Big Games in Memphis - Week 7

[Haven04]

I know I'm late for my Thursday games but those would've been my pics.

 

Trezevant

Manassas

East

 

Douglass

Melrose

Overton

ECS

McNairy Central

Fayette Ware

Southwind

Raleigh Egypt

Ridgeway at West Monroe, LA

Munford at Bolton

Cordova

Germantown

Houston

CBHS

St. George's

Kirby

Millington

Whitehaven

Edited September 30, 2016 by Havengrad04

[Dragonmaster]

I will attempt to put in my two cents on several of the statements that have been made.  The municipal school districts in Shelby county have their coaches do all field work.  I believe the lack of motivation to maintain fields by coaching staffs is one of the reasons for no on campus facilities.  Is racism a factor, I am not saying yes or no but expense in maintenance is a factor. We spend over 100,000$ a year on our fields.  Staff turnover is another issue about high school fields.  White Station does not have a field and it was predominately white along with Ridgeway.  Additionally, there may have been a point in time when some of the older inner-city schools had football fields but that land was sold or repurposed by the district at some point.  At this point to buy land to build fields might not be financially feasible.   

 

MLK

Melrose

Brighton

Fayette Ware

Southwind

Bolivar

West Monroe

Munford

Cordova

Bartlett

Collierville

CBHS

St. George

Kirby

Kingsbury

Whitehaven

McNairy Central

[QBClubPrez]

^{A little late today....these Thursday game always catch me napping.  I haven't seen any of the scores so I have no idea if the first 3 are right or wrong......or...throw my first 3 out....Go Big Red!!}

 

^{1. Trezevant}

^{2. Manassas}

^{3. Memphis East}

^{4. Douglass}

^{5. Melrose}

^{6. Brighton}

^{7. FACS}

^{8. McNairy Central}

^{9. Fayette Ware}

^{10. Southwind}

^{11. Bolivar}

^{12. West Monroe LA}

^{13. Munford}

^{14. Cordova}

^{15. Germantown}

^{16. Collierville}

^{17. CBHS}

^{18. St. George's}

^{19. Memphis Central}

^{20. Millington}

^{21. Whitehaven}

[kwc]

I will attempt to put in my two cents on several of the statements that have been made.  The municipal school districts in Shelby county have their coaches do all field work.  I believe the lack of motivation to maintain fields by coaching staffs is one of the reasons for no on campus facilities.  Is racism a factor, I am not saying yes or no but expense in maintenance is a factor. We spend over 100,000$ a year on our fields.  Staff turnover is another issue about high school fields.  White Station does not have a field and it was predominately white along with Ridgeway.  Additionally, there may have been a point in time when some of the older inner-city schools had football fields but that land was sold or repurposed by the district at some point.  At this point to buy land to build fields might not be financially feasible.   

 

I'm not going to pretend to know why the fields are done in the manner to which they are done. All I know is its been this way for as long as I can remember. DM is correct about the history of White Station and Ridgeway. I remember playing an away game at Hillcrest back in the day. I remember when Hillcrest and Fairley were predominantly white, just to name two that I know about.

 

I remember at one point, when the City had its charter and the education of the students was the responsibility of the City, the Park Commission was ultimately responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all of the City's high school football fields. How that was executed, I don't know. Now that the school system is all under Shelby County, I don't know how it is done now ... I'm assuming the Shelby County is ultimately responsible. I have no idea how all of this works. I think I'll ask Dr. Hunter the next time I see him about how the Whitehaven field is maintained and who is responsible for what.

Edited September 30, 2016 by kwc

[kwc]

oops

Edited September 30, 2016 by kwc

[owlbooster]

@ FBfan26

 

I think it's as ridiculous as you do. Not only is it ridiculous I am starting to believe it Was racially motivated back in the day. Whitehaven has it's own field as it was once a predominately white Suburban school before the 1970s. The only traditional Black schools that have their own fields are Booker T. Washington and Melrose (Southwind too I guess but see the caveat at the end) and as K-Dub said Melrose Stadium is walking distance (maybe a little less than a mile) but off of the campus nonetheless. Westwood used to have their own stadium but by the time I started playing in the early 2000s I believe that it had been long gone. There are numerous Traditional Black schools that have a space for an on-campus field which is normally where they practice (bleachers and light poles would be needed) but for some weird reason (Racist in my humble opinion) they have never been given the resources to build them up. Not only that, it seems as if no one asks 'why not'? Except me.

