A photo from 1938 shows a football game between Tyler High and Longview High at Lions Stadium (now Caldwell Field).

Each summer at the Tyler Morning Telegraph, one or two journalism interns spend a couple of months with us.

It benefits both the interns, who learn about the everyday operations of a daily newspaper, and us veterans as we can pick up tips from the collegiates on video and the latest technology. I can learn about Snapchat and TikTok or the latest craze.

Also, sometimes we get a sports intern. We’ve had interns from as far away as Northwestern and Princeton to all colleges across Texas and in our own backyard of Tyler Junior College and UT Tyler, two local schools with excellent journalism programs.

It is fun to watch these young women and men grow into excellent journalists.

One of my favorites over the years was Jeremy Cotham, such an outstanding young man from Longview who attended UT Tyler. Before his internship, we covered the Patriot softball team when they were at the 2009 NCAA Division III World Series in Montclair, New Jersey.

Not only did we get to see the Big Apple, but while waiting at Battery Park for a boat trip over to the Statue of Liberty, we came upon a news conference and got to meet then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Then the next night we went to Yankee Stadium and although we didn’t get to meet them or see them come down an escalator, businessman Donald Trump and then-FOX News’ Bill O’Reilly were in the building. But unlike George, Elaine and Kramer, they sat on the front row behind the Yankees’ dugout.

Anyway, I digress.

Jeremy continued to be a correspondent for the Tyler Paper while working on his dream of compiling the history of Longview Lobo football.

After graduating from UT Tyler, he started working on his book. But three months later he was diagnosed with leukemia. That did not hinder Jeremy. He kept writing, researching and covering games for our paper.

He continued to work on his book until his death at age 28 in March 2015.

His parents, David and Sharon Cotham, kept his dream alive with the help of Jeremy’s former Kilgore College journalism instructor Bettye Craddock, her husband Van, and Jeremy’s Longview High School journalism teachers Chris Craddock and Cathy Craddock.

While “Friday Night Howl: The History of Longview High School Lobo Football” was published and hundreds of copies sold, an off-shoot of Jeremy’s research has come to light.

Jeremy interviewed Charles LeBus, whose father was the starting quarterback for the 1937 Longview state championship squad.

During the interview, LeBus mentioned that he thought he might have some old 8mm films from 1937-40 in his family’s collection.

And like an episode of “American Pickers”, the films were found.

After being cleaned up, processed and restored, fans can now see portions of games from 1937 to 1940. Included is the second half of the 1937 state championship game, which was held on Christmas Day at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Lobos won that game 19-12 over Wichita Falls.

In what will interest Tyler fans, there is footage from the 1938 game between Longview and Tyler High at Lions Stadium (now Caldwell Field) in the Rose City. The Lions won 20-0.

It is such a thrill seeing the players in leather helmets (perhaps that is why there were not as many concussions then), plus the packed stands with fans dressed as if they were going to church — men in suits, hats and ties, and the women wearing dresses and big hats.

There is also footage of the bands, drill teams and cheerleaders.

The restoration is superb and not anything like the old Charlie Chaplin movies.

Jeremy’s father David narrates the DVD.

Cost for the DVD is $20 with proceeds benefiting the Longview ISD Foundation.

For more information, contact David Cotham at 903-736-4637 or email at Cotham75605@yahoo.com.

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