Rockdale Complete Football History (1910-2009)

[WOS87]

1963 must have been heartbreaking! They allowed only 14 points the entire season - a safety, 2 field goals and only 1 TD and were ranked #1 in the state losing in Bi-District against a Taylor team they had already beaten in non-district

http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/thsf/r/rockdale.gif

93 out of 177 (52.5%) 3A Team Histories now completed

[wimbo_pro]

I have noticed more than a few of your stats show that some teams didnt play in 1914 (WW1 began in August 1914, but we didnt get involved until 1917. Maybe this is the reason?).

Also, 1918/19 shows no games on some team stats. Maybe the outbreak of the Influenza epidemic that killed millions around the world? i think 50,000 or so in the U.S.

Of course the early 40's show a lack of games too...WW2 I am sure is the reason.

I find this stuff interesting...or maybe I need to get a life.

[WOS87]

In regards to the 1910's, high school football was not a staple in most papers and with the outbreak of WWI in 1914 (despite the US not getting involved until 3 years later) I'm sure HS football reports were one of the first items to be thrown to the wayside as newspapers focussed more on the dire issues going on worldwide at the time. I can guarantee you that there were games played but many of them have been lost to history as there is no written record of a lot of them, especially among the small schools of the time.

The UIL itself wasn't founded until 1909 and they didn't even try to organize a statewide agency to monitor game results until 1920.

The influenza outbreak of 1918 did in fact cause several hundred high schools to cancel their entire football seasons although some of the bigger schools of the time did play games that year.


Originally posted by wimbo_pro
I have noticed more than a few of your stats show that some teams didnt play in 1914 (WW1 began in August 1914, but we didnt get involved until 1917. Maybe this is the reason?).

Also, 1918/19 shows no games on some team stats. Maybe the outbreak of the Influenza epidemic that killed millions around the world? i think 50,000 or so in the U.S.

Of course the early 40's show a lack of games too...WW2 I am sure is the reason.

I find this stuff interesting...or maybe I need to get a life.

[tigerfan09]

Originally posted by WOS87
1963 must have been heartbreaking! They allowed only 14 points the entire season - a safety, 2 field goals and only 1 TD


The night that Rockdale lost to Taylor in that game was the same day as JFK's assassination...November 22nd, 1963...they almost postponed that game, but they decided to play it...from what I have read, everyone was in a very somber mood that night...

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by WOS87
In regards to the 1910's, high school football was not a staple in most papers and with the outbreak of WWI in 1914 (despite the US not getting involved until 3 years later) I'm sure HS football reports were one of the first items to be thrown to the wayside as newspapers focussed more on the dire issues going on worldwide at the time. I can guarantee you that there were games played but many of them have been lost to history as there is no written record of a lot of them, especially among the small schools of the time.

The UIL itself wasn't founded until 1909 and they didn't even try to organize a statewide agency to monitor game results until 1920.

The influenza outbreak of 1918 did in fact cause several hundred high schools to cancel their entire football seasons although some of the bigger schools of the time did play games that year.

Good stuff WOS87. The infuenza outbreak didnt start till AFTER the end of WW1, which would be November 11th (as I am sure you know)...at least that is my recollection of history. That would explain the 1919 season, so maybe the lack of a 1918 season is more for the reasons you listed.

[WOS87]

Originally posted by tigerfan09
The night that Rockdale lost to Taylor in that game was the same day as JFK's assassination...November 22nd, 1963...they almost postponed that game, but they decided to play it...from what I have read, everyone was in a very somber mood that night...


You are very much correct as you can see from this PDF sports page dated 11/23/63 reporting BOTH Rockdale's loss and the assassination of Kennedy

Click here--->LINK (http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/pdf/rockdale1963.pdf)

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by tigerfan09
The night that Rockdale lost to Taylor in that game was the same day as JFK's assassination...November 22nd, 1963...they almost postponed that game, but they decided to play it...from what I have read, everyone was in a very somber mood that night...

Interesting factoid TigerFan09. i wonder what schools did in fact cancel that game for the assassination? Hey...this could be an interesting statoid (yes, i just made that up). What games were not played because of historical events that shook the nation??

boy...we are old and boring...

[WOS87]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
Good stuff WOS87. The infuenza outbreak didnt start till AFTER the end of WW1, which would be November 11th (as I am sure you know)...at least that is my recollection of history. That would explain the 1919 season, so maybe the lack of a 1918 season is more for the reasons you listed.

It's my understanding that the worst of it actually started in September 1918 and hit its peak in October... Back then football season didn't usually start until October because there were no official playoffs and games could be scheduled through November into December. Air-conditioning was almost non-existent except in very few select places at the time which was also a factor in the late start to the season.

Most football programs were back up and running by 1919

http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/flu1918.gif

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by WOS87
It's my understanding that it actually started in September 1918 and hit its peak in October...

Most football programs were back up and running by 1919

http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/flu1918.gif

Thanks WOS87...they "History Channel" version leads you to believe that the returning soldiers from the heart of the epidemic (Europe visa vi' Spain) was a huge factor. According to this, it couldnt have had any affect here in the U.S., seeing our boys didnt come home en masse until 1919. I love this stuff!! thanks for getting me the correct info.

