High School Football in the '30s and '40s

[AmateisGal]

I need some help, and what better place to ask this question than here?

I'd like to know what high school football games were like in the '30s and '40s. Specifically: when did night games become popular? I've been able to glean that some towns put up lights to the football field as early as the '30s, but I don't know how widespread a phenomenon this was.

Also - were the games mostly played on Fridays, either in the afternoon or at night?

Marching bands at halftime?

I suppose this could be highly regional, too, so I'm mostly hoping for answers that deal with the Midwest, but really, any general info would be appreciated.

 

[C-dot]

I haven't got any historical info, but in the movie The Male Animal (1942), there is a huge football game and pep rally right at Midwestern University. If you haven't seen it, it will probably give you a good idea, and its a good story too

 

[Big Man]

My Dad graduated high school in 1942. They did not have football at his school, Nebo High, or at any of the other two high schools in the county, Marion and Old Fort. This was in McDowell County in western NC. Basketball and baseball were the primary sports in the county at the time, but only one school, Old Fort, had a gym. My Dad's school played basketball outside on a dirt court.

At my alma mater, Oak Hill School, also in western NC, we (they) played six man football beginning about 1952. My Dad was principal of Oak Hill School, and the school colors were purple and gold because that was the color of the football uniforms that my Dad and the coach bought second hand (with their own money) from a college in eastern NC. Our school went to 11 man football probably about 1960. I remember well when lights were put up (about 1963 or 64). The school children/parents, along with the local Ruritan Club, raised the money to put up the lights on the football field. Football was a very big thing in the 1960's and early 1970's in our county.

 

[AmateisGal]

C-Dot - Oh, I've watched that movie before! Forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder.

Big Man - Thanks for the info. It's interesting how certain sports are more popular in different areas of the country.

I think a trip to my state archives to look at newspapers is in order...

 

[AmateisGal]

Found a cool story from a 1940 newspaper in my state archives over my lunch break. The home team lost "under the lights." So for my purposes, I guess that will work!

Also found this really cool video of a Collingswood (New Jersey) football game in the late 30s or early 40s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COgQEYnwY-8