Paul's In the Hall

I received a newspaper article from my grandparents this weekend. The article talks about my grandfather, Paul Whaley, and his induction in the Sevier County High School Hall of Fame for football. I've posted the online article below. It can also be found at the Mountain Press webpage. In the picture below, my grandfather is number 31.

SCHS Hall of Fame Class of 2008: Paul Whaley
By: Cobey Hitchcock

SEVIERVILLE - Sevier County High School 1947 graduate Paul Whaley is an Alabama fan in Tennessee and has been playing catch-up for most of his life, but at least now he's an SCHS Hall of Famer.

As a young child new to Sevier County, Whaley missed out on a couple of elementary school years. "My father didn't send me because he didn't like the teacher," said Whaley, already chuckling in anticipation of his punchline. "I got two years behind, and I've been trying to catch up ever since."

Being a little behind in the classroom didn't end up hurting Whaley's football career, however, and he went on to star for the Smoky Bears at the offensive and defensive tackle positions his junior and senior seasons ... his only two years of football before high school graduation.

"We played both sides of the ball," said Whaley. "There wasn't platoon football at that time."

They were not only iron men in those days. They also still played the violent sport in leather football helmets. "I've watched it evolve through the years, and I'm still interested in football," he said. "I've just watched the changes through the years, and it's a lot different these days."

Whaley played in a high school era that didn't bother naming players to All-District and All-Conference teams, because the important thing to them was the team's outcome. The Bears were a good team with Whaley in the line-up, posting a quality 8-2 record his senior season ... although he isn't quick to brag about his team's success. "We won about 50-50, about half the time," he insists.

Whaley played well enough at SCHS to earn a football scholarship to play for the Carson-Newman College Eagles, where he continued his on-field success. Whaley lettered all four years at C-N, playing tackle and guard on both sides of the ball for coach Sam "Frosty" Holt. He was also named to the All-Conference Team his senior season with the Eagles ... the same year C-N made it to the Tobacco Bowl against Westchester, Pa., in Johnson City. The Eagles lost 20-6, but it is still a fond memory for Whaley.

Although he loved his days at C-N, Whaley would have rather played for his favorite college team Alabama instead, "because coach Paul "Bear" Bryant (who coached the Tide as an assistant in the late 1930s and later as head coach from 1958-82) was an inspiration to me," said Whaley. "But I've heard a lot of stuff from a lot of people around here about my choice of teams."

If he could have went on to play for an NFL franchise, his choice would have been the Green Bay Packers, "because they play tough teams in a tough league, and they play were it's cold. I like the cold, outdoor games." Years later, he would also admire their legendary coach Vince Lombardi, who coached the Pack from 1959-67.

But Whaley's football career came to an end with the Tobacco Bowl loss in late 1950, and he went on to marry his SCHS high school sweetheart Ellouise Ariail in December of 1950 and then enlisted in the Army upon his 1951 graduation from C-N. Whaley was posted to the special services for two years during the Korean Conflict, and although he never went overseas, he coached an Army baseball team during that time.

Following the Army experience, Whaley and his wife moved back close to home in the Karns area for the next 40 years. Whaley worked in the life insurance business for the rest of his career, including his first seven years with Home Beneficial and then as an independent agent with Nationwide Insurance Company for more than 30 years, before retiring in January of 1989.

Whaley was an assistant football coach for Karns High School for two seasons in 1962-63, and he remembers losing the Smoky Bowl to SCHS in 1962.

Whaley, who moved to Sevier County at the age of seven, was born in a farm house were Farragut High School now stands, and now he's really back home after moving from Karns back to Farragut in 2001. "I made a round trip from Farragut to Sevier County to Karns and back to Farragut," he said. "I made a full circle in my life." Although Whaley hasn't been to Sevier County in years, he still has family here ... four of his six brothers, including Roy, Glenn, Alvin Jr. and Cleo. "I'm very excited about coming back home," said Whaley, who plans to attend the August 28 HOF event. "I was surprised about the Hall of Fame induction, and oh, yes, yes, I'm excited and I'm honored by it."