From 1948 to 1958, the premiere varsity basketball program in St. Clair County was in Odenville. The St. Clair County High School Saints were led and coached by Elmer Eugene Moree, better known as “Coach Mo” or “Double E”.Today, Moree is 89 years old and lives in Pell City. This past January, he was inducted into the Class of 2008 St. Clair County Sports Hall of Fame.
Early life
Moree was born Dec. 11, 1918 in Mt. Zion, Missouri. He graduated from Shawnee Mound High School where he played basketball and was chosen Most Valuable Player his senior year in 1936. When he played back in the 1930’s, all they had was a dirt court.
U.S. Army
Moree served in the Army from 1941-1945 during World War II. While stationed at Ft. Benning, Ga., Moree came to Birmingham on a 3-day pass with a friend. That’s how he met his wife, Charlie Mae, who was from Birmingham.
“We met each other through a friend,” Charlie Mae recalled. “We married in 1943.”
Wounded
While serving in Northern Italy in the Appine Mountains in October 1944, a group of soldiers including Moree was attacked when a shell exploded, killing a lieutenant. A piece of shrapnel entered Moree’s right leg and broke it.
Moree was being carried out on a stretcher first by a mule, then by a jeep and then by an ambulance.
As his buddies were carrying him on the stretcher, some German soldiers met them.
“These German soldiers pulled the blanket back and looked at my leg,” Moree said. “They didn’t bother us and let us go on. I told the guys carrying me not to look back. We were very fortunate to come out alive because those German soldiers could have killed us if they had wanted to.”
The first hospital Moree was in was a tent. Moree said he got the best attention and care under that tent than he did anywhere else.
Moree was in the hospital in Italy for over a year and was finally discharged from the Army in November 1945. He received the Purple Heart for being injured in the line of duty.
“I was so very blessed and fortunate,” Moree said. “I saw many good American soldiers killed.
“He had a lot of trouble with that leg after that,” said Mrs. Moree. “It kept draining and we dressed it for 20 years. He started playing golf. He came home one day and told me there was a piece of bone in that hole. I didn’t have any fingernails and he pulled it out. Once he pulled the bone out, the hole started healing up.
College
Moree graduated from Howard College in Birmingham in 1950 and received his Master’s Degree in education from the University of Alabama in 1953. He did all of this while teaching and coaching at St. Clair County High School.
Coaching at St. Clair
Moree taught Physical Education, History, Math and Typing at SCCHS.
He coached Jr. High, B-Team and varsity basketball. Moree led the Saints to back-to-back county crowns in 1957-58. His teams advanced to the Sixth District Class A Tournament eight years (1950-52, 1954-58). He led the Saints to the state tournament four years in 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1958.
“My best years in education were at St. Clair County High School,” Moree said. “I enjoyed teaching, coaching and living in Odenville. I had a lot of great players. The kids came from great families and disciplined at home. They had a great desire to perform well on the court.”
After SCCHS
Moree’s career after teaching and coaching at SCCHS included teaching in the Birmingham City School System.
He was Boys Advisor at Banks High School, principal at Robinson Elementary School and principal at Woodlawn High School.
In 1972, he was asked to be the first Head Master at Franklin Academy in Birmingham.
He returned to St. Clair County in 1975 and made his home in Pell City. He was principal at Coosa Valley Elementary School for three years before retiring in 1978.
Family
Moree and his wife have been married 64 years and will celebrate 65 years of marriage August 14. They have four children. Gene, Rebecca, Amy and Nancy. They also have six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. They are members of First Baptist Church Pell City. From the time he was a young lad, Moree has been an avid fisherman and loved to play golf.
Moree was a volunteer supporter for the Cerebral Palsy in Jefferson County and a member of the ARC in Pell City.
