Most memorable Seymour games covered

Panthers bring recollections of stitches, Bartons and comical radio guys

Author’s Note: One of the features I’m doing this year is writing about the most memorable games I’ve covered from each area town along with an essay. I’ve already written about Nocona and Vernon. This week’s is Seymour.

If you were to stop me on the street and say, “What three things come to mind when you think of Seymour football,” I’d have my choices pretty quickly.

Stitches is my first answer. I had an unfortunate accident my first trip to Fair Park Stadium. You’ll read about it later. But let’s just say it led to the reevaluation of my invincibility. It also led to a tetanus shot.

The Bartons are next. For about a 10-year stretch, Seymour started a Barton brother at quarterback every year. Aaron, Zach and Blaine were great guys from a great family who I interviewed multiple times. Blaine even came to the TRN studio for a podcast his senior year.

The third is the radio tandem of Jeff Gregg and Curtis Priddy. From the first time I shared an Electra press box with them in 2003, these guys had me cracking up.

Life is funny in a way. You connect with people who are different ages from different backgrounds because of an oblong-shaped object that gets hurled in the air.

Curtis worked for the school district as a police officer if I remember correctly. Jeff was a CPA in the Baylor County town who had ties to Wichita Falls. They both owned a love for Panther football coupled with a wit that made listening to them entertaining even if the game was not.

Curtis is retired living in New Mexico, but one of the reasons why I’m mentioning these guys is because the world lost Jeff after Christmas. He’d been battling cancer for multiple years, and it finally got the best of him.

I’d run into Jeff occasionally the past few years – his daughter moved into a house down the block from me a decade ago – but not as much as when he was calling Panther games. I was always an invited guest at his house before any Seymour home game I covered. He’d have a few friends over and a yummy-looking spread. His wife was also so kind to me. He’d give me a hard time if I picked Windthorst to beat Seymour, but then he’d tell me later it was probably the right pick. He was a practical guy.   

Jeff was also a Texas Rangers fan, and we lamented together the night Texas lost Game 7 of the World Series to the Cardinals in 2011 from his living room. I’d been in Munday covering the Moguls versus Windthorst and hadn’t had time to eat before. Jeff had inquired about how the game went (Windthorst won by 20-plus points). He invited me to stop by and eat while we watched the KFDX highlights and mourn the Rangers’ close call.  

Anyway, Seymour had Jeff and Curtis then. I’m sure they have good guys now, too. Lots of area towns like Graham (Rick Edwards) and Vernon (Kathy McClellan) have dedicated radio broadcasters who help make Friday nights special. Jeff fit that bill for a long time, and he will certainly be missed.

Here’s a look at the five most memorable Seymour games I’ve covered in the past two decades: