Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football Review
This book is supposed to be non fiction and is written as it it is truth. The charachters in the book are real and I am a son of the Howard Gossett mentioned as one of the killers of Hardy Brown. Also, the Gossetts were not brothers. They were father and son. The following is an actual record of the trial held in Memphis as reported in the paper. This was written as part of an autobiography on myself and I blanked out the name of Hardy Brown. Haskell E. Gossett, son of Howard A. Gossett and grandson of George H. Gossett.
GOSSETT GIVEN
TEN YEARS
IN PEN
------------------------
Jury Gets Case at
Three 0'clock
Wednesday Afternoon
Howard Gossett of Kirkland, Childress County, was given 10 years in the penitentiary, in connection with the killing of _____ _____ in the Gossett home last November. The jury received the case at three 0'clock Wednesday afternoon and asked for additional instructions from the judge twice before being able to reach a verdict. The jury deliberated for nearly 24 hours.
The Howard Gossett case was transferred here from Childress County. The defendant is represented by Judge W.B. Howard and Clyde Davidson of Childress and David Fitzgerald of this city. The State is represented by District Attorney James C. Mahan and C.C. Broughton, County Attorney of Childress County.
The case was called for trial on Monday morning and steps begun for the selection of a jury. The jury was completed at 5:30, Monday afternoon after a special venire of 60 men had been exhausted and 7 extra venire men had been summoned. The following is the personnel of the jury, in the order in which they were selected: B.A. Pyeatt, Memphis; Ben Hill, Brice; J.W. Slover, Memphis; J.N. Cypert, Turkey; J.S. Ballard, Eli; B.M. McElreath, Memphis; W.L. Phillips, Memphis; A.C. Carson, Memphis; R.M. Mothershed, Parnell; J.C. Buchanan, Turkey; Joe Webster, Memphis; and S.E. Thompson, Memphis.
Questioning of witnesses was begun Tuesday morning and finished at 3 0'clock in the afternoon. The remainder of the afternoon was taken up in writing the charge to the jury and receiving exceptions by the District Judge. C.C. Broughton opened the argument for the state followed by David Fitzgerald of Memphis, Clyde Davidson and Judge W.B. Howard for the defendant. District Attorney Mahan closed for the state and the case was given to the jury at 3 0'clock Wednesday afternoon.
Killing Follows Argument
The killing is alleged to have resulted when _____ _____ accused Gossett of making remarks about the deceased and some woman. Defense witnesses testified that Gossett shot _____ following an argument which arose when _____ used profane language in the presence of women members of the Gossett family. The killing took place in the Gossett home on the night of November 7, 1928. G.H. Gossett, father of the defendant, who is charged separately with the same offense, was tried in district court in Childress during the January term. A hung jury resulted and the case was transferred
Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football Overview
More than a century ago, a school was constructed in Fort Worth, Texas, for the purpose of housing and educating the orphans of Texas Freemasons. It was a humble project that for years existed quietly on a hillside east of town. Life at the Masonic Home was about to change, though, with the arrival of a lean, bespectacled coach by the name of Rusty Russell. Here was a man who could bring rain in the midst of a drought. Here was a man who, in virtually no time at all, brought the orphans’ story into the homes of millions of Americans.
In the 1930s and 1940s, there was nothing bigger in Texas high school football than the Masonic Home Mighty Mites—a group of orphans bound together by hardship and death. These youngsters, in spite of being outweighed by at least thirty pounds per man, were the toughest football team around. They began with nothing—not even a football—yet in a few years were playing for the state championship on the highest level of Texas football. This is a winning tribute to a courageous band of underdogs from a time when America desperately needed fresh hope and big dreams.
The Mighty Mites remain a notable moment in the long history of American sports. Just as significant is the depth of the inspirational message. This is a profound lesson in fighting back and clinging to faith. The real winners in Texas high school football were not the kids from the biggest schools, or the ones wearing the most expensive uniforms. They were the scrawny kids from a tiny orphanage who wore scarred helmets and faded jerseys that did not match, kids coached by a devoted man who lived on peanuts and drove them around in a smoke-belching old truck.
