Science Hill High School

Bob May

Bob May 1953

Bob May was an All-State tackle as a senior in 1952. He went on to be player of the year at Bacone College (Okla.) before transferring to ETSU. He also played football in the Army (1957-59).

May was an end in high school until his senior year. At 170 pounds, he had decent size for a tackle in that era. His toughness and no-nonsense demeanor are his legacy. Teammate Bo Austin recalled May blocking a kick with his face against Morristown.

"I think he ended up needing 10 to 12 stitches," Austin said, "but he didn't miss a play. We were concerned and he kind of (growled), 'Let's play football.' Bob was tough and he wanted to win."

May, who also ran track and caught a game-winning TD pass from Austin against D-B his junior year at Science Hill, left as much of a mark as a coach. He was an assistant at Science Hill from 1960-68, also coaching basketball and track. He helped during Snake Evans' first two seasons (1967-68) before going to Dobyns-Bennett for a decade. The 'Toppers beat Kingsport both of those years before he left, and beat a Morristown team that included Ken Rucker.

"Those first two teams Snake had might've been the best two I saw at Science Hill," May said.

May returned to Science Hill in the late '70s to coach defense for Tommy Hundley. He also assisted Mike Martin before taking over as head coach from 1986-91.

His '88 team, led by tailback Gary "Shorty" Adams, went 9-1 during the regular season. They lost to Cherokee in the playoffs.

"Cherokee was big as mountains and ran it down our throat," May said. "And we had a holding call about 15 yards behind Gary Adams when he was scoring on a sweep. Gary was one of the best, if not the best, I ever saw at Science Hill."

May might've had as much fun coaching North Junior High football in 1965 as anything. It was the first year of integration.

"We had 24 whites, 24 blacks and nobody scored on us," May said. "We had a great bunch of kids and went 8-0."

Reaching those kids was probably also special to May because he nearly quit school in junior high. He said assistant coach Cot Presnell and his brother Zeb were the reason he didn't.

"Cot thought the world of Bob May," Austin said.

So do a lot of others. May became Johnson City's mayor (1997-99).