Raise the Roof – Marshfield

Today we recognize Walt Paczesniak, former coach at Marshfield from 1948 until 1974.  Walt was part of a wave of coaches and teachers who arrived in Coos Bay with World War II experience.  There can be no doubt that these veterans had a positive impact on the Pirates they coached and taught.

Walt Paczesniak was born and raised in 1920 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He played 4 years of football and baseball at West Liberty State Teachers College in West Liberty, West Virginia, graduating and receiving his Bachelors of Science degree in 1943. He married Virginia Regier and immediately enlisted in the US Army. He was wounded in combat in France in September 1944 and convalesced in England and subsequently in Virginia.
After being discharged from the Army in 1946, Walt began his teaching and coaching career in Coos Bay. Walt and Virginia had moved across the country for this new adventure never believing they would eventually stay and raise their family in a small coastal town in Oregon. This was, however, a thriving community with outstanding schools and an illustrious athletic tradition.

Walt is at the bottom left, listening intently to Pete Susick.

Once here in Coos Bay, Walt and Virginia never considered moving back east. He taught social studies and coached football at Marshfield Junior High for two years before transferring to the high school. He taught US history and coached football (with shorter stints coaching tumbling and baseball) from 1948 until his death in 1974.

Walt has 3 children who all went through the Coos Bay school system and have wonderful memories of growing up in Coos Bay and remain loyal Marshfield Pirates: Penny MHS 1963, Mary MHS 1968 and Mark MHS 1969.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Coach Richard ‘Mac’ McIntosh. During this time, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

The following was written by Mac for his induction into the Marshfield Hall of Fame in 2009.  Those of you who knew Mac will recognize his commitment to leadership and family.

Born:
March 24, 1953 at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan. Son of an Air Force C-119 Flight Engineer flying in the Korean War and a Japanese war bride.

Education:
Marshfield High School, class of 1971
United States Air Force Academy, class of 1975
Bachelor of Science in History
Indiana University, class of 1976
Master of Arts in History
Air War College, class of 1995

My parents raised me with dual priorities – grades and sports. When dad retired from a 23-year Air Force career in 1968 and moved to Oregon, he chose Marshfield for its academic and athletic reputation. The faculty, administrators and coaching staff offered a challenging, competitive and comprehensive education that nurtured future Olympians, Ivy League graduates, and leaders in medicine, the law and business. Janet Farr and I earned co-valedictorian honors, Lois McKenna chose me as editor of the Ma­Hi Times, and Walt McClure named me captain of the boys varsity track and field team. Most importantly, I met and fell in love with Linnea Wright in sophomore English class. After earning her undergraduate degree from Oregon State, she married me in 1975 and together, we’ve created our greatest legacy: Rex Aris McIntosh and Rachael McIntosh Taylor.

I learned lessons from four hall-of-fame coaches in their prime, Stan Solomon (hurdling), John Johnson (JV football), Pete Susick (Varsity football) and Walt McClure (track) that inspired an intercollegiate career at the Air Force Academy. As a hurdler, I anchored a world and American record setting 240-yard shuttle hurdle relay team in 1975, earned Track and Field News All-America honors, and captained the team. Head Coach Arne Arneson chose me Most Valuable Track and Field Athlete as a junior and senior. Our hurdle relay team included state champions from Oregon. Hawaii and Arkansas and won the Drake Relays, Ohio State Relays and Michigan State Relays in the 1975 season.

Fighter aviation and command provided anchors for a 30-year career as an Air Force officer. I’ve pushed F-15 Eagles through skies over Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Virginia, Saudi Arabia, and Hawaii, logging nearly 2,000 hours an hour-and-a-half at a time. Command of detachments as small as 10 and as large as 300, including an Air Staff division at the Pentagon taught lessons about leadership, accountability, and team-building. My last assignment as commander of Air Force ROTC detachments at Loyola Marymount University, the University of Southern California (USC), and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reinforced this primary life lesson – making people you care about successful provides intense personal and professional gratification.

I’m honored to be a member of the Pirate coaching fraternity and working to enhance a legacy that includes my most influential teachers, inspiring role models, and informative mentors.

Mac’s coaching career culminated in a Boy’s State Championship Track and Field title in 2017.  Mac also headed the Tribute Hall campaign to honor Marshfield and School District veterans of all eras.

Link to John Gunther’s article in The World on Sunday, August 13, 2017.

Donations for the class challenge took a nice jump over the last two weeks.

The class of ’65 sits comfortably in the lead with the class of ’59 holding steady in second place. These two classes have earned  recognition on the ‘Gold’ recognition board for raising over $5,000.

The classes of ’67, ’69 and ’64 have all earned recognition on the ‘Purple’ board for surpassing $2,500.   The class of ’62 needs a $100 bump to join the Purple group.

