Cartwright's long-lasting legacy - Wise County Messenger

HISTORIC TREASURES — An estate sale was held at the home of former Boyd football coach J.G. Cartwright Thursday, where a large amount of Yellowjacket football memorabilia was found. MICAH MCCARTNEY/WCMESSENGER

It’s rare to have the opportunity to physically hold a piece of history in your hands. But Thursday, an estate sale in Boyd gave me the chance to check that rarity off my list.

From first grade through the completion of my junior year of high school, I attended Boyd ISD. There are a lot of memories that come to mind, but none ring louder than seeing Coach J.G. Cartwright on the sidelines.

In middle school, I was an offensive lineman for the Yellowjackets, although I admit I didn’t know much about the game back then. I really played because my friends were playing, and because a few coaches talked me into it due to my stocky size.

Coach would often come to our practices and games to look over his stock of young up-and-coming athletes who would soon join the freshman, JV and varsity teams over the next five years.

During his visits, coach would always repeat his mantra for the football program — “Play hard, play fast, play with class.”

My football career ended my freshman year when I joined the high school marching band. Coincidentally, that was in 2004, the year coach won his second state championship at Boyd. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t hung up my pads early. Playing for coach would have been a dream, but my athletic ability was very subpar. But coach did just fine without me on the team.

Coach was a legend in our young eyes, and he remains on that pedestal to this day. He retired in 2012 after 38 years with the school, spending 35 as head football coach.

He led the Yellowjackets to 273 wins in 400 games. Boyd won 12 district titles and made three Class 2A state championship appearances, winning crowns in 1983 and 2004.

Coach ranks 19th in career wins among Texas high school coaches, averaging more than eight victories per season. His teams qualified for the playoffs 23 times.

Fast-forward to Thursday, where I found myself standing in line at coach’s estate sale. Having seen the post for the sale the night before, I knew I needed to stop on my way to work to see if there were any pieces of history that could be saved.

Luckily, I found what I was looking for. I purchased a green and gold Boyd Jackets jacket, the same kind I remember coach wearing on the sidelines during the cold months of the season. I also dug through a closet full of Boyd hats to find the perfect one I wanted.

In front of the fireplace, there was a small picture frame. Coach had a football story written in the Pilot Point Post-Signal framed, headlined “Boyd dominates early on, repels Pilot Point, 21-15”. I don’t know why he framed this particular story, but I couldn’t pass it up.

I pushed my way through a room filled with knick knacks to find a mini Boyd football helmet with Jackets on the front and Coach Cartwright on the back.

In the same room as the helmet, I quickly grabbed a silver football paperweight that looked iconic to me. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the same one coach had on the desk in the office.

Coach died Aug. 26, 2021, the day before the Yellowjackets’ season home-opener against Van Alstyne, leaving a long-lasting legacy on Boyd ISD and Wise County athletics.

The majority of my estate sale treasures are now on my desk at work, a constant reminder of the legacy and impact Coach had not only on my life, but hundreds of others. As sports editor, I hope I’m making coach proud in the way I’m leading the Messenger’s sports coverage.

Thanks for the memories, coach. May we all continue to play hard, play fast and play with class.

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Cartwright's long-lasting legacy - Wise County Messenger
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