A mention in passing on Facebook about C. C. “Twister” Smith piqued my interest as I remember the name from another Bit of History. Per his obituary (Bethany Republican-Clipper, July 30, 1975), Twister started school in Bethany, but moved to Ridgeway during high school where he became an all-around star athlete. He excelled in track and field, baseball, basketball and football, particularly shot put and hurdles. He earned his nickname “Twister” for the way that he used his arms to gain speed in the dashes. His abilities in the track and field events was the reason the county put a rule into place that an athlete could enter no more than five events. He attended Northwest Missouri State Teachers College where he continued his winning ways in both track and football, then went on to coach and teach for over thirty years.
He returned to Ridgeway as teacher and coach in 1935 and revived the dormant football program. Under his coaching, the Ridgeway track & field team took fifth place at the state competition in 1937. In 1940, the Ridgeway School board, which was requiring that all teachers be rehired, was presented with a petition signed by almost 40 students asking that Twister be rehired for the next school year as athletic director. The pension was granted.
He left Ridgeway to teach at other schools and serve in the Army during WWII., returning to RHS in 1954 as principal and coach. He started the Diaper League tournament that continues to be played every year and signed Ridgeway up to join the HDC conference. Cecil “Twister” Smith passed away in 1975 at the age of 68 after several years of ill health. He is buried in Yankee Ridge Cemetery.
