Pokey Allen

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

I know many of you knew this man and in keeping within the concept of a thread a young activist has here about irony, I personally can't wait to "welcome" the Vandals back into the conference. The game of football is much more than a game. I was in high school and The Fellowship of Christian Athletes came to my school and showed films of their college games at an awards banquet in the 60s. The school returning to the conference after their near complete failure at the the next level was used by those college coaches and players to show a group of high school kids lessons about sportsmanship, respect for the game, and what goes around comes around. I thought this article written a few years ago is still pretty relevant today:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BSUFootball/comments/e5aeu/the_pokey_allen_story_told_by_shawn_sandoval_why/

 

[Da Griz]

I was a couple of years behind Pokey at Missoula County High School. I think he graduated in 1964 as I was a couple years behind him and I graduated in '62. He was truly a gentleman, even as a teenager. His passing was a loss for all of us.

 

[kemajic]

I was a couple of years behind Pokey at Missoula County High School. I think he graduated in 1964 as I was a couple years behind him and I graduated in '62. He was truly a gentleman, even as a teenager. His passing was a loss for all of us.

He must have graduated County High in '61. By the '64 season, he was the senior QB for the 9-2 Utes. He was Don Read's replacement at PSU when Don came to Montana.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokey_Allen

 

[Spanky]

I was a couple of years behind Pokey at Missoula County High School. I think he graduated in 1964 as I was a couple years behind him and I graduated in '62. He was truly a gentleman, even as a teenager. His passing was a loss for all of us.

Did he play with Frank Damaskos?

 

[TouchdownMontana]

He was a class mate and friend from the class of Missoula County High School 1961. Go Spartans

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

He was a class mate and friend from the class of Missoula County High School 1961. Go Spartans

That would have been a great time for you I am certain! Mike Lewis who single handedly led Duke to their very first Final Four appearance played that year and Wayne Estes was just getting started! Dang, there used to be some great athletes in Montana in general and Missoula specifically.

 

[CV Griz Fan]

I was a couple of years behind Pokey at Missoula County High School. I think he graduated in 1964 as I was a couple years behind him and I graduated in '62. He was truly a gentleman, even as a teenager. His passing was a loss for all of us.

He must have graduated County High in '61. By the '64 season, he was the senior QB for the 9-2 Utes. He was Don Read's replacement at PSU when Don came to Montana.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokey_Allen

Your Utah Ute history is definitely accurate. Go Utes!

 

[RABIDAWG]

Great guy! We were in the same infantry platoon going through basic training at Fort Lewis back in 67, I think. Always a leader, unpretentious, fun to be around. I’ll always remember DD beating Boise St at our place whe he coached. The 60’s were very strong for Missoula then.

 

[NativeGriz]

Great guy! We were in the same infantry platoon going through basic training at Fort Lewis back in 67, I think. Always a leader, unpretentious, fun to be around. I’ll always remember DD beating Boise St at our place whe he coached. The 60’s were very strong for Missoula then.

I remember him saying he'd never bring his Boise team back to Missoula again after that beatdown

 

[Da Griz]

I was a couple of years behind Pokey at Missoula County High School. I think he graduated in 1964 as I was a couple years behind him and I graduated in '62. He was truly a gentleman, even as a teenager. His passing was a loss for all of us.

He must have graduated County High in '61. By the '64 season, he was the senior QB for the 9-2 Utes. He was Don Read's replacement at PSU when Don came to Montana.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokey_Allen

Of Course you're right. I simply counted the wrong way. Maybe too many IPAs. I meant 1960. 1961 sounds right.

 

[PlayerRep]

As previously reported, his very nice and very pretty daughter went to school here and worked at the Mo Club in the last several years. One of the first women to work at the Mo Club.

 

[PlayerRep]

He was a class mate and friend from the class of Missoula County High School 1961. Go Spartans

So you would have known my friends Bruce Madsen and Dick Sirokman in high school.

 

[TouchdownMontana]

I sure did. Both great guys. Spent a lot of time golfing with Bruce. They were a class ahead of Pokey and me.

 

[PlayerRep]

I sure did. Both great guys. Spent a lot of time golfing with Bruce. They were a class ahead of Pokey and me.

