Science Hill High School

Emory Hale

Emory Hale 1959

The odds of Emory Hale intercepting three passes in a game were certainly long in 1957, but it seemed more likely to happen than Science Hill beating Oak Ridge. Somehow both happened on a night for the ages in Memorial Stadium.

The 30-point underdog ’Toppers got two TDs apiece from Bill Durham and Ernie Stout in the 26-13 upset, but Hale's three interceptions were what seemed to have been recorded most prominently in 12-year-old Steve Spurrier's mind, and many others too.

"That's probably what I remember most," said Hale's teammate Sammy Humphreys. "Three interceptions were some feat."

Hale could definitely read quarterbacks. He went on to coach three All-State quarterbacks at Science Hill (Spurrier, John Rippetoe, Tom Sholes) and four at Oak Ridge (Doug Martin is now the coach at Kent State). He was 112-23 and won three state championships at Oak Ridge (1975, ’79-80) before becoming head coach at Austin Peay (1981-87). Hale coached at Maryville in ’88.

Now working in Richmond County schools in Augusta, Ga., Hale still gets worked up talking of timing routes, stop-and-gos and throw-back passes against the blitz. He always loved the passing game, writing to San Francisco coach Red Hickey when he was 12, though he never heard back. He studied the Utah shuffle pass and all but hitchhiked to get to Florida State to learn in the era of Fred Biletnikoff and Kim Hammond. Science Hill coach Kermit Tipton frequently lauded Hale’s ability to develop quarterbacks.

"Emory Hale has hand-made that boy (Rippetoe) if ever a coach helped mold a fine football player," Tipton told The Oak Ridger after Rippetoe drove Science Hill 94 yards in the fourth quarter for the game-winning TD in a 13-7 victory at Oak Ridge in 1965.

It seems odd that the finesse game was his preference, because Hale’s remembered most for his unwavering courage against what were usually heavy odds.

Hale coached at ETSU between Science Hill and Oak Ridge. He was a finalist three years for Kodak's national Coach of the Year in Oak Ridge.

But his time as a ’Topper was most dear. He remembers performances of teammates like Ron Harkleroad and Wayne Evans and former players like Charlie Buford, Red Gillespie, Sam Kiser and D.D. Stuart, who he said kicked a ball through the goalpost while kicking off.

Most of all he remembers coaches such as Tipton, Cot Presnell, Pete Wilson and Snake Evans.

“Kermit Tipton was like a second father to me,” Hale said. “And he had a great staff. Believe me, they worked us. We didn’t see a football for two weeks of practice.

“They wanted guys who wouldn’t quit. They wanted guys they couldn’t run off.” Hale certainly fell into that category. "Emory wasn't very big," Tipton said. "I guess he weighed about 135 pounds. But all of it was intestinal fortitude."