2011

WEEK OF ~~( t

Dunagin tapped for ECCC Athletic Hall DECATUR- His football coaches at East Central Junior College described him as ·one of the best players• and "the most consistent back." Kenneth Dunagin, of Decatur, more than lived up to the praises received by the Warrior coaching staff, as the standoutfullback and linebacker eamed AII-Amenca honors following his sophomore campatgn in 1957. Dunagin, who continued his success on the Dunagin and teammate Jim Fisackerly, of New Orleans, formerly of Morton, will be enshrined during homecoming activities scheduled Saturday, Oct 8, on the Decatur campus. Regarding his selection for the prestigious honor. Dunagin replied, "It's an honor and a prillilege...and one I will never forget.• The Athletic Hall of Fame inductee also expressed appreciation "to my former coaches, teammates, classmates and others• for the nomi– nation. Dunagm added: "It's a pleasure to be includea with agreat list of coaches and athletes who are already in the Athletic Hall of Fame...and tt is especially an honor to join my high school coach, Jeff Loper, and my JUnior college coach, Clayton Blount. in this prestigious group.• Dunagin first starred at Newton County Agricultural High School, part ofwhich (classes for juniors and seniors) was located on the East Central campus due to afire that destroyed most of the high school. Dunagin said he enjoys telling people he went to school"four years on the hallowed grounds at East Central." Dunagtn, a four-year member on the Newton County AHS squad, was a three-)'ear letter-winner and served two years as captain. He played fu! back in the old "Single wing" and often played the role of q "rt:rback and threw oesses from the formation. sr~~ season v.-as hiS sc:A.:or season in 1955.lhat scae:7 lOS pomtS. Yrtlich ~ r.;ne toUChdown passes. Ounagm sti reca s oneof thoseTO stnkes. I thr~ a long :~ass to Eddie BlaCllbum and afterv.ards got knocked down on my can." he satd with a laugh."When I got up,l saw everybody celebrating so I knew we had scored a touchdown! But it was not Eddie who scored...somehow Don Cooper made the touch– down catchII guess I was little off target but we scored anyhow!" Dunagtn, who stood 6-foot and weighed about 175 pounds, helped lead Newton County AHS to a9-1 record and the Rebel Con– ference championship. The only defeat was a 14-13 setback to the Forest Bearcats. Dunagin was an All-Conference selection his senior year and decided to keep his athletic talents in Decatur and play for theWar– nors. He recalled starting hts first game at age 17! Highlights of his career mostly involve theWarriors' rivalry with "Scooba." as East Mississ.ippi Junior College was referred to in those days.The legendary "Bull" Sullivan wasthe Uons' head football coach. "We played Scooba twtce in 195L.tied the first game 7-7 and lost the second 20-7; he recalled."It was a great rivalry but 1 don't recall any scuffles or fights... we didn't go to each other's campus and cause damage....had we done that. coach Blount would have killed us! And I doubt coach Sullivan's players would have tried anything either!" Dunagm said he was not aWltrtess to coach Sullivan's sometimes ·controverstal" behavtor but d1d relate one memory aboutthe leg– endarv coach gridtron at the untversity level, can now add another honor to his list of accomplishments- selection to the ECCC Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I ~t blocked 10 front of Scooba"s bench and f~ll to the ground one time during a game held at Ray Stadium in Meridian; said Dunagm "I was "'most knocked out by the hit and grasped for air to breathe while trying to get up. As I was rising, I noticed coach Sul– livan starring down at me. He grabbed me by my jersey, picked me up, slapped me on my fanny andsaid,'Get back in there,son I' I replied 'yes sir' and ran back to the huddle!" Dunagin said EC struggled for success during hts two years on the squad, as theWarriors went4-6 10 1956 and 2-6-2 in 1957. "The two teams that dominated JUCO football atthat tlme were Pearl Rtver and Hinds; he said. "Hinds was almost ascout team for LSU. If they had agreat kid at LSU that had problems, he ended up at Hinds. JimmyTaylor and Earl Leggett were some of the great athletes who played at Hinds. H10ds and Pearl Rwer got a lot of great athletes from Louisiana.· Although Dunagin was not amember of awinning team at EC, his talents did not go unnotJced, as he and teammateTommy McCullough of Philadelphia were selected forthe All-American Junior College Foot– ball Team. When Dunagin was selected to the All-American Team, EC coach Clayton Blount remarked, "Dunagin is one ofthe best players that I have ever coached at East Central." AddedTom Cheney, assistant coach, "He is the most consistent back we have. I have never seen him give up~ In reflecting on his time at EC, DunagJn said he "thoroughly enjoyed" campus life. "I especially enjoyed my association with team members and coaches Blount and Cheney; he said. "I also enjoyed the entJre stu– dent population, administration and faculty. Mr. (Arno) Vincent was president and some of my favorite instructors were Mr. (Ovid) Vickers, Mr. (Frank) Cross and Mrs. (Stella) Newsome.· Dunagin left EC in the fall of 1958 to continue his athletic career atSoutheastem Loutsiana College, where he was awarded a full scholarship. He played fullback and linebacker his junior year and switched to offensive right end and defensive end his sentor season HIS top weight at Southeastern was 193 pounds! After graduating from SLC, Dunaginspent the first part of his career at Brookhaven High School as a sctence and physics teacher assistant football coach, assistant baseball coach and head tennts coach. He spent the remamder of his career in work focused on the oil tndustry, sales and the marine industry, while living in Morgan City, La. After he retired in 2006, Dunagin returned to Decatur. He spends h1s "retirement" serving as court bailiff for Circurt CourtJudges Marcus Gordon and Vemon Cotton. He also enjoys gardening •especially when talking to my tomatoes and peasI" Dunagin is married to his bride of 45 years, the former Joanne McBatn of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.lhey have twin boys, Kenneth and Kevin. Kenneth and his w1fe leslie have two a son and daughter and live in Morgan City. Kevin and his wtfe Caroline reside 1n Vicks– burg. - from school reports

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