The Story That Finally Was Told..

The story of the 12 Mighty Orphans could have easily died. In fact, several people over the years have tried - and failed - to write the story. When author Jim Dent called H.N. "Rusty" Russell's grandson R. Russell Morton in 2005 asking for archive access and information about Coach Rusty Russell for his story, it was just yet another author and Morton was skeptical about allowing anything to leave the family's hands.

"Many people have tried to tell the story but until Jim Dent came to me, I never thought it would happen," Morton says. In fact, he allowed Dent full access to archives and spent hours with Dent in interviews and arranging time for Dent to have access to family members and archive materials.

Dent was rushing to get the story told while those who were there could still remember. The portrait of Rusty Russell by Dewitt Coulter (pictured above) is one of the family's prize belongings. It was always on the wall above Rusty Russell's desk at home. Releasing this to Dent was a risk but Morton knew this time, at last, the story was going to get told.

After Russell Morton joined the 12 Productions team, he was given a 1952 Dewitt Coulter card (a Bowman card) in mint condition, enclosed in hard plastic by someone who read Dent's book, Twelve Mighty Orphans, and who has a huge collection of baseball and old football cards.

Morton says of the gift, "It was the last year Dewitt played in the NFL and he made pro bowl that year, so was the last card put out on him. It it considered a rare find. Anyway, he just gave it to me and said "we need fresh hope and big dreams right now and this book hits home".