Dick worked on our ranch/farm in the summers, outside of Culbertson, before he moved to Missoula. His sister Sharon was our babysitter. I got to know Bruce when he was at DA Davidson, and my firm was/is Davidson's legal counsel. Mike Lewis' brother worked at Davidson too, until the Davidson plane with him and others crashed. His widow has house at Flathead. Occasionally, Mike's daughters come to visit their aunt at the lake. Know little Bruce Madsen in Missoula too. His daughters were/are great athletes and very pretty. Big Bruce played football and baseball at Oregon. Your era at Missoula County had a bunch of tremendous athletes. As good as any school in MT that I'm aware of.

 

[stilwtrgrizz]

He was a class mate and friend from the class of Missoula County High School 1961. Go Spartans

That would have been a great time for you I am certain! Mike Lewis who single handedly led Duke to their very first Final Four appearance played that year and Wayne Estes was just getting started! Dang, there used to be some great athletes in Montana in general and Missoula specifically.

Pokey graduated in 61, Mike graduated in my class of 64. If I remember right, Mike didn't play varsity until his sophomore year (61-62), but rightfully created quite a stir around the state his freshman year. Wayne Estes graduated from Anaconda in 1962 I believe, and played for Utah State until his tragic death in February of 1965.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

He was a class mate and friend from the class of Missoula County High School 1961. Go Spartans

That would have been a great time for you I am certain! Mike Lewis who single handedly led Duke to their very first Final Four appearance played that year and Wayne Estes was just getting started! Dang, there used to be some great athletes in Montana in general and Missoula specifically.

Pokey graduated in 61, Mike graduated in my class of 64. If I remember right, Mike didn't play varsity until his sophomore year (61-62), but rightfully created quite a stir around the state his freshman year. Wayne Estes graduated from Anaconda in 1962 I believe, and played for Utah State until his tragic death in February of 1965.

The area around Great Falls produced Jack Gillespie, Tom Storm and Kermit Young...Gillespie only played two years of high school basketball and if injuries hadn't ruined his knees he would have had a great NBA career...anyway, Pokey was one heck of an athlete. Utah picked up a lot of Montana kids during the 50s and 60s neither flagship school in Montana actively recruited.

 

[RABIDAWG]

He was a class mate and friend from the class of Missoula County High School 1961. Go Spartans

That would have been a great time for you I am certain! Mike Lewis who single handedly led Duke to their very first Final Four appearance played that year and Wayne Estes was just getting started! Dang, there used to be some great athletes in Montana in general and Missoula specifically.

Pokey graduated in 61, Mike graduated in my class of 64. If I remember right, Mike didn't play varsity until his sophomore year (61-62), but rightfully created quite a stir around the state his freshman year. Wayne Estes graduated from Anaconda in 1962 I believe, and played for Utah State until his tragic death in February of 1965.

The area around Great Falls produced Jack Gillespie, Tom Storm and Kermit Young...Gillespie only played two years of high school basketball and if injuries hadn't ruined his knees he would have had a great NBA career...anyway, Pokey was one heck of an athlete. Utah picked up a lot of Montana kids during the 50s and 60s neither flagship school in Montana actively recruited.

If there could have been an all-star team made up of Missoula and Great Falls area guys...... but wait! The “Grand Slam” class of ‘64 still rules history!

 

[RABIDAWG]

Back to subject, good posts on Pokey Allen connections.

 

[CatGrad-UMGradStu]

Back to subject, good posts on Pokey Allen connections.

The part I took from the article was what a bunch of cheap shot players Idaho used to have and the irony of the program Pokey built would ultimately leave Idaho way behind. I hope Idaho and their fan base today has a lot more class than they used to be like. This is the second time they've had to move down in classification.

 

[srgrizizen]

Great guy! We were in the same infantry platoon going through basic training at Fort Lewis back in 67, I think. Always a leader, unpretentious, fun to be around. I’ll always remember DD beating Boise St at our place whe he coached. The 60’s were very strong for Missoula then.

I remember him saying he'd never bring his Boise team back to Missoula again after that beatdown

If I remember right, that satisfying win was revenge for the monster beat down BSU inflicted on the Griz in the previous game. I think it was the previous year. Boise and UI were two of the best rivalries back in the day. :thumb: