EDITOR'S NOTE - From BDT Newspaper : The following story is one in a series focusing on the Appalachian coalfields during the region's early days.

One man with a vision for the students in a local school, his adopted community, and the drive to make it a reality, located to Bramwell in 1935.

Dwight W. McCormick, native of Monroe County, moved to Bramwell fresh out of Concord College and Duke University, and began his storied career as principal of a school in the middle of the southern coalfields. In his new home, he also served as mayor and was a business leader during the challenging decades of post-war West Virginia.

D.W. McCormick could accomplish anything he set his mind to do, particularly for the benefit of his pupils. He was a caring administrator to individual students, but he also set goals to complete projects he believed would benefit the school overall. BHS had basketball and six-man football teams, together with cheerleaders, but he wanted to expand football to an 11-man team, which would require a new football field.

McCormick decided that the ideal location was a beautifully flat mountain top owned by Jairus Collins. The property was not for sale, but an agreement was reached to turn it into a field for the school to use. A lower section called Kiwanis Park was the perfect place for tables, benches, and a picnic area. McCormick estimated building the access road, utilities (lights and water), bleachers, goal posts and parking area would cost at least $5,000. He encouraged students to be part of the fundraising efforts and had a huge thermometer on the wall beside his office. When money came in, the "temperature" would rise. With the support and participation of adults and students alike, he reached the goal. Work started immediately and progressed so quickly, it seemed that elves came in and worked overnight.

McCormick recruited a coach for the new football team. Herbert Grayson Miller, a graduate of Emory & Henry, was famous for the longest kick in a college game. His records for most punts and most yards punted in a single game — E & H v. Richmond, 1934 — still stand.

What was missing? A band director to bring all the elements of music at the football games together. Mr. McCormick found another Concord College graduate who was looking for a job. He had served in the Navy before attending college and was mature enough to instruct and discipline a group of students who, for the most part, could not read music. Thus, David Stuart Richardson, found a niche in life at Bramwell High School for more than three decades. He was 'Mr.' Richardson to those who knew him from the beginning and later 'D.R.' to some of the sassy kids who ventured to tease him.

The band was ready to march and play, with one small addition needed. One day, in came a company to measure for new band uniforms. Where the money came from, we do not know, but Mr. McCormick always seemed to magically make things happen.

The 1949 football season had been the best one yet for the "Bramwell eleven," as long-time sportswriter Stubby Currence described the team. Currence believed Bramwell would give Graham High School stiff competition in their game November 10. The Graham team was coached by another local sports legend, Burrhead Bradley, and the G-men had planned to end the season with a win at Bramwell.

WHIS radio broadcast the big game with commentary by sportscaster Jack Taylor. This was the first broadcast of a game from Bramwell and required "installation of 2500 feet of phone lines and about 100 feet of power cable." No doubt, Mr. McCormick made this broadcast happen, just as he did so many other projects.

The Collins Field bleachers were filled to capacity and the game was controlled by Coach Herb Miller's Millionaires from the beginning. Benny Profitt made an 88-yard run for the first touchdown. Then Punky Pharr only had to step across the line after a 40-yard pass. The half-time score was 12-0 in favor of Bramwell. Bramwell was led by quarterback Larry Reed, who ran 60 yards for a touchdown, while Billy Myers converted the extra point. Myers also facilitated the final extra point on a pass play.

Bramwell was leading 44-0 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The G-Men were playing without their star quarterback Gerald Grim, which made their passing game all but nonexistent. The G-Men were "playing against a host of Bramwell substitutes" and finally managed to make it on the scoreboard with a touchdown but were unable to make the extra point.

The Bluefield Daily Telegraph November 11 headline was "Bramwell's Decisive 44-6 Win Over Graham Area's Biggest Surprise Of Year," and the Bramwell Millionaire 1949 team came to be known as the "Dream Team." As a result of Coach Miller letting the boys on the bench play during the final quarter, all the team members could remember that exciting experience for the rest of their lives.

Bramwell started 11-man football in 1947 and had only won a single game that year and in 1948. But Coach Miller had a new plan for 1949, and the shocking, decisive win over Graham made school history.

In Bramwell, the names and the legacies of McCormick, Richardson and Miller are part of the history of the town of Millionaires. The excitement of that one night in November of 1949 is relived today as football season in another century is once again upon us.

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