geared-up San Benito offense. Brownsville could manage only 102 yards on the ground all night long.
This week, the Hounds look to Harlingen and the grudge battle with the Cardinals, 25-0 winner Friday night over Weslaco.
San Benito scored the first time. It got the ball after losing the flip of the coin to start the game and kicking off the Eagles. Brownsville was forced to punt, however, and the Hounds took over on their own 25-yard line.
It took Head Coach Jake Helm’s lads 14 plays to cover those 75 yards as Uptegraph fooled most of the Brownsville defense as he slipped wide around the right side and scored untouched down the right sideline from 26 yards away.
Uptegraph Takes Greyhound Scoring Lead
San Benito scoring Friday night was spread between all four starting backs, but the bulk of rushing yardage was picked up by the Greyhounds’ halfback terrors, Jim Helms and Gene Uptegraph.
Uptegraph took the scoring lead for the Hounds as he accounted for 13 points on two touchdowns and an extra point. Helms is only a point back at 12 on his two touchdowns.
Quarterback Eddie McKaughan racked up six points on a touchdown while fullback Jim Lewis cracked the scoring column with two points on a run for extra points.
Helms and Lewis were the busiest ball carriers of the night, each lugging the pighide 12 times. Helms picked up 196 yards in those 12 carries while Lewis gained 56.
Uptegraph was second in yardage gained for the night with 120 yards for 10 carries. McKaughan carried four times for a total of 46 yards.
Gene Uptegraph was in on two of San Benito’s three pass completions. The first completion was a heave from G. Uptegraph to Helms for 11 yards.
Later Don Uptegraph hit brother Gene for a one-yard completion. The only other pass completion by the Hounds was a 16-yarder from Don Uptegraph to Ray Saldaña. San Benito completed only three of eight passes for 28 yards during the night.
San Benito drew more penalties and lost more yards by the red flag route Friday night than did Brownsville. The Hounds were penalized seven times for 65 yards while the Eagles lost 50 yards on six penalties.
The Hounds picked up five first downs on the drive. Uptegraph kicked good for an extra point and with 3:35 left in the first quarter, San Benito has a 7-0 advantage.
The Eagles threatened early to the second quarter as they drove as far as the San Benito 5-yard line before losing possession. Bill Putegnat covered a San Benito fumble to put the Eagles in business as the Greyhound 48 as the second quarter opened.
Quarterback Mike Briggle cranked up his throwing arm and David Compton began to click on ground gainers. After reaching the Hound 12 yard line, the Eagles were penalized back to the 27, but later a penalty against San Benito put them back on the 12.
With a first on the 12, however, the Eagles bogged down. On fourth down and needing three from the San Benito 5, Briggle was smothered by the entire Greyhound forward wall and the Hounds took over on their 6.
That set the stage for the longest run of the night.
On first down, Helms started through the left side of the line, headed for the sidelines and outran the entire Brownsville team to score with no defender within 10 yards. The 94-yarder came with 5:10 left in the second quarter.
A running attempt for two extra points failed, to bring up a 13-0 San Benito advantage.
The Eagles were quick to get on the scoreboard, scoring on a 63-yard drive following the ensuing kickoff, less than two minutes after Helm’s brilliant dash.
With a first on their own 37-yard line, the Eagles used only three plays to score.
Ernesto Cantu picked up three and Briggle added two up to the 42 in Brownsville’s end of the field.
On third down, Briggle dropped back, spotted Stanley White all alone behind the San Benito secondary and hit him on the 30-yard line of San Benito. White danced over from there with 3:22 left before halftime.
Briggle fired a pass to Jack Compton in the end zone for two extra points to make the score read 13-8, San Benito.
Neither team threatened seriously in the time remaining before the half, although the Eagles worked their way down to the Hound 19-yard stripe before the halftime gun caught them.
A seven-yard punt off the toe of G. Uptegraph gave the Eagles possession on the San Benito 37 with 59 seconds left in the first half.
A pass from Briggle to Jack Compton put the ball down on the Hound 19-yard stripe, but time ran out on the next play, a no-gainer.
It took the Hounds less than three minutes to find the range at the start of the third quarter. They had a first down on their own 27 following the second half kickoff by Brownsville.
Jim Lewis, San Benito’s bruising fullback, lugged up the middle for a yard, Helms picked up eight and Lewis tacked on nine more for a first down on the San Benito 45.
On first down, G. Uptegraph headed wide to his right side, was hit by at least three Eagle defenders, but shook loose at mid-field and scampered in all alone. The 55-yard counter came with 9:25 remaining in the third quarter.
Again a running attempt for two extra points went away to leave San Benito in the lead at 19-8.
Then less than three minutes later, the Hounds scored once again.
After receiving the kickoff following the San Benito touchdown, the Eagles moved from their own 48 down to the San Benito 35 before giving up possession on the Hound 48.
With a first down there, Helms gained five down to the Brownsville 47 before quarterback McKaughan got in on the scoring act. McKaughan kept the ball, went wide to the right side, and went all the way down to the right sideline. He was hit at the goal line by Brownsville’s John Poss, but kept his feet and scored standing up.
His 47-yarder came with 6:38 left in the third period. Once again the Greyhound try for extra point failed.
With a first down on their own 44, after the ensuing kickoff, the Eagles couldn’t move and were forced to kick. The bit play of the series came on third down at San Benito’s Tommy Goode and Jesus Yanes tossed the Eagle ball carrier for an 11-yard loss as the Eagles faced third down and needed but one yard.
Brownsville kicked and the Hounds were in business with a first down on their own 20 Lewis picked up five to the 25 to set things up for Helms’ second long distance scorer.
The fleet halfback started on a left-side sweep, cut back up the middle, switched back to the right side and then crossed the goal in the middle of the field in a beautiful exhibition of broken field running.
His dash came with 3:15 left in the third period. Lewis cracked over from three yards out for two points for the final San Benito scoring of the night and a 33-8 Hound lead.
The Hounds threatened again late in the third period as they reached the Eagle 9-yard line, but two incompletions and a six-yard loss gave the ball to Brownsville and the Eagle 15.
Brownsville came within one yard of scoring midway through the fourth period as they took over on the San Benito 13-yard marker after the Hounds lost the ball there following a mix-up on a punting try.
With a first down on the one, however, the Eagles fumbled into the San Benito end zone and three Greyhounds pounced on the loose ball for a touchback and a first down out on the 20.
Brownsville’s Gary Milton, however, picked up a San Benito fumble at the Hound 23 to set the Eagles in motion for their final tally.
The Eagles picked up a first down on the Hound 12 and after Briggle and Compton gained eight yards between them, Mario Garza slipped over from four yards out with only 1:13 left in the game.
The Brownsville try for two extra points failed to leave the score at the final 33-14.
To see these stories in print, pick up a copy of the Sept. 11 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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