Berry's Greatest Team
Fred Benson

Billy "Red" Phillips

Berry's Greatest Team
The 1950-51 basketball team is arguably the best basketball team in Berry history. The team rolled through the regular season with an 11-1 record and then demolished the competition in the District 7 Tournament, winning five straight games, to earn a berth in the state tournament in Macon. Due to lack of funds, the team stayed at the Baptist Children's Home in Macon and collections were taken up from the Berry students to pay for the team's meals while in Macon.

Berry arrived in Macon with a 16-1 record. After winning its first three games in the tournament, Berry faced Irwinville for the Class B state championship. Irwinville was the defending state champion from 1950 and came into the game with a 71-game winning streak. They finished the season with a perfect 36-0 record in 1950 and, after beating Berry in the finals in 1951, they were once again 36-0 in 1951. Nevertheless, the 1951 Berry basketball team, led by Coach Raymond Douglas, in his first year as basketball coach, and seniors Fred Benson and Red Phillips, acquitted themselves well and established a benchmark for Berry basketball that would never again be reached.


The 1950-51 Berry Basketball Team
Standing, L to R - Coach Raymond Douglas, Sims Hawkins, James Kinney, Joe Peavy, Fred Benson, Bobby Dykes and Houston Payne (Manager).
Kneeling, L to R - Herman Davis, Billy "Red" Phillips, Calvin Hyers, Robert Gudger and Charles Hutsell


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