Lewis "Mickey" Elwood Mayne

Mayne Services for Lewis “Mickey” Elwood Mayne, 93, are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Daingerfield. Interment will take place in the Daingerfield Cemetery. Mickey died at home having lived his life to the fullest for 93 years. He was born March 21, 1920, in Cuero, to the late Henry and Irene Mayne. Mickey’s ancestors were among the first colonists to come into Texas with Stephen F. Austin (known as the Old Three Hundred. They settled in La Grange on the Colorado River in December of 1823. Mickey spoke often with great pride of his family’s history and his membership in the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Mickey was a standout athlete beginning in junior high excelling in track and field. He was a football star in high school, where he was referred to as the “Cuero Crusher”, a back who could also pass the ball and kick. His senior year he was chosen to play in the North South High School All-Star football game at Rice Stadium. In 2006 he was given the honor of being the first inductee into Cuero High School’s Hall of Fame. Mickey continued to play football at the University of Texas in Austin; his Texas team won the Southwest Conference in 1942 and went on to play Texas’s first-ever Cotton Bowl game beating Georgia Tech New Year’s day 1943. During his senior year, he was called up for service in World War II. He was stationed at Lincoln Army Air Base in Lincoln, Nebraska where he played halfback for the Lincoln Air Field Wings. After he was discharged in 1946 he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and in the first AAFC (All American Football Conference) game against the Buffalo Bills, he ran exactly 100 yards for a touchdown which was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. In 1947 Mickey signed with the Cleveland Browns. The Brown’s won the World Championship in Yankee Stadium that year with the longest winning streak of any Browns team. Limited by injuries, he retired after spending the 1948 season with the Baltimore Colts. After his playing career, he became a high school coach, principal and superintendent working at schools in Winnsboro, Lindale and Daingerfield. Soon after he started coaching in Daingerfield he urged the school board to build a track and encouraged young men to get involved in the sport. In 1962 he guided his track and field team to a state championship. He always enjoyed the camaraderie at track meets as compared to the violent atmosphere of a football field. Daingerfield now hosts the annual Mickey Mayne Relays. As much as he loved sports it was the love for his family, students and players that gave him the most joy. As a father and grandfather he was a “worrywart” and a “prankster”. We were never to drive after dark, in the rain or let our children play with deflated balloons and never ever go down to the creek for fear of seeing the "Waskutus"! Advice that once was received with a sigh are now fond memories of a dad and grandfather that loved us. Mickey always had a soft heart and an encouraging word for young men struggling with life’s challenges and was a coach that could pull the best out of a willing athlete. Many of his former football players have been lifelong friends. Because of these qualities Daingerfield renamed their football stadium Mickey Mayne Tiger Stadium in 2009. For 63 years, Mickey was married to Nollie Maurine Collins who passed away in November 2004. They met in a geology class at Texas. Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Maurine Nix and Guy Marlon Nix of Daingerfield and daughter, Betty Lou Swann and son-in-law, Elam Swann of Tyler. Grandchildren are Leslie Ann Camp and husband, Ronnie of Forney, Nancy Sims and her husband, Donald of Rockwall, Elam Franklin Swann IV and wife, Brooke of Tyler, Lewis Mayne Swann of Tyler, Louanne Criscuolo and husband. Gerry of Las Vegas, Nev. Great-grandchildren surviving include Jonathan Harrell, Elizabeth Camp, Michael Todd Camp, Ashley Camp, Joe Criscuolo, Dylan Criscuolo, Kyle Criscuolo, Mary Sims, Conner Sims and Elam Franklin Swann V. Other survivors include Robbie Harrell, grand-daughter-in-law and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death is daughter Marianne Camp, son-in-law Michael Harrell, grandson Michael Lewis Harrell, sister Carlyn Canipe and nephew Allen(Stopper) Canipe. Pallbearers will be Tim Canipe, Donald Sims, Ronnie Camp, Lewis Mayne Swann and Elam Franklin Swann IV. In Mickey’s honor memorials may be made to BelieveandSee.org, a charity founded by his grandson Lewis Mayne Swann, or to a charity of your choice.