50 years later, Fort Mill's Chapman’s still on the chain gang

Doing a favor for friend Wyatt Gibson in September 1966, Doug Chapman filled in on the chain crew to work a Fort Mill High football game. Now 50 seasons later, he is still there.

Chapman, who is 72 years old, does not plan on stopping anytime soon.

“My wife wants me to stop because she is afraid I am going to get hit by one of those 250-pound football players,” he joked.

Chapman has had some close calls over the years, and has even been tackled a couple times on the sidelines, but he has always bounced back.

He and his chain crew of Olin Wilson, who has 35 seasons of experience himself, along with nephew Joey Chapman, Jonny Bivins, and Michael Wright, have more than 100 seasons of experience working on Friday nights.

Wilson said Chapman is one of a kind.

“He is a sports fanatic,” he said. “He loves being around the kids. He is a unique person. He is a class act and a pleasure to be around.”

Wilson, 77, said he knows he doesn’t have another 15 seasons in him to come close to matching Chapman’s 50.

“I would love to think that, but I know better,” he jokes. “God has blessed me to do what I do now.”

Chapman is quick to give credit to his fellow members of the chain crew.

“I have always had three or four dedicated chain crew members,” he said. “That has allowed me to last as long as I have.”

Chapman said that in the entire time he has done it, the crew has largely stayed together with only 18 to 20 people working with him during all those decades.

In his time on the sideline, Chapman has worked more than 500 games. He started when Bob Jones, who the stadium is named for, was head coach of the Jackets. And during his time, he has seen just nine head varsity coaches for Fort Mill.

“I enjoy doing it,” he said. “I have always liked high school football games and that has given me a close up most people don’t get.”

Chapman said that during the past 50 seasons every member of the chain crew has either played football or been a father to a player with the exception of one person – himself.

“I am the one, who didn’t have a son to play football, but I got two wonderful daughters that played in the marching band and I got to see them play,” he said.

Chapman and his crew usually work between six and seven home games a season, depending on playoffs. One of his most memorable games came last year when Fort Mill beat York 30-14 and before that it was the team’s 1993 home playoff loss to Clinton 10-7.

In 50 years, Chapman has rarely missed games. He missed two games due to spinal surgery in 2010, but that was about it. He even had both knees replaced; scheduling surgery after the football season to make sure he didn’t miss any games.

“My wife didn’t agree with that,” he joked.

Wilson said that Chapman keeps up now even after his surgeries.

“He has been a trooper,” he said. “He has really battled.”

Chapman said he still gets a lot out of being on the chain crew.

“The biggest benefit is getting to know the players and coaches and getting to watch those boys play football,” he said. “I have seen hundreds of players through the years.”

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 8:52 AM with the headline "50 years later, Fort Mill's Chapman’s still on the chain gang."