Garland Sports Hall of Fame

Worley Ingram

Worley Ingram is being inducted into the Garland Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding play as an all-district tackle for the 1942 Garland High School bi-district champion Owl football team. Ingram earned four letters as an Owl gridiron player, each under a different coach, in the 1939-1942 period. His first year of play was in 1939, when Garland had a perfect regular season, including a 12 to 0 intersectional victory over Texas City, and defeated Arlington, 26 to 19, for the bi-district championship. In 1941, he became a first team player for Garland, with his cousin, Paul Ingram, holding down the tackle position on the opposite side of the line. In 1942, the Owls again fielded a championship team, with Ingram earning all-district recognition as the Garland Eleven won nine regular season games, losing only to Kaufman, 12 to 7. The Owls defeated Rockwall, 2 to 0, for the bi-district championship, in a defensive duel in driving rain. Ingram was known for being one of the nicest people that walked the halls at Garland High School, but one of the most ferocious on the football field. While Ingram had many offers to play in college on scholarship, his loyalty to his country came first. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December of his junior year, and shortly after graduation, Ingram joined the United States Army. He served in the 30th Infantry Regiment of the Third Infantry Division in France and Germany in the offenses which defeated Nazi Germany. While engaged in the European combat, he suffered serious injuries, which prevented his continuing to play at the collegiate level after his discharge. For his bravery, he was awarded the Bronze Star. Returning to Garland after his separation from the service, he owned and operated Ingram Mobil Service Center on South Garland Avenue at Miller Road for 26 years, but he never got over his love of Garland football and never missed a game.