About Inductee

The dictionary defines the term iron man" this way: A person, as a worker or athlete, of great physical endurance who can be depended upon to perform a given task or job tirelessly." That description sounds a lot like Danny Webster when he played football at Huntsvilles Lee High School in the mid-1960s. If anybody in the city had an iron-man football player back in those days," says former Lee coach Keith Wilson, it was us. His name was Danny Webster." Although not officially documented, its believed that Webster played every minute of every game offense, defense and special teams in his last two seasons at Lee in 1964 and 1965. I think thats right," said Webster, now the president and owner of the family business, Webster Construction Company of Huntsville. I dont ever remember coming out of a game either of those two years. I know I didnt when I was a senior." As he recalls, he asked the coaches in preseason practice of his junior year if he could play on both the offensive and defensive lines. Coach Wilson liked the idea," said Webster. It really wasnt a problem for me. I was in pretty good shape. Id been working with my dad in his construction business, helping build houses and toting lumber and concrete blocks, since I was 12 years old. I did that every summer until I left for college. My dad was the kind of fella who liked to work every Saturday. So a lot of times, Id play a football game on Friday night and be out there with him until sundown the next day." Only once did an injury threaten to sideline Webster, who was the biggest kid on the team at 6-1, 235 pounds. It was the last game his senior year and Lee was preparing to play Huntsville High on a Friday night in November. The game got postponed until Monday because of bad weather," said Webster, so Coach Wilson called for a light practice on Saturday. I was playing nose guard on defense and got banged up on a crack-back block by one of our halfbacks. I played on Monday, but not at full speed. They beat us 7-0." It was the end of a frustrating two seasons for the Generals, who were winless in 1964 and finished 1-7-2 in 65. Coach Wilson was a great coach," said Webster, but we were still a young team, being a new school, and we didnt have a big squad. We were just outmanned. I dont think we ever had more than 32 players out for football while I was there." In a remarkable one-year turnaround, Wilsons Generals went 9-1 in 1966. Just my luck," said Webster. I left and they got great all of a sudden. Same thing happened to me in college." Webster signed a football scholarship with Jacksonville State and continued to play the Iron Man role, lettering three years and starting at left tackle on defense and playing backup tackle on offense as a sophomore and junior for coach Jim Blevins. In 1969, Jacksonville hired 28-year-old Charley Pell, who had played for Bear Bryant at Alabama, as its new head coach. Pell later became head coach at Clemson, then Florida. Coach Wilson and Coach Pell were a lot alike in many ways," said Webster. Both were great teaching coaches and both taught life lessons." Pells first season at Jacksonville was Danny Websters senior year. The Gamecocks finished 3-6. The next year they went 10-0 and won the Gulf South Conference. Like I said, it was a lot like high school for me," said Webster. I leave and they get great. By then, he was already back home in Huntsville, working for his father at the family business. My dad and I had always talked about doing that someday, said Webster. I had an offer to try out with the Chicago Bears but decided against it. I called my dad and said, Im beat up. I think my football days are over. And he said, Come on home and lets go to work. Thats what I did, and Ive been right here ever since.