Fourteen classes have broken the $1,000 mark and hopefully will pursue the Purple or Gold recognition levels.  Seven out of thirty three classes have not had a donation credited to them.  Maybe they will respond like the class of 1958, which went from zero to $1,000 over the last two weeks.  You can get one of these classes on the board by donating an amount equal to the year you graduated – $47 for the class of ’47, $48 for ’48 and so on.  Of course, you can always donate more and try to help your class crack the top 10.  Here’s a list of those classes we would like to see get on the board – ’47, ’48, ’49, ’52, ’61, ’71 and ’79.

Donating is as easy as clicking on the donate button at the top of the right column.  You can pay via PayPal or simply use your credit card.  You can also donate by check.  Please visit our How to Donate  page for more information, including the various levels of recognition.

More details about the Class Challenge can be found here.

We are using today’s recognition of coach Wigle as a reminder that there will be a field dedication ceremony October 13 during halftime and a social and auction on Saturday the 14th. (Details here)

Kent Wigle’s incredible record speaks for itself.

At Marshfield, Coach Wigle’s teams made the playoffs 18 times in 21 seasons, winning the state title in 1992. The Pirates won the Midwestern League eight times and set a state record by winning 55 consecutive regular-season league games from 1994 to 2000.

Wigle’s record at Marshfield was 173-60 and his overall record was 307-99-2, which ranks second in Oregon history only to the late Dewey Sullivan (352-84-2) at Dayton. There are achievements that few reach throughout their career, and there is none greater than being named the 2005 National Football Coach of the Year.

During the 1994 – 2000 years Coach Wigle’s teams won 55 consecutive regular season games which was a 4A State Record. Kent Wigle earned Midwestern League Coach of the Year 7 times, was the 1992 State of Oregon Football Coach of the Year, 1996 Western Regional Coach of the Year (National nomination) and in 2005 was the National Football Coach of the Year. He and his teams earned 8 Midwestern League championships, and Wigle coached the Shrine Game 13 times.

All Pirate fans are looking forward to the football season opener three weeks from today.  If you were a Pirate during the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s it is likely you remember this great Pirate sitting in the stands.

Today we remember one of our all time great boosters, Buck Williams.  His smile, warmth and enthusiasm are still remembered by thousands of Pirates who were involved in Marshfield sports and activities.

Buck was born in Platteville, Colorado on May 21, 1918, and all his schooling was in that state.  He graduated from Collins High School where he played basketball, track and softball, then attended Colorado State University.  He left school for a job in Klamath Falls, Oregon in the automatic coin machine music business.  That is where he met and married Ruby Briscoe, to whom he was married for 62 years.

They moved to Marshfield in 1940 to work for Embaco Music Company, which later became Sunset Automatic Music Company, until his retirement in 1982. During World War II, Buck joined the U.S. Air Force and went overseas as a pilot on a B-29 Super Fortress flying missions from the Mariana Islands to Japan.  After the war he returned to Coos Bay and worked for Sunset Music Company.

Ruby and Buck had three sons, Jim, Jerry and Randy who all graduated from Marshfield High School and Oregon State University.

Ruby and Buck were fans and supported Marshfield High School athletics and activities for over 50 years.   He was a past president of the Marshfield Quarterback Club (the previous name for the Booster Club).

Buck was inducted into the first MHS Hall of Fame in 2003, the first class of MHS Hall of Famers.  Buck passed away in March of 2005.  Buck’s Place at Susick Stadium is named his honor.

If Buck was still alive, I’m sure he would want to sit under a new roof.  So please consider donating by using the donate button on this page.

In this honor we mostly recognize Fran Worthen’s athletic accomplishments.  But those who have been blessed to be touched by Fran, be it her family or the Pirate family, know that Fran’s beneficent personality and leadership are what truly set her apart.

Worthen was one of the top female track and field athletes in the country and a multiple state champion for Marshfield. While at Marshfield, she participated in cross country, field hockey, volleyball and track and field, and was an active member of the Girls Athletic Association, holding several offices including president.

She spent her track and field career setting and resetting school, district and state records, and two times broke the national high school long jump record. She won a total of 10 state titles, is the only Class 4A (the highest level of state classification at the time) athlete  to score more than 100 career points in the state meet, and led Marshfield to the 1972 state championship.

After graduating from Marshfield, she joined the track and field team at Southwestern Oregon Community College, becoming the first woman to participate for a men’s junior college track team.

She broke the American record for 220 yards three times, but was denied the mark on technicalities each time. In 1974, she was the AAU National Senior Women’s champion at 220 yards and part of a 440-yard relay team that set an American record.

She retired from track and field in 1975 to turn her attention to motherhood and became the head track and field coach at Marshfield.

Fran was inducted into the MHS Hall of Fame in the first group of inductees.  Post Hall of Fame Induction Accomplishments: Fran coached the Pirate girls to a state title in 2005 and led the boys team to a state title in 2008. She retired from coaching Pirates after the 2008 season.

In 1974, two years after her successful high school career, Fran was a National Championship finalist in the long jump, 100 yard and 220-yard dashes. She won the 220 yard dash and was crowned America’s national champion. That same year she competed for the US in the short relay against the USSR at Duke University and the team set an American Record.

