Blue–Gray Football Classic
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
Blue–Gray Football Classic (defunct) | |
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Movie Gallery Stadium (2003) Cramton Bowl (1939–2001) | |
Location | Troy, Alabama (2003) Montgomery, Alabama (1939–2001) |
Operated | 1939–2001, 2003 |
Sponsors | |
Kelly Springfield Tire Company |
The Blue–Gray Football Classic was an annual American
All of the games, except for the final contest, were played at the
History
The format pitted players who attended college in the states of the former Confederacy, the "Grays", who wore white jerseys, against players who attended school in the northern half of the country, the "Blues", who wore blue jerseys, and also sometimes including players from western teams. Both teams wore gray pants. Only seniors played in this game, because it was their first venture into professional football, as they were paid for their participation.
The game was almost always the first major college all-star game of the year. For this reason, it was difficult to get some of the collegiate stars, because many of them were preparing at the same time for bowl games with their regular teams. Also, many potential players preferred to spend Christmas at home. In the game's later years, most of the players came from teams with losing records and from smaller schools which do not play NCAA Division I football. The Classic gave these players an opportunity to be noticed by NFL scouts and others who may not have had the opportunity to observe them previously. Most such players now attend the NFL Combine for evaluation.
The game was slow to
However, civil rights leaders complained that forcing African-American players from southern colleges and universities to represent the former Confederacy was both insensitive and offensive. Also in the late 1960s, as a result of growing public dissension over the Vietnam War, peace activists decried the contest as glorifying war and militarism. A large sit-in for peace was staged before the 1969 game that effectively blocked the gates at the stadium which resulted in protesters being forcibly removed, brutally beaten and arrested by the police. The start of the game was delayed for over an hour, and only part of the game was televised. For the next three years, troops of the Alabama National Guard were deployed to the stadium to keep order, on the orders of Governor George Wallace.
The Classic also made many concessions to make it more television-friendly. In 1975,
The game was not played in 2002 after longtime sponsor
The Lions Club was instrumental in reviving the game at Troy University's Movie Gallery Stadium (now Veterans Memorial Stadium), 50 miles south of Montgomery. It was generally thought that the Lions Club and others would have liked to return the game to Montgomery, but opted not to do so because it was unable to find a suitable replacement venue in the Montgomery area.
The Cramton Bowl was ultimately renovated in 2011, today hosting the
Game results
64 Blue–Gray Football Classics were played: Gray winning 33 games, Blue winning 29 games, and two games being tied. All were played in Montgomery, Alabama, except the 2003 game, played in Troy, Alabama.[9]
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See also
References
- Lincoln Evening Journal. Lincoln, Nebraska. Associated Press. November 18, 1944. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blue-Gray Telecast Is Killed". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. UPI. November 9, 1963. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blue-Gray In Danger Of Oblivion". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. Associated Press. December 28, 1964. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Green, Bob (December 24, 1965). "Blue-Gray, North–South Set For Annual All-Star Games". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. Associated Press. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Negro Gridder Says No Racial Slurs Cast at Him". Independent Record. Helena, Montana. Associated Press. December 26, 1965. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blue rally kills Gray hopes, 14-13". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. Associated Press. December 19, 1975. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Barefield, Ron (December 24, 1975). "B-G to Control Future Clock". Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, Alabama. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blue–Gray All-Star Classic Games". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2009-02-23. Retrieved 2009-01-07.