HSHS All-Decade Team: 1930s

The 1930s era of Heber Springs football was one that saw a great turmoil with the onset of the Great Depression. Through the struggles of the day, the Panthers continued to march on as the town was slowly growing, thanks in part to the Missouri and North Arkansas railroad.

The railroad helped develop one of the Panthers first rivals of the day, the Harrison Goblins. The two teams tied in their first meeting in 1930 at Harrison and then would each win at home over the early part of the decade. Though Heber Springs would continue to tangle with larger schools such as Conway, Searcy, Batesville and Morrilton, more and more schools were starting to add football and some modern rivals would first appear during the decade including Bald Knob and Clinton.

The best team of the decade was the 1935 squad under coach Hollis Ward. The Panthers would go 5-3-1 that season with wins over Cabot, Cotter, Judsonia, the Arkansas School for the Deaf and an independent team made up of former HSHS players and community members that played games across the state. The Panthers tie was a homecoming contest against Harrison.

The 1930s HSHS All-Decade Football Team

1933 – Elgin Barnett

1937 – Elmer Beasley

1933 – Phillip Bowen

1936 – Carl Holmes

1936 – Wendall Holmes

1935 – Paul Ivy

1934 – Clois Ray Morton

1933 – Otto Murphree

1932 – Jack Patterson

1937 – Joe Robbins

1934 – Tom Robbins

1933 – Ed Speed

1938 – Charles Smith

1935 – Weston Taylor

1935 – Guy Ward

PREVIOUS DECADES

The 1910s/20s HSHS All-Decade Team