1 of 8
Demo Sports
“ The Greatest” is a term often used in the sports world, often without factual justification, but almost always with genuine passion. For example, while Mohammad Ali is often regarded as the greatest boxer ever, that anointment might get an argument from others, primarily in our generation, that remember The Great: ”Sugar Ray”. No, I am not talking about Sugar Ray Leonard, who undeniably was a great boxer, but instead the original “Sugar Ray” Robinson who many still regard as the finest boxer, pound for pound, the world has ever seen.
With that example as a background, let this editor go out on a limb and label three Jefferson High Football teams, including our senior class team, the greatest ever. Yes, the greatest ever in Oregon high school history, and …..perhaps, the greatest ever in the nation! But certainly, the 3 Greatest Oregon High School Football Teams of the 20th century
1931 Jefferson Football Team
The ’31 team was undefeated, untied, and unscored upon. The star Bobby Grayson, the “Greyhound of the Gridiron”, scored 217 points and later had a remarkable career at Stanford University where he was a 2 time All-American and MVP in the Rose Bowl. The final game in the ’31 season, the mythical state championship at Multnomah Stadium, featured Jefferson versus Marshfield and resulted in a devastation 33-0 victory for the Demos with Grayson scoring 4 TD’s.
1958 Jefferson Football Team( Class of ’59)
The ’58 team , probably the greatest high school team ever, had a 12-0 record scoring 512 points with opponent points of 51. The team featured a future All-American and Heisman Trophy winner, Terry Baker and a future All-American and NFL Hall of Famer, Mel Renfro. Baker completed 60 of 96 passes and ’58 for a .625 percentage and netted 1261 yards and 19 TD’s . He also gained 637 yards on the ground for a 6.2 average. His total offence was 1698 yards. The star running back, Ray Renfro, had 1401 yards on 145 carries for a 9.7 average and scored 29 TD’s. Mel Renfro, the future Dallas Cowboys star, had 711 yards for a 10.8 average and 16 TD’s. RC Spruill gained 257 yards for a 11.7 average and booted 45 extra points and routinely booted kick offs into the opposing end zone. Mick Hergert who later became a small college All-American, netted 193 yards for a 7.4 average. All Staters on the team were: Terry Baker, Ray Renfro, Mel Renfro, John Theis, and Denny Prozinski.
1957 Jefferson Football Team (Class of ’58)
Admittedly, the 1957 Football team gained talent from several members of the junior and sophomore classes that were especially gifted, but the fact remains as a team we could have stood among the best the state or nation has ever produced. Want some justification for that claim, just take a look at some of the key players on that team. From Heisman Trophy winner Terry Baker to Pro Football players Mel Renfrow and Harvey Jackson, to small college All American Mickey Hergert, to All City and All State players Doug White, Jodie Weatherall and Dick Howells. This team was loaded with talent. More importantly, in the 99% of life that exists beyond the gridiron, this was simply a great group of guys that practiced and played together with a single minded, team effort, that focused on winning, and carrying on the spirit of Jefferson High, as The School of
champions. Take a look at some of the stars of that team, and see if you don’t agree.
Want some more evidence? Just look at an article in the Oregonian sports section that rated a number of great Oregon High School football championship teams, in the last 25 years and note the last entry “ The one great team that would have murdered them all, Jefferson 1957!!! No they were not in the last 25 years but nobody was this good before or after.
Okay you say, you’re convinced we were the greatest in the state of Oregon’s history, but how about the nation’s greatest. That’s a more difficult, and probably impossible, proof. After all, that would require evaluating thousands of teams over a multitude of years. But the fact remains, our teams were talented in a number of extraordinary ways.
PIL Hall of Famer: Stan Miller
Jefferson High School leads all other Portland high schools in the number of athletes inducted into the Portland Interscholastic League athletic Hall of Fame at 82 members. Well,…. we are about to have one of our classmates inducted soon. In October of this year, Stan Miller will be inducted as the only member of the class of ‘58 to receive that honor. Stan was a standout at Jeff in basketball and particularly in track where he set numerous records. Take a look at some statistics surrounding Stan’s career at Jeff and later at the University of Oregon and Portland State University.
Stan’s induction ceremony will take place in October. Classmates Dick Peterson, Dick Howells, and Dave Longtin plan to attend, and of course, all others are welcome. Let’s see if we can’t have a great turnout to honor Stan, who brought so many honors to our class, and school.
Stan Miller 6’ 5” 220lbs Jefferson Class of 1958
Sports: 3 seasons Varsity Track:
1957:
State Champion 440 yd. 51.0
State Champion 880 yd. Relay 1:31.5
City Champion 440 yd. 51.7
City Champion 880 yd. 1:32.2
City Champion mile relay 3: 38.0
1958 :
State Champion 440 yd. 49.1
State Champion 880 yd. Relay 1:30.0
City Champion 440 yd. 50.1
City Champion 440 yd. 50.1
City Champion L.J. Relay 61-11
Basketball:
2 year starting center
Second Team All-City
College Track:
University of Oregon
Portland State University
Multi event star, Coach: Ralph Davis
Discus
220 yd. 22.6
880 yd. 2:01.9
L. Jump 21-0
H. Jump 6-1
1 of 8