Fran front and center at a Hall of Fame event.

This week we recognize our new head football coach John Lemmons.  We’ll brag up his high school football accomplishments so that our current Pirate players listen up during practice.

John’s education began at Bunker Hill Elementary for kindergarten. For the next 5 years of elementary education he attended Milner Crest. He spent three years at Sunset Middle School. Then finally in 1989 became a Marshfield Pirate, and was part of the 1993 graduating class.

John attended the University of Montana after high school, and later transferred to Southern Oregon University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion, Fitness management and Physical Education.
While attending MHS, John was a four sport letterman earning 10 varsity letters.

• As a sophomore he led the 1990 Mid-Western League in tackles.
• As a junior he led the league in rushing and was named first team all conference running back and linebacker.
• His senior year Johns was:
  • again named to the first team all conference as a running back and linebacker.
  • named the Mid-Western League defensive player of the year.
  • named first team all state linebacker.
  • the MVP of the 1992 State Championship football game, where he led the team in tackles, had two interceptions and scored four touchdowns.
  • named Oregon USA Today football player of the year.
• He was named Prefontaine athlete of the year for Coos County.
• John also shares a common award with Steve Prefontaine as the only Marshfield athlete to win Oregon’s Johnny Carpenter Prep Athlete of the year.

John was inducted into the Marshfield Hall of Fame in 2015.  He was announced as the new head coach  (see The World article) of the football team in June of 2017.

I’m sure he would appreciate your donation towards the Raise the Roof project.  Just click on that donation button at the top of the right column.  Also, don’t forget the field dedication for Lemmon’s former coach, Kent Wigle, this October 13 & 14.  Details and signup here.

Barry Bullard as a Husky

Barry Bullard MHS 1956

We continue our series Pirate gridiron and track and field greats.

Bullard played on three undefeated state champion football teams for the Pirates and was twice selected Oregon All-State Football Tackle.  Barry was also the Student Body President at Marshfield.

After graduating from Marshfield he became part of Coach Jim Owens first recruiting class at the University of Washington and starting strong tackle on the 1960 Husky Rose Bowl Team.

A 3-year letterman at the UW, Barry was named as one of eight All-American Scholar Athletes in the United States as a senior and was presented with a National Football Foundation award by General Douglas MacArthur in New York.

Graduating in 1962 with a degree in civil engineering, Barry accepted a commission in USAF serving honorably for 16 years until an illness forced his medical retirement. He received his M/S degree in Astronautics and Space Facilities at the USAF Institute of Technology in 1968. Barry was a Viet Nam Veteran and was awarded bronze star for service at Phu Cat AFB.

Barry was inducted into the Marshfield Hall of Fame in 2005. This great Pirate passed away on March 26, 2012.

Here’s our first update to the Class Challenge.  Cash contributions have passed $40,000.  The class of 1965 far outpaces the pack with a combined total of $11,000.  Second place goes to the class of 1959, with $5,000, a comfortable (for now) lead of $1,700 over the class of 1962.

The Raise the Roof committee has also been able to secure large in-kind donations.  ‘Project Manager Bob Jenkins is donating all of his time.  The concrete work for Phase 1 is being donated by Knife River where Chris Peach, a Marshfield graduate is the local general manager. The stairs were painted by Butch Shields, who graduated with Jenkins and owns Gold Coast Truck Repair.’  See The World Article for more contributors.

Donating is as easy as clicking on the donate button at the top of the right column.  You can pay via PayPal or simply use your credit card.  You can also donate by check.  Please visit our How to Donate  page for more information, including the various levels of recognition.

If you class is not listed, we have not received a donation.

Pete era players, if you want to hear some great stories told by Pete, including some great ones from the 50’s, visit this page.

The photos below by Bob Jenkins were taken July 31.  The photos are of the Quarter Deck Wall area. The side walls on the upper section will be next to be poured, followed by the installation of the two stairways to allow people to sit up top. Then the railing will get installed for the upper section as well.  Hopefully, everything will be in place for the season opener. Looking Good!  More details about the Class Challenge can be found here.

C Wylie Smith II

For the rest of the summer and throughout the fall, we will be recognizing some of the people who have meant so much to Marshfield High School football and track and field.  There is no better place to start than C. Wylie Smith II.

Hundreds of former Pirates worked at Coos Head Timer Company.  Many just worked summers to pay their way through college, as I did.  And many were able to make a career at Coos Head Timber.

The following article about C. Wylie Smith will take you back to the era when Marshfield, the city, was a great economic engine in the state of Oregon.  Marshfield became home to many strong leaders and Wylie Smith was among the best.  Note the many civic hats that Wylie wore.  For those of us were positively touched by the Smith Family, we use those memories as motivation to Raise The Roof on Susick Stadium and to thank him for his enormous financial contribution to the stadium.

The following is published with the permission of the World Forestry Center.

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