Eck Curtis, a four-sport athlete form Vernon, quarterbacked Abilene Christian's first football team in 1923 before embarking on a legendary coaching career. Curtis compiled a 20-year record of 168 wins, 47 losses and 14 ties as a high school coach. His first job was at Anson in 1925, and later he coached successful teams at Ranger, Electra, and Breckenridge. Eck's 10-year record at Breckenridge was 83-22-6 with a state quarterfinalist in 1938 and semifinalist in 1942. In 1945, he moved to Highland Park and guided the Scots to a 12-0-2 record and the state co-championship with Waco. The 7-7 tie in the finals attracted a then record high school crowd of 45,790 into the Cotton Bowl. After one season at Highland Park, he began a nine-year stint (1946-1954) as offensive backfield coach at the University of Texas. Curtis later served 10 years as athletic director of the Lubbock school system. He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.