Emerson Stacey Clark (1936-1937)
Stacey Clark was one of Marblehead's fabulous football players from the halfback position, left or right as the occasion demanded. Fabulous, too, because he was a Zeft-footed kicker which often took the opposition by surprise. Fabulous because he weighed 125 pounds throughout his high school career, 135 pounds at the University of New Hampshire, and today, 130 pounds!
Stacey was a straight-away runner with amazing speed. In two years he scored thirteen touchdowns and six points after. At 125 pounds, his ability was not all offense. His stellar performance against Curtis High's later-to-be All American halfback, Walter Schroll of Cornell, was DEFENSE. Stacey constantly nailed Schroll from behind to protect Marblehead's razor blade victory of 13 - 12. He proved to be frustration to a fine Beverly eleven that statistic-ally ground Marblehead into the ground except for the score 6 - 0 for Marblehead, engineered by Stacey on a naked reverse, the game's only touchdown.
At the University of New Hampshire Stacey packed the weight on; he now tipped the scales at 135 pounds! He received the William Cowell Outstanding Football Award from the University of New Hampshire. Stacey and a fellow Marbleheader, Richard "Dick" Eustis, are enshrined in UNH football annals.
Mrs. George Sauer, wife of the famed coach of UNH, Nebraska and Navy, on a chance meeting with Elliott Roundy, when she discovered he hailed from Marblehead, remarked, "Oh, that's the home of Stacey Clark, the greatest 135-pound halfback who ever played the game of football!"
Upon graduation from college, Stacey enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served with distinction in the Pacific campaign, the Mariannas sector.
The facts in this case point out that a good little man, on rare occasions, can equal a good
big man. E. Stacey Clark, in his performance for Coach Charles McGuinness, proves that it can
be done.
Louis "Lou" Hettinger (1948-1950)
Lou Hettinger's football career at Marblehead was under Coach Herm Hussey. Marblehead won the Northeast Conference in 1949 and 1950 and Lou was Hussey's ace. In that two year period, as a left-hand passer, he threw 14 touchdown passes and scored 11 touchdowns. In Lou's two varsity years Marblehead won 15, Zost 2 and tied 1, an outstanding record.
Lou, for the most part, operated from right halfback, but in his senior year, to the confusion of the opposition, he ran from the quarterback position. He was a natural born leader, recognized by his classmates in high school and later by his teammates at Holy Cross who elected him Captain in 1954 under Coach Eddie Anderson.
At Holy Cross Hettinger was one of their star backs, playing two-way football. He had an interesting afternoon playing against Syracuse's rugged Jim Brown, one of the greatest backs of modern football. Upon graduation from Holy Cross Lou entered the U.S. Navy and studied for his naval wings at Pensacola Naval Air Base in Florida. During that time he played football on the Pensacola Naval Base team.
After winning his wings Lou was assigned to the carrier USS Coral Seas and flew combat missions in Vietnam. At the completion of his combat duty he was assigned to the U.S. Naval Staff in the Pentagon. The leadership qualities he deomonstrated on the football fields of high school and college and recognition by his classmates were also recognized by the U.S. Navy, for he attained the rank of Captain. For a time he filled the billet of Commodore, one rank below Rear Admiral.
Retired with the rank of Captain, Lou Hettinger served as a consultant with ITT.
Thirty-eight years of a colorful career that started on the gridiron of Marblehead High School - a fine accomplishment.
Robert Eldridge Blood III (1965-1967)
If it can be said that Herm Hussey had his 'Ace' in Lou Hettinger, then it can also be said that Coach Noel Reebenacker's 'Royal Flush' was Robert "Bob" Blood.
Bob started under Coach Reebenacker early and often as a sophomore, scoring 44 points in that year, 74 points as a junior, and 55 points as a senior. He tied the second highest point scorer in Marblehead High School history, Joe Tansey. But Bob also threw 10 touchdown passes.
One of the thrilling moments of the Marblehead-Swampscott series unfolded in the 1966 game and depicts Bob's greatness. Marblehead was down 21 - 6 in the third period when Blood erupted and ran wild to score 14 points. Coupled with John Ormiston's conversion, when the smoke cleared, it was Marblehead 22, Swampscott 21. Blood's passing and running were also responsible for terminating Newburyport's 19-game winning streak with
a 14 - 14 tie.
Like father, like son, Bob III followed Bob, Jr. to Amherst College by way of Phillips Andover. He was a star athlete at Amherst, as was his father before him.
Bob received his MBA from the University of North Carolina and was a Vice President of the investment firm of Kidder, Peabody.
