Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Daily Nonpareil Online > Archives > Sports > Iowa Deaf to celebrate 90 years of football this weekend
Iowa School for the Deaf will celebrate its nine decades of football prowess on Saturday at the annual homecoming game.
The school will welcome all former Bobcat players as it recognizes 90 years of gridiron pride and tradition during a brief ceremony at the ISD football field.
The 12:45 p.m. event will include special T-shirts and photo collages of former teams, said Cynthia Angeroth, outreach coordinator at the school.
Angeroth said the event is designed to honor the school’s rich football history.
It all started in 1921 when Francis Jacobson, the school’s shoe repair teacher, organized 16 students into ISD’s first football team.
Instead of uniforms back then, the boys wore stocking caps, baseball pants or overalls. On their feet were simple work shoes or sneakers. Interestingly, only the quarterback had a helmet that first year, and shoulder pads were assembled in the campus shoe shop.
That first fall season featured five games, including a 26-7 victory over Abraham Lincoln. After the big win, Jacobson purchased football pants for the boys.
In that same season, ISD played in front of a crowd of 5,000 against the former Omaha Commerce High School, but lost 12-0, and played to a 13-13 tie with Nebraska School for the Deaf.
In 1922, the sport was included in the school’s budget.
The long years of competition have included many things to celebrate and build upon, Angeroth said.
“In 2009, we witnessed the best season ever,” she said.
The team finished 8-0 that year and was honored with the distinction of Deaf All-American champions for 8-man teams.
Things weren’t so rosy last season, she said, but the team is bouncing back.
“Last year, we ordered in slices of humble pie, as our record was 1-7,” she said. “This year, coach Mark Murray said he’s hoping for somewhere in the middle.”
Iowa School for the Deaf will celebrate its nine decades of football prowess on Saturday at the annual homecoming game.
The school will welcome all former Bobcat players as it recognizes 90 years of gridiron pride and tradition during a brief ceremony at the ISD football field.
The 12:45 p.m. event will include special T-shirts and photo collages of former teams, said Cynthia Angeroth, outreach coordinator at the school.
Angeroth said the event is designed to honor the school’s rich football history.
It all started in 1921 when Francis Jacobson, the school’s shoe repair teacher, organized 16 students into ISD’s first football team.
Instead of uniforms back then, the boys wore stocking caps, baseball pants or overalls. On their feet were simple work shoes or sneakers. Interestingly, only the quarterback had a helmet that first year, and shoulder pads were assembled in the campus shoe shop.
That first fall season featured five games, including a 26-7 victory over Abraham Lincoln. After the big win, Jacobson purchased football pants for the boys.
In that same season, ISD played in front of a crowd of 5,000 against the former Omaha Commerce High School, but lost 12-0, and played to a 13-13 tie with Nebraska School for the Deaf.
In 1922, the sport was included in the school’s budget.
The long years of competition have included many things to celebrate and build upon, Angeroth said.
“In 2009, we witnessed the best season ever,” she said.
The team finished 8-0 that year and was honored with the distinction of Deaf All-American champions for 8-man teams.
Things weren’t so rosy last season, she said, but the team is bouncing back.
“Last year, we ordered in slices of humble pie, as our record was 1-7,” she said. “This year, coach Mark Murray said he’s hoping for somewhere in the middle.”