Coach Hawes always made me laugh. I wasnt good in math but he helped to make it better. Ill never forget his joke of ducking pretending a ball was coming in from behind(which which make you duck) from being hit, while I was on the JV football team.

A few years ago, Sammy Wilbur (or Wiblur, as coach Hawes might have called him) posted a picture of the 1984 Highland Park Scot baseball team. The picture awakened quite a few memories in former Scot players and in me of that year’s team and those from other years in the 1980’s, other teams coached by Al Hawes.
Al Hawes was a good man. Good man, good math teacher and an excellent baseball coach. He was  funny. He had a quirky sense of humor, frequently using comical spoonerisms (like bipcloard , for example)for no apparent reason. He was far from the negative, humorless man which some people tried to paint him as.  He might have been a tad acerbic, a bit sarcastic on occasion, but he certainly was not the least bit guilty of two frequent excesses of some high school coaches. He never cursed—and I mean never—and he never hit or laid a hand on a player or student other than to put an encouraging hand on a player’s shoulder, a la the Rangers’ former pitching coach, Mike Maddox. He never told dirty jokes, and if someone started to tell one in his presence, he would break his leg trying to get out of hearing range—yes, seriously. He could be witheringly funny, and you never knew when he would suddenly yell ”Hah!” out of the blue, scaring the heck out of you (and me). He loved to be talking to you on the field, seemingly watching behind you, then suddenly flinching as though an errant ball was about to bean you. He loved it when his practical jokes worked.
He was a really positive influence on a lot of his players (see Jamie Plumlee’s post)—and on me. I think he enjoyed having me as his assistant. I messed with him and lightened him up with practical jokes at his expense. We got along really well. He liked to mess with words and he enjoyed it when I did—and so did I.

I’m glad to have been Al’s assistant, fellow teacher and friend.  I’ll miss him. And my heart goes out to Sylvia and all his family. God love him.


We are very saddened to hear of this news. I had the privilege of coaching with and being a member of the Math Department with "Big Al" at Carrollton Newman Smith HS. What a wonderful coach, what an excellent teacher, what a great man. Please know prayers are being lifted up for the entire family.  

Jeff & Jan Foster
Carrollton, TX

Coach Hawes did this thing where he would suddenly stare past you, over your shoulder, and hold his hands up defensively, as though a stray ball was coming towards the back of your head. He got me every time,  even when I was standing with my back against the gym wall! He was a good coach and a good man. 

This. Is. The. Man. That inspired me to become a math teacher and coach!! He was my Geometry teacher in 10th grade and my JV (or freshman) football coach. He made Math fun and he cared about his players!! I have been teaching math for 32 years!! I coached for 27 before hanging up my cleats.
THANK YOU COACH HAWES!!! I've never forgotten you and you will forever inspire me!!

Had the privilege of being taught and coached by Coach Hawes at Newman Smith HS, and played football with Joe Mike and baseball with Jim (Jimbo).  Coach was a great teacher & coach who always had something nice and or funny to say.  My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family.  God Bless.


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