You have something special...

[beall02]

I had to work all day on Friday and Saturday, so I didn't get that much of a chance to take in any area football either in person or on the radio, but after watching the Ft. Hill/Alco game on Commercial Video's production I have to just say... The City of Cumberland has something special. I have never been to a Homecoming game at Greenway... I hope that sometime in the next couple of years I can do that.

Before the actual game, Commercial Video showed video of some of the past homecoming games. It was something to be seen. Obviously being from Baltimore, I can't even imagine growing up in Cumberland and going to one of these schools and being a part of this rivalry. Pretty special and you all are very lucky to have it.

When did the game change from being on Thanksgiving to the last week of the regular season? I imagine it would have been when the playoffs started? Is that correct?

I bring that up because a lot of the old video from Commercial had snow on the field. That makes sense since it used to be played in late November.

 

[MCsoccerplex]

The first Homecoming game was in 1974...the first year of the state playoffs.

It was the '71 game that had snow on the sidelines. As a young lad wearing my burgundy stadium coat, I, along with a throng of Fort Hill and Alco faithful, helped shovel the field that Thanksgiving Day.

 

[camper21502]

Homecoming is nothing like it use to be. Yeah we still get decent crowds but alot has changed...

 

[Lagmeister]

Homecoming is nothing like it use to be. Yeah we still get decent crowds but alot has changed...

When I came back a few times in the 80's I had to park in the park. More people then and a lot more pageantry. The grass areas were full and you had standing room only. I am not putting down folks efforts today, it's just there were so many more people and more people to return to Cumberland to visit and see the game.

 

[beall02]

There is more to do now a days then there was back in those days. Even though it may not be a lot more it still means that people have other options. The fact that it was played on Thanksgiving probably had some to do with how many people attended.

 

[FortHillFan89]

When those dresses cost 500.00 and up, you know we are in different times.

 

[Lagmeister]

There is more to do now a days then there was back in those days. Even though it may not me a lot more it still means that people have other options. The fact that it was played on Thanksgiving probably had some to do with how many people attended.

Well, folks came back home to their families for the holiday, went to the game and then went home and made the Thanksgiving meal. It was a part of Thanksgiving. Can't get bigger than that I guess.

 

[Lagmeister]

When those dresses cost 500.00 and up, you know we are in different times.

I was raised in a family of boys so I wouldn't know but rest assured folks pitched in back in the day.

 

[beall02]

Well, folks came back home to their families for the holiday, went to the game and then went home and made the Thanksgiving meal. It was a part of Thanksgiving. Can't get bigger than that I guess.

Absolutely. Can't even imagine Thanksgiving Day back then. Pretty special to have that kind of tradition.

When Allegany/Fort Hill used to play on Thanksgiving Day, Did any other local teams used to do the same? I thought I remembered reading something about Beall/BW playing on Thanksgiving.

 

[Lagmeister]

Absolutely. Can't even imagine Thanksgiving Day back then. Pretty special to have that kind of tradition.

When Allegany/Fort Hill used to play on Thanksgiving Day, Did any other local teams used to do the same? I thought I remembered reading something about Beall/BW playing on Thanksgiving.

That I don't know but a Thanksgiving football strikes my memory as quite a tradition in the world of football. Didn't they play Army/Navy on Thanksgiving at one time or am I crazy there.

 

[MCsoccerplex]

I'm not certain of Saturday's attendance, but when I arrived around noon for the 12:30 kickoff I had to park at Washington Middle School. I also saw a fair amount of people walking to Saturday's game.

Nearby Constitution Park - no parking places.

All nearby streets, including those around Johnson Heights and toward Winifred Road - no parking places.

Bottom line...I'd be willing to bet there were as many people in attendance on Saturday than attended the snow game in 1971. The difference in attendance could be the size of the bands and auxiliary units in '71. Then again, there weren't nearly as many cheerleaders as there are today either, so it probably balances out.

One other note: In the early 1980s, there were just under 20,000 students in grades 1 - 12 attending public schools in Allegany County. Now there are just under 9,000 students in grades pre-K - 12 attending public schools in Allegany County.

 

[FHHSAHS]

There were people parked down Williams Road almost to Winifred Road and up into the park entrance for the first time in a longgg time this past weekend. It was nice to see the decent crowd for a change. Ive a feeling if both teams meet in two weeks the crowd will be awesome; having seen how close the game was the first time around.

 

[beall02]

That I don't know but a Thanksgiving football strikes my memory as quite a tradition in the world of football. Didn't they play Army/Navy on Thanksgiving at one time or am I crazy there.

They used to play it on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Never on Thanksgiving Day though. In 2006 (I think) they moved it to first Saturday in December, and when Conference Championships became more and more evident they moved it back one more weekend so it was the last regular season college game.

