The first all-black football team to win a Georgia High School Association State Championship since the Atlanta schools were integrated in 1966 has received some long-overdue recognition.
The 1973 "Wolves" of Southwest Atlanta High School have been awarded Atlanta Public Schools' first Throwback Award.
No Atlanta team has won a state football championship since, according to APS.
The team’s All-American quarterback, Anthony Flanagan, became the first African American quarterback at the University of Georgia.
Here’s the full Atlanta school board resolution presenting the award:
WHEREAS, The Atlanta Public schools First Annual “Throwback” Award is being given to the 1973 Southwest Atlanta High School Football Team, “The Wolves”; and
WHEREAS, Southwest led the region by winning 12 games and losing none in regular season play; and
WHEREAS, Running Back Anthony Terry ranked number 1 in the region by rushing for 908 yards in 128 attempts; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves All-American Quarterback Anthony Flanagan, who became the first African American QB at the University of Georgia, led the region in passing; and
WHEREAS, Brandon Fannin led the region in fumble recoveries with 6 recoveries in 13 games and Gerald Glover was one of the region’s leading pass-receivers with 47 catches for a total of 910 yards; and Wide-Receiver Gene Wilson had 37 catches in 72 attempts for 743 net yards in 12 games; and
WHEREAS, A defense, anchored by Defensive Ends, Reggie Wilkes and Larry Driskell; and Defensive Lineman and Backs, Kenneth Reese, Earl Monroe, Johnny Mason, Edgar Warren, Randy Smith, and Andrew Bussey; and
WHEREAS, Southwest was coached by Head Coach Ted Sparks, assisted by Kirby McDaniel, Offensive Coordinator, and Gilbert Turman, Defensive Coordinator who led The Southwest Wolves to APS’ first and only AA State Championship since 1973; and
WHEREAS, In the championship game, Linebacker Kent Mason intercepted a pass and ran in the closing minutes, giving Southwest a lead that was never relinquished; and
WHEREAS, This was the first all-black team to win a Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Championship, since the integration of Atlanta Public School in 1966 with no Atlanta Public Schools team winning a GHSA state championship since; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, The Atlanta Board of Education has duly adopted this resolution and has caused its duly authorized officials to execute and deliver this resolution of recognition on this 1st day of June, 2015, to the 1973 Southwest Atlanta “Wolves” Football team, Coaches and Principal, Charles R. Mason, for making APS history by being the only APS team to win a GHSA State Championship.
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