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1951 Muskegon vs. Muskegon Heights game
Earl Morrall, one of the greatest football players to ever come out of West Michigan, was one of seven members of the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural induction class in 1987. But Morrall was just one of numerous stars on the 1951 Big Reds wrecking crew. The squad outscored its nine opponents 316-32, winning the Southwestern conference title and the state’s mythical Class A gridiron crown. It was Coach Harry Potter’s (also a member of the Sports Hall of Fame) only unbeaten team in 10 years as coach of the Big Red varsity.
Following eight straight victories, which included lopsided wins over Battle Creek Central and Hamtramck, as well as conference foes Holland and Grand Haven, the team needed a victory over cross-town rival Muskegon Heights to secure the league title and state championship. Played on Nov. 11 before a crowd of 11,000 at Muskegon’s Hackley Stadium, the Big Reds delivered. Morrall threw touchdown passes to Don Rademaker, Ron McDonald and Harry Voss as Muskegon closed out the season with a 26-6 victory over the Tigers. Running back Bob Fairfield scored the first touchdown of the day for the Big Reds. It would be 20 years before Muskegon would claim another state title in football. Morrall’s 11 touchdown passes on the year remained a regular season record at the high school until the fall of 2004.
Team Members: Front row, L to R: Jerome Allore, Robert Mixer, Richard Cooke, Jerry Banninga, Don King, Tom Collins, Floyd Clanton, Frank Rahn and John Hoos. Second row: Tom McShannock (asst. coach), Robert Runnels, Ron McDonald, Ken Schalk, Norm Wood, Nick Lirones, Bob Soderman, Gene Cuthrell, Roger Groce, Don Rademaker, Robert Eckert and Bill Zimmerman (mgr.) Third row: Harry Potter (head coach), John Fultz, Harry Voss, Dick Fett, Leland David, Bob Fairfield, Earl Morrall, Charles Clanton, James Kelly, James Riekels, Russ Swanson, Wilbur Kelly (asst. coach) and Ralph Snell (asst. mgr). Fourth row: Tom Moore, Russell Cribbs, Robert Wilson, Norm Rathbun, Bill Sievers, Robert Wells, Ron Robbins, Jack Schutter and Ray Schutter. Not pictured is Robert Kendall.
