‘19 of Greene’ holds book signing at GCHS

Greene County High School hosted a special and historic event on Dec. 9 in its lunchroom. Greene County alumni and famous college football writer Tony Barnhart hosted a signing for his new book, “ The 19 of Greene,” about the first integrated football team in 1970 at GCHS.

Of the original 19 players, 15 are alive today, with nine at the signing event. The deceased former players include Edward Stapleton, Freddie Walker, James Kimbro, and James Scott.

Barnhart hosted the event at GCHS with a few of his former teammates, including the team’s quarterback Charles Turner, who also wrote the foreword for the book, as well as Dene Channell, Al Cason, David Barnhart, Tony Whittaker, Rick Easley, Ben Allen Gresham, and Tommy Moon.

“It’s great to be back here with all of you to celebrate that fine season in 1970,” Barnhart said at the ceremony. “This is one of the first times some of us have been in the same room in over 50 years.”

At the event, former players, family members, coaches, and many others gathered for the book signing.Barnhart spoke about that special season, when the Tigers went 7-4 overall and won a region title.

“I remember when we played mighty Gainesville High on a cold, rainy, miserable night in November. In the course of research for the book, every player remembered everything about that game. It was a night none of us would ever forget,” Barnhart said.

“We won seven out of our last eight games to capture the East division of Region 8-AA. We had 19 players and they had 65. We may have lost 13-0, but I will you this, Gainesville knew that it would be a tough fight.”

A few members of the crowd started to tear up when Barnhart mentioned a few names of players who had passed on. However, they smiled when he and Turner started reminiscing about their lives.

“I can’t believe we are back together after all these years,” Turner said. “Today is special for all of us.”

Barnhart said the idea for “19 of Greene” book came about when he was looking through old photos at his mother’s house in 2019. In a box, he found the team photo from that 1970 season and got an idea.

“I thought to myself, where are all of these guys now?” Barnhart said. “So, I called my friend Charles, our quarterback, who I had kept up with through the years. We had lunch in Athens and I pitched him the idea. He loved it and was immediately on his phone calling up old teammates for me.”

The 19 of Greene details the Tigers’ successful season amidst a change in society when Greene County High School and Floyd T. Cory High School integrated. It also talked about how the players endured the change and how they formed relationships with each other that would last a lifetime.

Barnhart interviewed many of his former teammates and put the book together in just a few short years.

“My mom asked me to get this stuff out of her house, and as I was going through the boxes I found several photos, including the team photo, that I hadn’t seen in years. That’s when I called Charles. Look at what that day led to,” Barnhart said. “We all get to gather here and remember a special time. I’m blessed to be a part of all this. … It was a long process, but I enjoyed every minute.”

After Barnhart, Turner, and current Greene County High School principal Eddie Hood spoke, members of the old team took a picture together. They also took pictures with their former coaches, as well as the family of their former teammates who had previously passed away.

Finally, all of the players in attendance got a chance to talk with others as they signed copies of the book.

“Hopefully, we can all get together in the future,” Barnhart said. “We need to do this more often.”