High marks for ’54 Tars

One of Newport Harbor High’s toughest teams out of the ‘50s was

the ’54 club coached by Al Irwin.

They were undefeated after the first five clashes at home and

away.

The Tars whomped two rugged outfits in Montebello, 21-7, and Muir

of Pasadena, 14-6. They edged Garden Grove, 21-19, and deadlocked

powerhouse Excelsior, 7-7. They eliminated Huntington Beach, 42-7.

Then came Claire Van Hoorebeke and the highly polished machine he

had been building in Anaheim. It was spotlighting two breakaway

speedsters: Mickey Gouyd and Mickey Flynn, two phantoms from

Fantasyland. Harbor managed to arrive with 20 points, but the

Colonists doubled that with 40.

Tar tackle Jim Newkirk said, “The biggest thing I remember about

playing high school ball in ’53 and ’54 was playing against Flynn and

Gouyd. We had a decent ballclub in ‘54, but could not come close to

Anaheim, mainly because of those two guys. I recall being on the

defensive line and seeing nothing but flashes as either of those guys

flew by. I once got an arm on Flynn, but he almost tore it off as he

went by. I believe that each time he carried the ball it was for 30

yards or more. They beat us 40-20 that year, all points scored by

Flynn or Gouyd on runs exceeding 40 yards.”

Newkirk added, “Fifty-four was the year Charlie Berry did so well.

It was great blocking for him, as he was strong enough to run over

guys you missed on your block. He and David Tamura, small and quick,

made a great backfield combination. Bob Milum also ran well that

year.”

The ’54 Tars also lost to Fullerton, 26-7, and Santa Ana, 26-20,

but they had delivered a fair number of splendid performances.

Newport finished 5-3-1.

Newkirk, who would advance to Orange Coast College and achieve

outstanding defensive play, said, “Another fond remembrance is of the

coaching staff at Newport Harbor. Al Irwin was a marvelous man, as

was Don Burns, John McGowan and Bill Bernau. Gentlemen all. Always

concerned with fair play and mental toughness.”

Guard Glenn Thomas and tackle Dick Mirkovich won first-team spots

on the All-Sunset League defensive team. Fullback Berry, brother to

another prized Tar fullback, Bob Berry, 1947-49, and end Paul

Lorentzen were placed on the league’s second offensive unit. Halfback

Tamura received honorable mention and was also chosen on the

All-Japanese Pacific Coast team.

Lofty words also surfaced for dedicated players like quarterback

Bruce Knipp, backs Tom Niquette, Larry Castro and George Millikan,

ends Neil Metcalf, Bill Lamb and Bob Villagrana, tackles Jim Rumsey

and Jim Taylor, centers Jack Smith and Bill Ring and guards Roger

Early, Dick Nabor, Gary Deem and Dennis Dalebout.

Thomas, who would advance to a 37-year coaching career in Orange

County, said, “Al Irwin was an outstanding coach. I loved the guy and

consider him a very dear friend.”

Thomas, who followed another Newport coach, Don Lent, to Magnolia

High, achieved high marks at the Anaheim school. He had two winning

seasons, 7-2 and 6-3 under his direction in 1971-72.

However, he didn’t favor the head role and returned to assistant

coaching. He served as an assistant to Herb Hill at Loara High and

for Hal Sherbeck at Fullerton College. The teams won consistently

over the years.

Milum, a sound punter and good runner, finally chose to enroll at

Oregon State College because he valued Coach Tommy Prothro, who had

established the single-wing offense. He would become the second

Harbor gridder to play in a Rose Bowl game. Roy Ward of the ’46

Newport team played in the Rose Bowl for UC Berkeley.

Reflecting back on the Harbor High years, Milum said there were

numerous impressive peers, including tackle Mirkovich, tackle Bob

Cantu and fullback Berry. He said, “They were real studs.”

He said, “Berry was a real raw-boned athlete. He hit with constant

impact.” He recalled that Berry was remindful of his older brother,

Bob Berry, who ranks high in the record books in rushing and scoring.

Looking back, Newkirk said, “Thomas was probably the best of all

of us on the line in terms of stability, leadership, character and

other things -- a rock-solid guy.”