In writing a story of unforgettable characters and great football, Jim Dent has come forward to reclaim his place as one of the top sports authors in America today.
A remarkable and inspirational story of an orphanage and the man who created one of the greatest football teams Texas has ever known . . . this is their story—the original Friday Night Lights.
—Verne Lundquist, CBS Sports
“Coach Rusty Russell and the Mighty Mites will steal your heart as they overcome every obstacle imaginable to become a respected football team. Take an orphanage, the Depression, and mix it with Texas high school football, and Jim Dent has authored another winner, this one about the ultimate underdog.’’
—Brent Musburger, ABC Sports/ESPN
“No state has a roll call of legendary high school football stories like we do in Texas, and, admittedly, some of those stories have been ‘expanded’ over the years when it comes to the truth. But let Jim Dent tell you about the Mighty Mites of Masonic Home, the pride of Fort Worth in the dark days of the Depression. Read this book. You will think it’s fiction. You will think it’s a Hollywood script. But Twelve Mighty Orphans is the truth, and nothing but. It is powerful stuff. Some eighty years later, the Mighty Mites’ story remains so sacred, not even a Texan would dare tamper with these facts. And Jim Dent tells it like it was.”
— Randy Galloway, columnist, Fort-Worth Star Telegram
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Customer Reviews
My high school students love this book... - K. Burrus - TX
I'm a high school English teacher and my kids love this book. We have a hard time keeping it in our library.
Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football ( - linndalou -
The book keeps one interested. The purchasing and shipping:It was smooth transaction when purchasing the book, also.
Great Story - JimmyCarl -
Great story of a time when life was much more difficult for most and the orphans had it tougher in many ways. Also a story of unselfishness from several in the school and other people of kindness.
In an era when heroes were broadly needed, hope and excitement for better times was fuel to go on, and bringing Texas and the entire country closer together through a common goal where the little guy makes good in a time when most were losing, this story hits the mark. The mighty orphans filled this need without their knowing and simply lived their life as they knew it. Coach Russell knew he was devoted to more than football but to the orphans, people, dignity, and country.
A book full of interesting true life characters, events, courage, and love. One that I will be always grateful for reading.
Highly recommended.
If you like football, you'll like this book. If you like Fort Worth, you'll find yourself being drawn into the history of it. - Bryce R. Danley - Fort Worth, Texas
If you like football, you'll like this book. If you like Fort Worth, you'll find yourself being drawn into the history of it. If you like Baylor University, you'll find a hidden gem if you look hard enough. If you like stories about selfless quality leaders who make the absolute most of their resources - you'll have trouble putting this one down.
Setting Fort Worth Texas - during the great depression - events that occurred at the Masonic Home for Orphans
This is a wonderful book about an unlikely group of champions. Each of the boys came to the home from different, tragic circumstances. The Masonic home, while it certainly filled a need for those orphaned during this time, was not an easy place to grow up.
Some of the adults who worked with the boys were visionary, inspiring, selfless and leaderful. Others at least bordered on cruel, even by the standards of the time. This is not an easy book to read due to the rough language, brutal treatment of and by the occupants of the home.
However the book is also about self sacrifice, vision, compassion - particularly illustrated by the team's coach Rusty Russell. He seemed to see the boys as they were and as they could become. He exemplifies the wonderful trait of being able to make the absolute best of tough situations. The obstacles he and his team faced were large, virtually constant, and always faced head on, without compliant. Russell strikes quite a heroic pose the Twelve Mighty Orphans - without the flaw so common to visionary leaders - an ego gone wrong.
Most of all, this book is about male toughness - in all the good and terrible things that word encompasses. It talks about tough circumstances, tough times, tough adults, and most of all some incredibly tough boys/young adults. You'll be amazed at the things they could and did do.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 01, 2010 01:30:06
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