McCamey High School began in 1926.  During the first year (1926-27) MHS was actually part of the Rankin I.S.D.  When school began in September 1927, McCamey Independent School District had been established (over strong objections by the oil companies), and the "New" high school was finished (the red brick building which now serves as McCamey Middle School).  Tryon Lewis, who was a leader in establishing the new school district, was McCamey’s first School Board President.  During that first year the only sport in which McCamey High School competed was basketball.

T. E. "Bud" Lewis (one of Tryon's sons) was in the eighth grade during the 1926-27 school year.  He and some other McCamey students were driving near where Iraan is now located when they found and captured a Badger and took it home with them.  Later, they decided that since other schools had mascots, McCamey High School should be known as the Badgers.  The caged Badger actually attended three basketball games before escaping.  A man in McCamey owned a Bulldog and bragged that it could whip any kind of animal; he was challenged by another man who had captured a Badger.  Before the Bulldog/Badger showdown, many bets were made on the outcome by local citizens.  The fight was fierce and short; the Bulldog grabbed the Badger but was unable to hurt him.  The Bulldog was rescued by his owner before the Badger killed him.  After that, everyone around McCamey agreed that McCamey High School should be known as the Badgers.  One of Bud’s brothers, Temple Lewis, wrote the MHS school song.  At that time, public school students in Texas only went through the 11th grade.

Bud Lewis was the Badger quarterback during the 1927, '28 and '29 seasons and served as the "backfield" captain.  Whitney Pittman was the "line" captain during the same three years.  The first year of football saw the Badgers playing on the baseball field which was located where the airport is now.  The "new" football field opened in the fall of 1928 where the current Badger Stadium is located.  The Badgers played Big Lake, Marfa, Fort Stockton, Alpine, Crane, Monahans and Odessa winning most of their games.  They played Odessa twice, and each school won one game.

Bud Lewis met Erma Lea Beauchamp in November, 1940.  She had moved from Corsicana to McCamey to become the Western Union Manager.  In January of 1941, she was transferred to Colorado City to operate the Western Union there.  Bud promptly proposed to Erma Lea, and they were married in Colorado City in March of 1941.  They had three children: Tryon D. Lewis, Barbara Lewis Southern and Betsy Lewis Smith.  Bud & Erma Lea were married 62 years before he died on June 4, 2003..

Graphic from the McCamey ISD website
"This Badger head has been used since about 1960 as the school mascot emblem."
Luann Stricklin Elliott

McCamey, McCamey, we love you;
We'll stand by you strong and true----
We know we can help----
With spirit and pep,
to carry our vic'tries thru----
We love every boy and ev--ry girl,
they're part of our Hi school too----
We love ev--ry one;
ev--ry daughter and son;
McCamey High, its you----

© 2003 dun by dock
Contact me at:    Odessa, Texas
432/366-6477