When Leon Heath arrived in Norman in 1947, OU freshman football coach Bill Jennings wanted to make Heath an end. But Heath stayed at fullback.
“Leon never lost an argument,” said Ted Owens, Heath's lifelong friend.
Owens should know. In their days growing up in the slimmest corner of southwestern Oklahoma, the boys from Hollis didn't just wreak havoc on rival schools. Their backyard games of most every sport would turn into battle royales, and disputes would be settled not by the biggest voice, but by the biggest frame.
“We had some big arguments in those games,” said Owens, who went on to play basketball at OU and coach Kansas to two Final Fours in basketball.