 

Sports help build community pride in a school not to mention the fundraising opportunities that come from having your own field and track if possible but in Memphis their are far too many programs that have travel to "HOME" games. If I ever get in front of the right people I'll ask the question 'why not?' Why not give Trezevant or Hamilton their own real Home Field? Why not allow them to give jobs to some students to tend the grounds to learn a trade that gives them real life experience and the ability to work for themselves upon graduation? Why must the "city" schools that are Traditionally Black continue sharing when there is space to put up  2-4 poles and 500-1000 seat bleachers and simply MOVE the games to bigger fields if the coaches/ADs think the match up dictates such? It doesn't seem like rocket science but again I think I know EXACTLY why Memphis has this issue and I am willing to change it if/when I get into a position to change it.

 

Sorry for the rant but it is what it is.

 

p.s.  Crump which is Central's Home field was also a former Traditionally White school, along with Kirby and Oakhaven I am sure was also a former Traditionally White school as well as Raleigh-Egypt ... That's why they currently have on-campus fields... Southwind was built to take a significant Middle Class and Upper Middle Class Black population away from Germantown High. They are the only newer school I can think of that has a stadium that wasn't Traditionally White at any time.

That is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Memphis of you to claim that RACISM is behind the location of prep football stadiums.  And not unexpected coming from you.  You have presumed that racism is the reason beforehand then sought stats to support your assumption, and the only one you can find is "predominantly white school" either now or before.  That line falls apart when you consider that many if not most of the historically black high schools no longer exist and some of them as I recall did not have football teams.   It appears to me that the SIZE of the school was a large factor but also proximity to existing stadiums.  The biggest reason would be COSTS - both construction, maintenance and utilities.  The schools do NOT have unlimited funds.  The facilities at the Fairgrounds, Halle and Crump/Central (et al on site) were meant to serve more than one school. for economic reasons.   Concerning Whitehaven, ALL of the former Shelby County League schools had stadiums and ALL were predominantly (exclusively before integration) white.  Germantown and Bartlett were fairly close to Collierville and Bolton respectively and had bigger stadiums because they were bigger schools.  I recommend you contact some knowledgeable official within the school system to discuss the whys and wherefores of stadium location and not be so eager to play the "race card"

 

BTW, I could be wrong, but I don't recall Westwood ever having an on campus stadium, but logically they should have had one, as it predated Freeman.  Nonetheless, this school was built in the mid-60s and like most of the new schools built after integration (e.g. Hillcrest) was originally predominantly white.  The movement of urban blacks over the last 50 years has predominantly been southward, which is why Whitehaven, Westwood and Hillcrest are now predominantly black.  To imply that Whitehaven has its own stadium only because it was once a predominantly white school is in itself a racist statement.

Edited September 30, 2016 by owlbooster

[olddevil]

Whatever happened to Hodges Field, a beautiful little stadium not far west of the medical center on Madison or Monroe. High schools played there in the 50's and 60's and the Chicks even played baseball there after the ballpark burned in the early 60's. Where did Memphis Tech play? Where did old Messick play?

[kwc]

Whatever happened to Hodges Field, a beautiful little stadium not far west of the medical center on Madison or Monroe. High schools played there in the 50's and 60's and the Chicks even played baseball there after the ballpark burned in the early 60's. Where did Memphis Tech play? Where did old Messick play?

 

Oh my goodness olddevil ... you need someone much older then I to answer those questions. I didn't even know there was a such a thing as a Hodges Field or Memphis Tech. I had heard of Messick though.

 

I have no clue as to where high schools played in the 50s or 60s.

[olddevil]

Oh my goodness olddevil ... you need someone much older then I to answer those questions. I didn't even know there was a such a thing as a Hodges Field or Memphis Tech. I had heard of Messick though.

 

I have no clue as to where high schools played in the 50s or 60s.

I think that Tech was located on Poplar just  east of  Waldron.

( We, Henry Co. played them four times from 79 to 82).. In those years we also played Treadwell, Frayser and Briarcrest then located out east on Poplar I think. I mention these things  to consider either for or against in BHS's argument.

[kwc]

I think that Tech was located on Poplar just  east of  Waldron.

( We, Henry Co. played them four times from 79 to 82).. In those years we also played Treadwell, Frayser and Briarcrest then located out east on Poplar I think. I mention these things  to consider either for or against in BHS's argument.

 

It's always good to get a historical perspective on things, especially when those things were instituted from past actions from people who are now retired or no longer with us. It gives some clarity for prior decisions that were made. We all know that politics were involved in a lot of those decisions, but still, it's good to have as much information about a topic as possible when discussing issues.

[pigskinred]

Exception to the rules: White station no field, East no field. both at one time were mostly white. I think it has more to do with schools that were county schools at one time and were built with a field. Except Collierville whose field is at an elementary school.

[olddevil]

Exception to the rules: White station no field, East no field. both at one time were mostly white. I think it has more to do with schools that were county schools at one time and were built with a field. Except Collierville whose field is at an elementary school.

I may be mistaken,but I seem to remember that East had a field in the 60's.