08/18/2026
🏈 JACKSBORO TIGERS — 1916
Take a close look at this photo.
This is the 1916 Jacksboro High School football team, photographed more than a century ago. That season, the Tigers played Graham at the city baseball park and came away with a 32–0 victory.
But what caught my attention wasn’t just the score.
If you know Jack County history, some of the names in this photograph will immediately stand out.
The roster includes:
H.B. Brouse • Red Herring • Harvey Kingrey • Ed Myers • Claude Harrison • “Bugs” Baines • Clayton Henderson • Robert Davidson • David Foreman • Clifford Johnson • Walter Richardson • Hobart Coyle • Wes Ham • Red Spiller • George Risley • Bryce Parker • Warren Richardson
And their coach?
Vester Stark.
At first glance, it’s simply a football team.
But start researching the names and suddenly you’re looking at the sons and grandsons of the people who were building, surveying, practicing law, operating businesses and helping shape Jacksboro and Jack County.
And these boys had no idea that 110 years later we’d still be looking at their photograph and talking about their names.
There are 18 names here when you include Coach Stark.
🔎 Recognize one of these names? Are you related to someone in this photograph?
Tell us what you know in the comments. There may be a whole lot more Jack County history hiding in this one picture.
📷 1916 Jacksboro Tigers — photograph republished in the October 15, 1990 Jacksboro Gazette-News Homecoming Edition. Photo courtesy of Georgette Myers.
