DOES ANYONE REMEMBER

             COACH RED CONKRIGHT?

 

Here's a little info on Red Conkright.

 
William "Red" Conkright was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1914, he died in Houston in 1980.

 
He played college football for the University of Oklahoma and was drafted by the Chicago Bears as a guard in the 5th round of the first NFL draft in 1937, He played for the Bears in 1937 and 1938; the Cleveland Rams from 1939-1942; the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Washington Redskins in 1943, and returned to the Rams in 1944.  Assistant Coach for the Cleveland Browns in 1946, Head Coach at Stephen F. Austin College from 1959-1961, Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders in 1962.

 
He married Imogene Rogers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Rogers of Minden. Two of her sisters were Josephine Rogers Hanes Campbell who married Cecil Campbell and Maxine Rogers Alley, wife of Dr. Tom Alley of Minden.

Compliments of John Agan, Webster Parish Historian

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 Red Conkright was one of my mentors and good friends.  he signed me to my first professional contract with the Houston Oilers.  He later became an end coach and coached me with the oilers and then was the Oakland Raiders head coach.  He later worked in real estate in Houston.  he survived a massive heart attack while in Houston and described an "out of body" experience with me that would curl your toes. He owned a dairy queen type of business in east Minden.  i believe he married a Campbell.  they had two sons, Bill and another son who was in very poor health and died..  I think he moved back to Minden so they could   better tend to their child.  Red would give us free milkshakes for athletic achievement.  I was one of his pall bearers.

Submitted by Charlie Hennigan, Class of 1953

(Note: Charlie played for the Houston Oilers Until 1965)

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Minden Cemetery, p. 143, Section G-3

William F. Conkright  “Red”  (Bill’s dad)       17 Apr 1914-27 Oct  1980

Emogene Rogers Conkright                          17 Feb 1913-17 Sep 2004  (91 years)

She was living in Austin, TX  near her son Bob, Bill’s younger brother.  Yes, she was a Minden native.  She had family here.

Judith Ann Conkright  (Bill’s sister)                08 Aug 1943-23 Jan 1955

 Bill (Class of 1958) - William Freeman Conkright  (wife Diane)  Residents of Augusta, Georgia).

The last time I talked to Bill was May 10, 2000.  He had just retired from “Medical College Media Services,” whatever that is.  He was living in South Carolina at the time and they were in the process of building a new home (current residence) in Augusta, GA.  They moved there to be near their son, William, Jr., who is a  physician in Augusta.  Their other son lives in Houston.  Bill and his wife travel quite a bit doing Christian seminars for youth.

The Conkrights had two sons and a daughter.  Judith was the middle child.  She had some kind of physical handicap which caused her death at 12 years of age.  I  remember Judy.  She was 3 years younger than me.  The other son, Bob, is still living and in Austin, TX.

Submitted by Ann Mays Harlan                              

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I wonder if anyone has any information on "Red" Conkright?  I remember that he was a professional football coach and came to Minden in the early fifties.  His wife may have been a native of Minden. He owned a dairy queen type store on Highway 80 east.  After practice some of us would go by his place for the five barbeque beef sandwiches for a dollar.  He went to La. Tech as an assistant in the fall of 1955 and soon after he was the head coach for the Oakland Raiders.

 

His son's name was Bill (I think) and if I remember correctly after graduating from Minden he went to the University of Houston.  He was instrumental in my career as he suggested to Coach Doherty to move me to fullback after my sophomore year.  He would join the Minden coaches sitting on the sidelines of all home basketball games. These facts are vague memories and may need to be verified. 

Thanks

Jerry Frasier

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Red Conkright played for the Rams in 1942-1944

Red Conkright was with the Oakland Raiders from 1963-1965.