These stories originally appeared in "The Daily Advertiser's History of Acadiana by Jim Bradshaw: Beginning Traditions," published May 26, 1998. Keener Cagle put program on map Even the New York sports writers took notice in 1924, when the Southwestern Bulldog football team claimed a world record. This was the heyday of Christian Keener Cagle, a kid from the little town of Merryville in Beauregard Parish, who was arguably the best football player ever to set foot on the collegiate gridiron here. He was an incredible broken-field runner, but that was not what the world record was all about. John B. Foster wrote about it in the New York Sun: “In 1924, Southwestern, with a total of 125 forward passes, completed 67 successfully. That is a percentage of 53.5, and the students and coaches of the institute are quite sure that they made a world's record when they did it. Anyhow, they have claimed the record for proficiency in that respect and if there is any other college in the United States which can produce better figures the Southwestern Boys would like to see them. “In making these plays some good work was done by the Louisiana boys who have never seen any Northern football in their lives. Cagle was their best passer. Look at this for an individual record made by him: “Against Louisiana Poly he passed 50 yards to Wagner Ruger for a touchdown, no run being necessary. Against Jefferson College, 35 yards passed to Alton Bujard, who ran 45 yards for a touchdown. Against the Pensacola Aviators, 30 yards to Alton Bujard, who ran 10 yards for a touchdown. Against Sam Houston Normal, passed 25 yards to Wagner Ruger, who ran 16 yards for a touchdown. Against Pensacola Aviators, passed 29 yards to Clifton Theriot for a touchdown without run. Against South Park College, passed 10 yards to Alton Bujard, who ran three yards for a touchdown. Against South Park College, passed 10 yards to Alton Bujard, who made a touchdown without running. “All told, Cagle passed 199 yards in seven plays, which made as many touchdowns, and that is surely football of a high degree of skill, even if the Louisiana boys did not play against big elevens. They surely had all they could do in their own class and proved their fitness against teams which they were qualified to meet. “The distinct French atmosphere in the names of the players also has an interesting aside to it. While the French have never dipped very successfully into baseball, and this is the case among the descendants of the French Colonists in Louisiana as well as in many other sections, they have always shown ability to play football. They have proved their skill in football in France because it is the only game which has been taken into France by outsiders that has made much headway." In that 1924 season, SLI lost to Tulane (14-0) and LSU (31-7), tied Pensacola Navy (21-21), and beat Jefferson (66-0), Sam Houston State (28-7), Louisiana College (32-7), Lamar (20-8), Louisiana Tech (22-13) and Louisiana State Normal (24-7). In only 61 carries that year, Cagle rushed for 752 yards. He hit 20 of 25 drop-kick field goals, and, as claimed, led the nation, and world, in passing percentage. He went on to further fame as an All-American and Player of the Year at Army, making the cover of Time magazine on Sept. 23, 1929. Then, as a player for the New York football Giants and as part owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, he became the toast of New York alongside Babe Ruth and other huge heroes of the day. But then, on an bitter December day in 1942, Cagle slipped on icy subway steps in New York, fell, and fractured his skull. He contracted pneumonia while he lay recuperating from that injury. He was only 37 years old when he died. ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!