No place like home for the ‘50s Tars

Don Cantrell

The 1950 Newport Harbor High football team sparkled with ample

promise after the ’49 grid season that found the Tars winning eight,

losing one and scoring 323 points.

With nine outstanding senior lettermen returning, Coach Al Irwin

felt the outlook was considerably bright with a strong line and backs

like Larry McMasters, Mel Smalley, Dick Jones, Wayne Welty and Bob

Scotland.

Three key injuries slowed the operation at points, including the

‘49 leading scorer, Smalley, and Andrew Knox and senior quarterback

Scotland. In fact, Irwin had to call on sophomore quarterback Rolly

Pulaski to step forward and serve as a quick backup for Scotland.

Pulaski was a long distance punter and also had exceptional talent

as a rusher and passer, but still needed more experience. It would

definitely show in ’52 when he earned third-team All-CIF honors after

dazzling breakaway runs that season.

Outstanding players chalked up by the Sunset League at season’s

end included end Glen Griffith and guard Bill Wittman, first team;

guard Bob Burdick and tackle Bob Woodhouse, second team, and

halfbacks Smalley and Welty, honorable mention.

Two other outstanding linemen were junior Gino Boero, guard, and

sophomore Jim Pascoe, guard. Three fine ends were Bill Schmidt, Knox,

Ted McMasters and Jack Meeks.

Guard Wittman said, “The ’50 team was a good, solid running team

and finished second to the perennial power during those years,

Fullerton, which went all the way to the large schools CIF final

against Compton.”

He added, “If we had had a good passing game (the percentage was

only .270), who knows what we might have done.”

There were numerous highlights for the team.

Fullback McMasters would cart the ball 15 times for 120 yards and

score twice as the Tars defeated Riverside, 26-0.

The second contest at Excelsior failed to pay off after a key

fumble and pass interception. The Pilots won 7-0.

The Tars came back to life as Oxnard came to visit Davidson Field.

Jones sprinted 94 yards for one touchdown while McMasters carried 14

times for 136 yards.

Pulaski teamed up with Griffith for a 56-yard touchdown pass play.

Newport won, 20-6.

The injured Scotland recovered and returned for the clash at Long

Beach against St. Anthony. Scotland ran two bootlegs for 17 and 55

yards. That spelled two touchdowns and a 13-0 lead. A 72-yard TD run

by Jones was nullified. The Sailors came back in the second half to

win, 15-13.

It was followed by a 33-0 loss to Fullerton, which was woeful, but

the Tars came back to win their four final conference games.

Santa Ana arrived in Newport and lost its first game on Davidson

Field. The Tars won, 19-2.

Repeating the ’49 show, Newport rambled past visiting Anaheim,

35-13. Against Orange, Scotland scooped up a fumble and raced 45

yards to pay dirt, which gave the Tars a 7-6 victory after the

conversion. The final was a breeze as the Tars slipped by Huntington

Beach, 26-7.

It is fair to note that the ’50 Sailors never lost a game on their

home field.

Smalley scored 104 points on the ’49 team, but could only tally 30

points with the ’50 outfit after struggling with an injury. He also

made the first-team All-Sunset League team as a junior. He would

later advance to Orange Coast College and help lead the Pirates to a

‘51 championship along with Woodhouse and Meeks.

Fullback McMasters was exceptional in his senior year and won the

league scoring title with 36 points.

Two other outstanding juniors were fullback Don Aarvold and

halfback Billy Kindell.

Other stout linemen included Bill Gannon, Roger Pfister, Lewis

Abbott, Bob Eggert and Jack Smith.

Schmidt and Wittman would later advance to Pomona College and earn

all-conference honors. One of the Pomona teams became an undefeated

outfit, one of only two in the school’s history.

Fullback McMasters was named most valuable player while Smalley

was voted captain and unsung tackle Pfister was named most improved.