Football Long Ago: Jim Dousay’s Big Hit

JIM DOUSAY’S BIG HIT.

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News

It’s funny the things you remember and the things you forget about football.  In 1962, Istrouma won the State Championship, and 15 players received college scholarships. People said it was one of the greatest high school teams in state history.  I was in the 10th grade and played safety on the JV team.

Later that school year, in April 1963, junior All-State running back Jim Dousay was at spring training, and so was I.   I found myself lined up at safety, and the quarterback handed Dousay the ball.  Dousay wasn’t gigantic but he was very fast and powerful.  I had seen 300-pound men knocked out by a hit from Dousay.  He went on to be All-SEC at LSU.

Dousay ran off tackle and broke through the line.  In my mind, I can see him right now heading directly toward me, very much like an angry bull.  It was a cold day, and I swear there was steam coming out of his nostrils.

Safety is a great position.  If you’re fast, you may go an entire season without actually being hit hard.  Yet, you can hit receivers hard as they go up for the ball and take them out of the play.  When defending against broken field running, you can usually tackle the runner from the side.  For the safety, it’s usually a glancing blow, nothing serious.

But Dousay was heading right toward me.  He wasn’t trying to fake me out or out run me.  I was certain he was planning to run right over me!

We were in a scrimmage mode, and everyone was there.  Little Fuzzy Brown, the principal, was watching intently, as was Mr. Clyde Lindsey, the assistant principal and former All-American at LSU.  The head coach, Big Fuzz, was watching, as well assistant coaches Moose Stewart, Leon Mc Graw, and Coon Porta.

It would have been a perfect time to quickly lay down flat or dodge Dousay somehow.  But I was trapped.  I was going to have to tackle All-State, future All-SEC Jim Dousay head on.

I was going to die.  There was no question about that.  Resigned to that fact, I was in the ready position.  Dousay had his head down, and I was about to be hit by a force about equal to a small pickup truck.

Then suddenly Dousay looked up, and through his helmet, I saw his blue eyes smiling!  Perhaps he thought for a moment, this kid is not really a football player, why should I end his life now? Maybe he’ll have children and grandchildren someday…

For whatever reason, Dousay decided to let me live.  He began pulling up.  By the time he hit me, he was going half-speed.

And I made a perfect tackle!

Me!  I tackled Jim Dousay!

“Good job, Jenkins!” Big Fuzz roared.  “Good job, son!” coach McGraw said.

“What’s wrong with you, Dousay?” Big Fuzz said.  “That was pathetic!”

Unfortunately for opponents of Istrouma and LSU, I never saw Dousay be that compassionate again!