They called him “Fessor”

Eric Pierce Staples was born in Roopville, Georgia in 1905—the first of seven “gifted” children born to Pelham and Ola Staples: Eric (school superintendent-coach), Earl (attorney), Rachael (dietitian), Leah (teacher), Don (principal-coach), Ruth (teacher) and Pelham (physician). Staples departed this life in 1984. A standing-room-only funeral was held at Perry’s Methodist Church. A beloved citizen, Staples was active in church and civic affairs, and became the winningest high school basketball coach in the nation. Under his leadership, Perry High School excelled in academics and won many literary titles. Former Perry Principal and Perry Mayor, Jim Worrall, wrote: “Mr. Staples was one of Georgia’s leading educators, heading a school that consistently won statewide academic honors as well as basketball victories.”

In high school, Staples played basketball and football. At Bowden Junior College, he was the star running back. In 1927, Staples graduated from Bowden College, a four-year institution. From 1928 to 1933, Staples was a highly successful coach in northwest Georgia. Heavily recruited by Perry School Superintendent Jim Gooden, Staples came to Perry during the fall of 1933. There, he served as basketball coach and school principal. In 1936, he received his law degree from Mercer University and passed the Georgia Bar examination, but the tug of academics and sports kept him at Perry. He was called “Professor Staples.” Some students had difficulty pronouncing “Professor,” so they shortened it to “Fessor.” The nickname stuck.

Perry became a basketball town—the “Mecca” of Georgia high school basketball. Its gym filled at home games and caravans of cars followed the team to out-of-town games. Perry never ran elaborate offences, but employed simple “picks and rolls” practiced to perfection. Perry never employed a zone defense, but ran a tenacious “man-to-man” defense. To rebound, Perry players were taught proper positioning in front of opposing players. Turnovers were avoided as Staples stressed that each turnover gave the opposing team an average of one point. Staples never used abusive language, but criticized his players constructively. He urged backyard basketball goals for prospective players.

Coach Staples didn’t pace the sidelines, but sat quietly on the bench analyzing the game and executing offensive and defensive strategies. Staples became the “Alexander the Great” of high school basketball. His teams won eight state championships (1947, 1949, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1962, 1963, and 1964) and 25 district/region titles. After Staples retired in 1965, the 1966 team, coached by Assistant Coach Paul Hartman, won Perry’s ninth state title—continuing the dynasty.

Staples’ teams won an unbelievable 83% of their games: 924 victories against only 198 losses. Former Georgia House Majority Leader, Larry Walker (PHS-1960), wrote: “Perry basketball teams won against overwhelming odds, not due to great talent and height, but because of heart and desire that only champions possess.” Mayor Jim Worrall and Walker played key roles in saving the old Perry school on Main Street, now the Houston BOE headquarters. It features the Sam Nunn Museum and 1927 Vintage Classroom.

In 1957, Staples was named to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. In 2002, Staples was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 1992, the Atlanta Tip-off Club honored him. Accepting the award on behalf of Staples was U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, a former Perry player. Nunn related how Coach Staples’ strategy enabled his 1956 team to win the state title over a talented and previously undefeated team.

Thomas “Boot” Hunt (PHS-1959) stated that Staples was a “great man who happened to be a coach and educator.” Senator Sam Nunn (PHS-1956) stressed that, “Coach Staples was a master psychologist” who taught “you must pay the price for success.” Nunn added that, “Perry routinely defeated higher classification schools.” William Harrison (PHS-1955) developed an impressive bronze plaque detailing Coach Staples’ accomplishments. It hangs in the entrance of the Houston County Board of Education in Perry. Lee Martin (PHS-1962) said, “next to his dad, Coach Staples had more influence on my life than any other person.” Dwayne Powell (PHS-1963) asserted that, “Coach Staples taught us the three D’s—determination, desire and dedication.”

Coach Staples and his sweet wife, the former Chloe Traylor of Perry, were married in 1938. Their wonderful children were: Sherry (schoolteacher), Pierce (hardware store owner) and Porter (lawyer). The old Staples’ home (white house) sits directly behind Perry’s Swanson House. Perry High’s first basketball gym, built in 1927, burned in 1969. It now resides at 101 Pearly Gates Boulevard in Heaven.

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