Bruisers in the backfield at Newport Harbor

Don Cantrell

Ralph Reed, Harbor High’s first athletic director in 1930 and the

varsity football coach from 1931 through ‘37, never won a grid title,

but achieved a classy 6-2-0 winning record in his final season on the

turf.

A great assist arrived in the fall of ’37 and that was a new coach

named Dick Spaulding. His sharp assistance helped the Tars blank five

rivals. He would take the head reins in 1938 and ’39. Those five were

Bonita, Claremont, Garden Grove, Long Beach Jordan and Huntington

Beach.

Although future county years would produce very swift runners in

the early days like Mickey Flynn of Anaheim and John Fouch of Santa

Ana, neither one could have out-raced the Tars’ ‘37 ace fullback

Rollo McClellan. He won the century at 10.2 in the county. Flynn ran

10.3.

The other significant player in the backfield for Newport was

quarterback Glenn O. Thompson, a triple-threat who always mixed well

with McClellan.

Many believed that Newport would have captured the title had

Thompson played in every game. He missed a key game against Anaheim,

which the Tars lost, 12-0.

Thompson, who later became a respected rear admiral in the Coast

Guard during World War II, was called “the best signal caller in the

conference,� by Reed, who added, “He was smart and inspiring. He

scored on every opponent and engineered every drive.� Thompson was

also a fine punter and passer.

With amusement, McClellan was quarterback on the championship Bee

team of ’36 and started to try out for the varsity quarterback slot

in ’37. However, his initial indication to Reed focused on his belief

that he had some better plays prompted the coach to suddenly shift

him to fullback.

McClellan was firmly considered one of the best blockers in the

league, which was impressive since he was only about 5-foot-7 and

weighed 145.

Ironically, McClellan and Thompson clashed often when they were in

grade school. In fact, it got so bad once that McClellan would leap

on Thompson’s back in touch football games and rip his shirts.

One day McClellan explained why, noting that Thompson had been

running pranks on him. After things mellowed out in the future,

McClellan learned that the scene started because Thompson became

jealous of “the new kid having a pony.�

With a smile, McClellan also recalled the fact that he could

outrun Thompson “seemed to tone down his resistance.�

From then on, the pair, plus another pal, center George Lumel,

would become lifelong friends. All three made the All-Sunset League

team.

Tackle Ralph Irwin, young brother of Al, a star fullback on the

‘35 team, and Frank Sheflin, older brother of legendary fullback

Harold, would also serve as sterling players on the ’37 team with

all-league honors.

Three others of note on the all-league squad were tackle Robert

Miller and guards Gene Simon and Richard Carlson.

Reflecting back once, McClellan was regretful that one play found

him tossing an intercepted pass to a tall Orange player named Cloyne

Streech that led to a touchdown for the Panthers. McClellan did come

back to convert a 50-yard dash to pay dirt.

Unfortunately, a Sailors’ move to score on a conversion pass

attempt failed. The receiver snagged the ball, but fell one foot shy

of the goal.

Hence, the game was tied at 6-6, which hurt Newport’s league

standing at the time.

Had the Tars beaten Orange, they would have tied Excelsior for the

title and gained the playoff edge since they had defeated Excelsior,

19-14.

Eight of the ’37 players brought a championship flair with them

from the champ Bee team. It included Thompson, McClellan, Lumel,

Sheflin, Bob Boyd, Adolph Boehm, Carlson and Warren Collins.

Other noted ’37 players included Phil Vaughn, Clifton Brooks,

Charles Buckland, Louis Pulgencio, Don McClintock, Roland Thompson,

and Orval Lloyd. Jim Lockwood was an able fullback and Merle Coe and

Collins were laudable defenders in the secondary.

After the close of the 1938-39 grid seasons, Spaulding would

advance to a co-coaching post at Fullerton Junior College and he

would be joined by three Newport Harbor players in McClellan, Sheflin

and George Mickelwait.