John Ralston

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Blue42
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John Ralston

Post by Blue42 » September 16th, 2019, 7:01 am

Former Aggie coach John Ralston passed away on Saturday. He was one of the most successful coaches in USU history in terms of win percentage, and lead the team to Skyline championships in 1960 and 1961. He was 92.

https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/bron ... hn-ralston
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John Ralston

Post by tinplater » September 16th, 2019, 7:05 am

just passed away at 92. I met him in 1961 when he addressed our chapter of Sigma Nu (he was a member) and remember what an articulate interesting good humored man he appeared to be. Certainly will always be remembered as the coach who transformed Aggie football in his four year tenure at USU. He brought a mass of California athletes with him and some referred to USU football as ""The University of California at Logan".



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Re: John Ralston

Post by NavyBlueAggie » September 16th, 2019, 9:06 am

tinplater wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 7:05 am
just passed away at 92. I met him in 1961 when he addressed our chapter of Sigma Nu (he was a member) and remember what an articulate interesting good humored man he appeared to be. Certainly will always be remembered as the coach who transformed Aggie football in his four year tenure at USU. He brought a mass of California athletes with him and some referred to USU football as ""The University of California at Logan".
Yes, he had a fantastic memory and recalled my name when we met again by the Nelson Field house. Very impressed as I was just another face in the crowd. The Sigma Nu frat house remains but no longer occupied by Sigma Nu...a pity.



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Re: John Ralston

Post by 2004AG » September 16th, 2019, 10:30 am

NavyBlueAggie wrote:
tinplater wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 7:05 am
just passed away at 92. I met him in 1961 when he addressed our chapter of Sigma Nu (he was a member) and remember what an articulate interesting good humored man he appeared to be. Certainly will always be remembered as the coach who transformed Aggie football in his four year tenure at USU. He brought a mass of California athletes with him and some referred to USU football as ""The University of California at Logan".
Yes, he had a fantastic memory and recalled my name when we met again by the Nelson Field house. Very impressed as I was just another face in the crowd. The Sigma Nu frat house remains but no longer occupied by Sigma Nu...a pity.
The sigma nu house is gone.


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Re: John Ralston

Post by USU78 » September 16th, 2019, 10:42 am

My father coached against Ralston and Knap in the bay area in the mid - late '50s. They were friends and colleagues, as well as competitors. When Ralston got the USU job, he offered Knap and my father to be his assistants. Knap snapped the job up, but my father declined for job security reasons (wife and five kids and a principal who wouldn't release him from his teaching contract). He ended up taking the BE job a couple of years later as soon as his contract ended, and helped Ralston and Knap out on scouting and special teams issues.

I always wondered what it would have been like to go to Logan High and not to have played for my dad.

It's definitely getting to the end of an era: Knap left us in 2011. My father in 2015. Now Ralston. Mills (my coach at USU) is 91 this year.
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You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

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Re: John Ralston

Post by calaggie » September 16th, 2019, 11:14 am

NavyBlueAggie wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 9:06 am
The Sigma Nu frat house remains but no longer occupied by Sigma Nu...a pity.
Actually, no it doesn’t. As a sigma nu myself, I hate to break it to you, but it was torn down this year.



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Re: John Ralston

Post by Smokin Joe » September 16th, 2019, 1:16 pm

Who was the Nephew of Clark Miller that played for us on the D-line in the late 60s or early 70s? I think he was in the NFL briefly. 'Bout 6-1"-6'-2", real stout guy, lots of hair. Anyone recall his name? And then I also think Miller had a nephew that threw the javelin for us in the mid to late 70s. Anyone recall



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Re: John Ralston

Post by NavyBlueAggie » September 16th, 2019, 1:49 pm

USU78 wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 10:42 am
My father coached against Ralston and Knap in the bay area in the mid - late '50s. They were friends and colleagues, as well as competitors. When Ralston got the USU job, he offered Knap and my father to be his assistants. Knap snapped the job up, but my father declined for job security reasons (wife and five kids and a principal who wouldn't release him from his teaching contract). He ended up taking the BE job a couple of years later as soon as his contract ended, and helped Ralston and Knap out on scouting and special teams issues.

I always wondered what it would have been like to go to Logan High and not to have played for my dad.


It's definitely getting to the end of an era: Knap left us in 2011. My father in 2015. Now Ralston. Mills (my coach at USU) is 91 this year.


You could have played for Coach Cliff Poole, a wonderful man, or his successor, Coach Hal Lewis
. I understand they had a killer groundskeeper for the field back then, and they even got a field marking and turf condition commendation letter from the state H S Athletic Commission.....

Box Elder was ALWAYS so well prepared when we played the Bees. ALWAYS!!!!!
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Re: John Ralston

Post by tinplater » September 16th, 2019, 2:21 pm

calaggie wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 11:14 am
NavyBlueAggie wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 9:06 am
The Sigma Nu frat house remains but no longer occupied by Sigma Nu...a pity.
Actually, no it doesn’t. As a sigma nu myself, I hate to break it to you, but it was torn down this year.
It was sad to see the house gone this summer, but sadder is the loss of life of the pledge that resulted in the demise of both Sigma Nu and Chi Omega. We (Sigma Nu) always prided ourselves on a no hazing policy (other than slave labor during your "goat week" . The off campus stupidity at least serves as a potent reminder to all organizations to embrace a sane initiation policy.

Back to Ralston, his presentation to our chapter was filled with humor and football based facts that kept his audience's attention riveted. Stanford seemed a logical choice for him, given what I perceived as his intellect and poised confidence.



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Re: John Ralston

Post by NavyBlueAggie » September 16th, 2019, 3:17 pm

calaggie wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 11:14 am
NavyBlueAggie wrote:
September 16th, 2019, 9:06 am
The Sigma Nu frat house remains but no longer occupied by Sigma Nu...a pity.
Actually, no it doesn’t. As a sigma nu myself, I hate to break it to you, but it was torn down this year.
I need to take the time and drive by what is left of Greek Row and take a hard look to see what remains. Swore the place was there in 2018 yet the "pit" was gone, had been for some years. Thanks for the update..



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