Bardstown, KY: His name was Garnis Martin When he passed away in 1998 he was the commonwealth’s winningest all-time high school football coach. Coach Martin won 271-games against 114-losses with seven (7) ties.
Martin was the first coach in KHSAA history to eclipse 250-wins. He is still, presently, the 18th winningest coach in KHSAA history.
Walter Brugh surpassed the “Martin standard” at Paintsville in 1993. Joe Jaggers surpassed Brugh in 1997 then Bob Schneider took over in 2005. Dudley Hilton tied Schneider in 2010. The next year the recently departed, Phillip Haywood, took over the top spot where Coach Haywood presently remains, sitting at 491-wins.
Martin was a mountain kid, born a mile or two outside Wayland, Kentucky. Martin attended McDowell schools and was a star athlete at Wheelwright High.
Martin played both basketball and football at Wheelwright, graduating in 1941, and was the captain of both teams. Martin played QB and led his team to a 100-0 victory over Vicco.
They called Martin, “Scale,” though I don’t know why. Martin served in the service during the Great War (WWII) and earned a GI Bill which payed for him to attend and graduate from Tulane University. We don’t know of his having played sports for the Green Wave but he was married to a girl, at the time, whose parents lived in New Orleans.
Garnis “Scale” Martin was both a captain and the QB of his HS football team
Friday Night Fletch
Like many famous high school coaches, Philip Haywood and Dan Goble to name just two, Martin’s roots would run through Prestonsburg, Kentucky. Martin would coach Prestonsburg High football for two seasons in both basketball and football.
One of Martin’s great athletes at Prestonsburg was John Delmar Hughes. Hughes would make his mark in football, and other sports, at the University of Kentucky.
Martin would end up taking the vacant Bardstown High School post where he would remain some 39-seasons. Matin would win state titles in 1967, 1970, and 1981, losing in the finals in 1969.
When Martin first arrived at Bardstown, the high school was playing “six-man” football. Martin built the Tigers into a conventional, Kentucky powerhouse.
Martin is a member of many Halls of Fame, one of which is a national hall of fame. Martin has been enshrined within the Hall of Fame of the National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS).
The field at Bardstown High is named in Coach Martin’s honor. Martin is a name still thriving and inspiring students walking the Bardstown High School hallways.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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