Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-02
Bench
Warming
BY b. KINNE

Central high school has seen
many great athletes perform for the
Blue and White, athletes that made
outstanding records while at Cen
tral, and athletes that spread the
fame of Sparta to all parts of the
United States.
Graduating from Ell Centro this
year is a boy whose name will be
remembered along with other Spar
tan immortals Peters, Wynne,
Byrd, Kirkpatrick, Price, Edgar,
Gillette, Berry, and many others
a boy who doesn't know the word
quit, and who never stops fighting
to add more glory to his alma
mater His name is Gene Wagon
er.
Let us go back to the Afternoon OF
Friday, Nov. Is. BraWley is leading
the league and Coach Sappo Clark.
in giving his charges last instruc-
tions says, Central will be tough
to beat in spite of the fact hey
have been beaten twice. We will be
handicapped because Henry won't
be at his best, but if you can stop
Wagoned we can beat the Spart-
ans"
That night Brawley took an ear
ly lead on break and held it well
into the last half of the game. Ear
ly in the fourth quarter Ell Centro
recovered a tumble deep in its own
territory, and with Wagner taking
the ball on nearly every play, the
SpartanS began a sustained drive
toward BraWley's goal line.
Again and again Wagner smack
ed through or over the BraWley
line steadily moving toward a score.
A BraWley tackle picked himself
up after being dragged 10 yards by
Gene for another first down, and
said, OK boys let's set them back
again."
In less than 20 plays Wagner
carried the ball over for a touch
down and tie score with the high
ly touted Wildcats.
WAGNER, reserve on the 1884
As basketball team, went out for the
cage team. During the first two
weeks of practice Gene received
very little encouragement from
Coach Taylor but he stuck it out.
Ell Centro lost the first game of
the season to CaleXico while in the
northend Brawley handed a strong
Calipatria quintet a terrific drub-
bing. The next week Brawley
trekked to Ell Centro, a heavy fav-
orite to trim Ell Centro.
AT the last minute Taylor decid-
ed to stick Wagner in the starting
lineup, since his height would prove
an asset in recovering the ball un-
der the basket even if he didn't
score any points.
Fighting hard all the way Gene
played spectacular ball, repeatedly
breaking up Brawley thrusts. Wag-
oner then proceeded to ring up
eight digits to cop high scoring
honorS for the evening. His last
bucket pulled Centralites out of the
defeated column and sent them on
to their third consecutive basket
ball championship.
Saturday in the Imperial county
track and field meet Gene topped
his football and basketball accom-
pliShmentS with a great win in the
440 yard dash, and with a record
breaking heave in the football
throw.
Running against the pick of the
valley 440 men Wagner was given
only an outside chance to annex
the event but the big athlete outdid
himself to exc out victory going
the distance in SAT, the best time
of his career.
Hardly rested from the grueling
race Gene trooped over and tossed
the football 100 feet and IL inches
to break the old record by more
than 10 feet
Coach Taylor is counting on Gene
as one of his number / candidates
for this years baseball team.