 

[MCsoccerplex]

I will agree with Lags about the pageantry - not what it used to be.

 

[camper21502]

I will agree with Lags about the pageantry - not what it used to be.

I wonder why each team stopped with the floats???

 

[Lagmeister]

I wonder why each team stopped with the floats???

It has to be time and expense. Look at the parades through town now. Again, this is not a criticism of any event. There is only so much that can be done with what you currently have - number of Arrowettes, size of the bands and even how many players are on the field. It is a complement to the town that after 79 games you have what you have. Polish the jewel because other places never had any of it.

 

[FortHillFan89]

If Allegany should be ashamed of anything it should be the support for their Arrowettes. Wow, crappy loud speaker music, sometimes no music at all for their performances. It really is shameful. Those kids work hard and shouldn't have to perform for scratchy loud speaker music.

 

[FortHillFan89]

Or whatever you call the girls that kick/ dance. Lmao

 

[Lagmeister]

If Allegany should be ashamed of anything it should be the support for their Arrowettes. Wow, crappy loud speaker music, sometimes no music at all for their performances. It really is shameful. Those kids work hard and shouldn't have to perform for scratchy loud speaker music.

Should I circle the wagons and say a Fort 'Hillian' shouldn't say anything bad about anything 'Alleganyian' - even though I completely agree with the comment. No, I will not be like some in this forum.

Fact is, the last time I was at an Alco home game the damn sound was so frickin' loud I had to cover my ears. Are those people who run the sound deaf? It has to violate a city ordnance. It's painful.

Let me add that the Arrowettes have long since past justification. What girls who could make the squad have gone into the band or chearleading. The current Arrowettes work hard and are great kids but we do no service in life to pretend that what we have are actually an Arrowette team. It appears everybody knows it but those who keep it going.

Okay, I stepped on shoes again. But I'm from Allegany so I guess it's acceptable to a point.

 

[Commercial Video]

IWow, crappy loud speaker music, sometimes no music at all for their performances. It really is shameful. Those kids work hard and shouldn't have to perform for scratchy loud speaker music.

I'm not sure whoever is running the music can judge how loud it is sometimes. A couple of weeks ago, we were setting up for a broadcast, Arrowettes were practicing and and my brain was being rattled around in my head by the loudness of the paging horns the stadium uses for speakers. It was crazy loud so I took a decibel reading at 50ft. from one of the away speakers. 98db.

 

[FortHillFan89]

I know you are joking Lags. Someone needs to stand up for those poor girls. They work hard and do a wonderful job and the sound system is a discredit to them. The one game I attended the music wasn't even playing and they danced to 5-6-7-8.... I felt horrible for them.

 

[GREEN75]

Remember when Williams Street was a tunnel of red. People would decorate their cars with streamers and signs. The floats for the queen and her court. Winning team would march downtown with the band and players. The scoreboard was on the school. Signs all around the stadium. Every window at fort hill decorated with a message like "what's up doc, Fort Hills on top". Yes things have change at least we have a billboard with the team picture!

 

[Lagmeister]

I know you are joking Lags. Someone needs to stand up for those poor girls. They work hard and do a wonderful job and the sound system is a discredit to them. The one game I attended the music wasn't even playing and they danced to 5-6-7-8.... I felt horrible for them.

Yes, the girls are hard working and maintain contact with all the older Arrowettes. What happened over time is that the band started their own dancers and show while the chearleaders ballooned in number. There used to be only 6 chearleaders and 66 Arrowettes. I realize the chearleaders, like the band, have their own competitions and such. But they have literally pulled the rug out from under the Arrowettes. Historically, those girls performed more often at Colt halftimes than any other high school or college group. They should unite with the girls from Braddock and actually get a dance group together, maybe perform fewer shows when they can all get together.

 

[real world]

When the band is at the game they should play for the arrowettes. That recording is bad and needs to go. Also the speakers on the visiting side need replaced. The wires are run how much could 3 speakers cost. Pass the hat at the rematch game im sure the people sitting over there would kick in enough money after having their ears blown out.

 

[mccoke]

If Greenway had a state of the art sound system,it would be different. Somebody holding up a cranked-up boom box on the track would sound better than a recording on the PA system.

 

[BigRed#56]

If Greenway had a state of the art sound system,it would be different. Somebody holding up a cranked-up boom box on the track would sound better than a recording on the PA system.

You would think that the board could have one of their audio-visual people spend a little time there and straiten the system out. the speakers on the booth only work half the time,If it is turned up to loud it makes noise. It has never been right since they built the Stadium. I don't even want to get started on it.

 

[GREEN75]

It's not in the budget !!!