It's Football Season!

Odds and Ends From The MUSEUM!

            It’s time for football! In 1921, a Bangor news article admonished spectators to “give the boys who are our own high school lads and members of families of our own community at least a fraction of the interest which was displayed for the summer baseball team.” The football team from Millinocket High School would play Lee Academy at 2 o’clock, the time chosen “to allow the employees of the Great Northern Paper Co., who are this week on the four to twelve shift, a chance to see the game.” Tickets were 50 cents.” That same year the team traveled to Brownville for a game. They won 27-0, however the game was cut short due to the need to catch the catch the train to return home.        

            The 1925 football season (by then Stearns HS) was underway about two weeks before school opened for the fall term. Coach Johnson did not arrive until the Saturday before school and the team was coached in the meantime by Cobb and Wilson. That team had a fairly good season with two wins, one tie, and three losses.

The 1930 SHS football team opened with about 30 men reporting for practice. The team “took shape and prospects were looking bright, when fate intervened and team captain Pennings broke his leg. With the additional loss of Arthur McLain and John Simon the team was considerably crippled.” The yearbook article ended with “we hope for a more successful season next year.” There is no mention of their season record!

The 1934 team was more successful and received more space in the yearbook athletics section. They went undefeated, didn’t allow any points and played every game at the opponent’s field. Coach Stevens looked for spirit and sportsmanship in his players. The squad was made up of 12 seniors featuring two quarterbacks who were playing their first year on the team.

            The 40’s war years brought changes to the teams as some 18-year-olds left for the military as did Coach Wentworth who entered the Navy. The 1943 yearbook predicted “his accomplishments will never be forgotten.” He returned to his coaching duties for the 1946 season. Three pages describe in detail the 1943 season. The team was going for the 3rd unbeaten season with only three regulars returning. There was a new coach and a new system (T formation) and almost no reserves. They started out well and then one of the tackles broke his foot in a scrimmage. Then two more players entered the military.

            After the war ended, the SHS football teams had more players each season, but their success was up and down. In 1948, they had three wins, three losses and one tie. It states “the offense was fairly good”, but the defense “made major mistakes.” On a trip to Caribou, Stearns played their first game “under the lights.” In spite of “new and unfamiliar conditions, Stearns gained a 26-6 victory.”