Quarterback on First District Championship Team

The story of one of the Demon football legends began in a dugout in Memphis, Texas, in 1916. Foster J. Watkins was 18 months old when his parents died, leaving Foster and 9 brothers and sisters as orphans.
He, two brothers and two sisters, went to an orphan home in Goodnight, Texas. After three months, they were taken to Memphis where they boarded a train to Fort Worth. After arriving in Fort Worth, they were taken to Buckner's Orphan Home.
He left Buckner's when he was in the seventh grade to come to Dumas to live with a cousin and his family.
Foster played quarterback on the first district championship of District I in Class B football. They played Hereford in the regional playoff.
He ran track and won first in the pole vault and third in low hurdles in the Amarillo District meet in 1934.
He graduated in 1934 and went to Amarillo Junior College where he played quarterback. The team won State of Texas Junior College championship.
He transferred to West Texas State Teachers College at mid-term in 1936. During the summer, he and other football players went to the Weymouth Ranch north of Amarillo and hauled petrified wood back to Canyon. This was the beginning of Buffalo Courts built under the National Youth Administration.
Foster became known as "Flippin" Foster Watkins and was a star on the Buffalo team. He was awarded honorable mention for 1938 "Little All American" football team.
During the 1938 season, the Buffaloes scored 221 points in the ten games against their opponents 108 points. Foster carried the ball for six touchdowns and added 22 extra points for a total of 58 points. As quarterback, he passed for 17 touchdowns.
A quote from Football News said, "Watkins is probably the best passer in the Southwest." Another quote was, "Famed from coast to coast is West Texas State College's Flippin Foster Watkins, the Southwest's greatest passer in 1939 and the All Alamo Conference quarterback."
Foster starred on defense as well as offense, working from the position of safety. He was never removed for an injury and he averaged 56 minutes of play per game.
He worked out with Amarillo Gold Sox in the spring of 1940 and played in ten exhibition games but was released in April because of his commitment to play pro football with the Philadelphia Eagles. During the 194041 season, he played football as back-up quarterback for Davy O'Brien. His beginning salary was $150 a game.
On December 7, 1941, Philadelphia was playing Washington Redskins when the bombing of Pearl Harbor was announced over the loud speaker. Foster joined the Navy on January 1, 1942, and served in a motor torpedo boat squadron. He served as commander for three PT boats and was gunnery officer of Squadron 13 in the Aleutian Islands. He was discharged from the Navy as a lieutenant.
He went to Canadian as a coach and athletic director in 1946, then to Quanah where he coached for six years before retiring from coaching to work for Exxon Oil Company. He was inducted into the West Texas State University Athletic Hall of Champions in 1987 and into the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame.
He died December 29, 2002 and is buried in Memphis, Texas.
He, two brothers and two sisters, went to an orphan home in Goodnight, Texas. After three months, they were taken to Memphis where they boarded a train to Fort Worth. After arriving in Fort Worth, they were taken to Buckner's Orphan Home.
He left Buckner's when he was in the seventh grade to come to Dumas to live with a cousin and his family.
Foster played quarterback on the first district championship of District I in Class B football. They played Hereford in the regional playoff.
He ran track and won first in the pole vault and third in low hurdles in the Amarillo District meet in 1934.
He graduated in 1934 and went to Amarillo Junior College where he played quarterback. The team won State of Texas Junior College championship.
He transferred to West Texas State Teachers College at mid-term in 1936. During the summer, he and other football players went to the Weymouth Ranch north of Amarillo and hauled petrified wood back to Canyon. This was the beginning of Buffalo Courts built under the National Youth Administration.
Foster became known as "Flippin" Foster Watkins and was a star on the Buffalo team. He was awarded honorable mention for 1938 "Little All American" football team.
During the 1938 season, the Buffaloes scored 221 points in the ten games against their opponents 108 points. Foster carried the ball for six touchdowns and added 22 extra points for a total of 58 points. As quarterback, he passed for 17 touchdowns.
A quote from Football News said, "Watkins is probably the best passer in the Southwest." Another quote was, "Famed from coast to coast is West Texas State College's Flippin Foster Watkins, the Southwest's greatest passer in 1939 and the All Alamo Conference quarterback."
Foster starred on defense as well as offense, working from the position of safety. He was never removed for an injury and he averaged 56 minutes of play per game.
He worked out with Amarillo Gold Sox in the spring of 1940 and played in ten exhibition games but was released in April because of his commitment to play pro football with the Philadelphia Eagles. During the 194041 season, he played football as back-up quarterback for Davy O'Brien. His beginning salary was $150 a game.
On December 7, 1941, Philadelphia was playing Washington Redskins when the bombing of Pearl Harbor was announced over the loud speaker. Foster joined the Navy on January 1, 1942, and served in a motor torpedo boat squadron. He served as commander for three PT boats and was gunnery officer of Squadron 13 in the Aleutian Islands. He was discharged from the Navy as a lieutenant.
He went to Canadian as a coach and athletic director in 1946, then to Quanah where he coached for six years before retiring from coaching to work for Exxon Oil Company. He was inducted into the West Texas State University Athletic Hall of Champions in 1987 and into the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame.
He died December 29, 2002 and is buried in Memphis, Texas.