A Joint Project of the Sam Rayburn House Historic Site and the Fannin County Historical Commission
Celebrating America 250 with Spotlights of Fannin County Citizens Who Participated In or Witnessed Historical Events
Fannin County, Texas -- Lavernne Birchfield “L.B.” Morris was born in Argyle, TX, on May 10, 1915, to Willie and Lavernne Morris, their second of three sons. He graduated from Denton High School around 1932 before attending North Texas State Teacher’s College (now the University of North Texas).
L.B. studied physical education while playing football, track, and basketball and being part of Beta Alpha Rho Beta (a social organization for men). L.B. was a lineman on the Lone Star Conference-winning football team as well as the 1934 NCAA Track & Field Championship track team for running the mile. He earned his bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees in kinesiology and physical education.
His coaching career began after graduation. He taught boys high school sports in Texas cities including Howe, Bonham, Whitewright, Gainesville, and Fort Worth as well as some coaching with Texas Christian University. Track and field became L.B.’s focus and he soon developed successful track teams at his schools, and some students later went on to earn varieties of fame. In Fort Worth, L.B. coached Yale Lary and Del Shofner (who joined the National Football League), Bob Schieffer and Van Williams (television stars), Darrow Hooper (Olympian and athlete), and Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (better known as musician John Denver).
L.B. began the Will Rogers Indoor Games in 1961 and the event later became the Southwest Conference Indoor Championships, which held annual track and field meets until 1996.
He retired from full-time coaching in 1961 and moved to Bonham, TX, where he was a part-time track coach at Bonham High School and the organizer and supervisor of the Fannin County Special Olympics. L.B. certified as a United States Track and Field Association official, allowing him to officiate at meets across the state and qualify as an official at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, CA. He supervised two field events and worked as a curve judge during the race events.
L.B. ended up testifying before the International Association of Athletics Federations jury about an incident he witnessed between Mary Decker and Zola Budd during the women’s 3,000 meter run (Budd’s heel hit Decker’s thigh, causing Decker to fall – Morris was the closest judge to the incident and determined there wasn’t anyone at fault).
On August 21, 1940, L.B. married Margaret Lura McKelva, and the couple had two sons. They owned and operated the McKelva-Morris Mattress Factory in Bonham in 1961. L.B. was a member of several organizations including the North Texas Athletic Committee, the Athletics Congress of the United States, the Southwest Officials Association, the Fort Worth Ex-Coaches Association, Golden Kiwanis, and the National Bedding Association., and the Bonham Chamber of Commerce. He was inducted into the Texas Coaches High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor, the North Texas University Athletics Hall of Fame, and the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame. L.B. attended the First Baptist Church in Bonham. He also served as Bonham’s city judge for two years during the 1960s. After an extended illness, L.B. passed away on April 8, 1997.
This information was obtained from the Fannin Co., Texas GenWeb (txfannin.org) and other online sources. The Sam Rayburn House SHS presented some of this information at their 2024 Cemetery Walking Tour. For a copy of the 2024 Cemetery Walking Tour guide or for other information, contact the Sam Rayburn House at (903) 583-5558 or email Margo.McCutcheon@thc.texas.gov.
