Best of 2020: United by a Scary Night
Anyone who was at Highlander Stadium for the 1974 Highland Park – Grand Prairie football game will never forget that night – which is why Kirk Dooley’s recounting of the collision between Scots fullback Bobby McCullough and Grand Prairie defensive back Larry Mims – and what happened after – was one of our Best of 2020 picks.
The third-quarter collision injured both players, but “Mims remained motionless on the field for what seemed like an eternity as trainers and doctors evaluated his injury,” Dooley wrote. “The stands grew quiet as the seriousness of Mims’s injury became apparent.”
It was one of the most severe injuries in HP football history. Mims had broken his neck in three places and was unable to move any part of his body. As he recovered, the Highland Park student body raised more than $10,000 for the Mims family, and Larry was given an $11,000 scholarship after graduating from Grand Prairie High School.
“Kirk Dooley founded the newspaper and remains a beloved voice in our community,” said People Newspapers editor William Taylor. “This story explores Scots tradition, community caring, and the life-long connections that grew out of one scary night on the gridiron.”