[Maroon87]

Interesting note: the QB of Rockdale's '76 state championship team is the father of Calallen's current QB...:cool:

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by WOS87
It's my understanding that the worst of it actually started in September 1918 and hit its peak in October... Back then football season didn't usually start until the beginning of October.

Most football programs were back up and running by 1919

http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/flu1918.gif

one more thing...maybe it DID affect the 1918 season more than I first thought...interesting.

[WOS87]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
Interesting factoid TigerFan09. i wonder what schools did in fact cancel that game for the assassination? Hey...this could be an interesting statoid (yes, i just made that up). What games were not played because of historical events that shook the nation??

boy...we are old and boring...

If you look at the PDF link posted above there's an entire column of cancelled sports events due to the Kennedy assassination

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by WOS87
If you look at the PDF link posted above there's an entire column of cancelled sports events due to the Kennedy assassination

I saw that...thanks. I need to give thought to other important dates in our history (9/11, Dec. 7th, etc.) that football events might have been canceled. Off the top of my head, there seem to be more in the spring/summer than the fall (June 6th, death of FDR, Victory Europe/Japan, etc)...but i need to give it some looking into.

[WOS87]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
I saw that...thanks. I need to give thought to other important dates in our history (9/11, Dec. 7th, etc.) that football events might have been canceled. Off the top of my head, there seem to be more in the spring/summer than the fall (June 6th, death of FDR, Victory Europe/Japan, etc)...but i need to give it some looking into.

Pearl Harbor happened on a Sunday so there were very few sports events cancelled simply due to Monday and Tuesday being very slow sports days in December 1941.

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by WOS87
Pearl Harbor happened on a Sunday so there were very few sports events cancelled simply due to Monday and Tuesday being very slow sports days in December 1941.

Of course...but I meant maybe the rush to volunteer the following weeks...and were they even playing football in December back then?

[Gobbla2001]

Not sure if any high school games were canceled the week of 9/11... I will always remember the day because my favorite song was and still is "Tuesday's Gone" By Lynyrd Skynyrd... they played that song on the radio the next day (Wednesday) with a mix of live news updates of the events played over it...

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
Not sure if any high school games were canceled the week of 9/11... I will always remember the day because my favorite song was and still is "Tuesday's Gone" By Lynyrd Skynyrd... they played that song the next day (Wednesday) with a mix of live news updates of the events played over it...

it's a great tune Gobbla! I play in a classic rock band as a side-hobby, and we do that song. It's one of the best!

[Move The Chains]

Originally posted by tigerfan09
The night that Rockdale lost to Taylor in that game was the same day as JFK's assassination...November 22nd, 1963...they almost postponed that game, but they decided to play it...from what I have read, everyone was in a very somber mood that night... Exactly 27 years before I was born. :cool:

[wimbo_pro]

Originally posted by Move The Chains
Exactly 27 years before I was born. :cool:

You were born in 1990??? Good lord, I have bills older than you.

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
it's a great tune Gobbla! I play in a classic rock band as a side-hobby, and we do that song. It's one of the best!

I've played it once with a band myself... but only once... just a little jam session...

I don't play lead guitar, but I do play the lead to that song when I play it... love it...

[Move The Chains]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
You were born in 1990??? Good lord, I have bills older than you. Si senor. Freshman in college = 18 going on 19 years old = Oct 2009-Nov 22 1990

[WOS87]

Originally posted by wimbo_pro
Of course...but I meant maybe the rush to volunteer the following weeks...and were they even playing football in December back then?

I've researched the 1941 season extensively and there were only a few adjustments made in major sports events after Pearl Harbor surprisingly... College Bowl games were played as scheduled as was the UIL High School football playoffs

Click here --->Saturday 12/13/41 Sports Page (PDF) (http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/pdf/galveston1941.pdf)

Click here --->Saturday 12/13/41 Sports Page #2 (PDF) (http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/pdf/galveston1941a.pdf)

[wimbo_pro]

I love the football scores on page 2. Go Gilmer!!! LOL

[wimbo_pro]

Wow...and the death notice on page 2 from Honolulu. Gave me chills.

[Dogman_1969]

Originally posted by tigerfan09
The night that Rockdale lost to Taylor in that game was the same day as JFK's assassination...November 22nd, 1963...they almost postponed that game, but they decided to play it...from what I have read, everyone was in a very somber mood that night...

My Dad was at that game and said that the Tigers had a TD called back after a personal foul and later the Ducks kicked a FG that barely cleared the crossbar on a windy night on the evening we lost JFK. Several of those great players were inducted into the Rockdale Hall of Honor last year. A couple look like they could still go a play or two.

[WOS87]

UPDATE: The history has been updated through 2009

[3afan]

1972 - Rockdale 52, Cove 0

I was on that Cove team ... we had a WR who dropped a sure TD pass on the first play from scrimmage ... in the game article the next morning the reporter asked our coach how he thinks the game would have turned out had Cove jumped ahead 7-0 ... he said we'd have probably lost 52-7. Cove was 1-9 that season.