End zoning

Now that the title has gotten your attention, let me say that it refers to Friday night football games at Harmon field during the late fifties and early sixties.
Before Polk Central High School was built, most of the county's populace gathered on Friday night at the field to watch the Tryon High School Tigers battle a Western North Carolina foe on the gridiron. In fact, had I been on the shady side during this time ( I wasn't), Friday night between the hours of seven o'clock and ten o'clock would have been an ideal time to rob any store in town since most of the store owners would have been at the game.

On game night tickets were sold at the two entrances to Harmon field on both the visitor and home sides of the field. Many people arrived early to stake claim to a parking space directly in front of the fence on the visitor's side of the stadium.
The bleachers on this side were small, leaving ample room for cars to park "up close and personal". Being able to park in this "box seat" area had two advantages.

A person could protect himself from the frigid winter air by cranking up the car heater. The second advantage involved off the field "huddling up" in the car with one's significant other.

On the home side of the field, fans sat in the bleachers or stood at the fence that ran along the sidelines. Those standing along the fence were either coaching "wannabes" or middle aged jocks wearing faded, tight fitting Tryon High School letter jackets.

Near the end zone was a section that was probably unique to most high school stadiums. A barrel similar to an oil drum stood just outside the fence. Every Friday night, logs were placed in the drum and lit to make a makeshift fireplace. Older men huddled around the fire watching the game and spinning yarns. Now and then the barrel would sizzle as chewing tobacco was spit into the flames.

About seven-thirty, the Tryon High School tigers would run onto the field and form a circle for their pregame warm-up. They were dressed in blue and yellow jerseys, blue pants with yellow vertical stripes, and blue helmets with a yellow stripe down the middle. Visiting schools such as Edneyville, Spruce Pine, Drexel or Rosman, came on the field next. After one half of an old fashion running game football led by players such as Phillip "Smokey" Pack, Jim "Zorro" Kolb, Gary "Dynamite" Durham, "Buck" Preston, and others, the players jogged over to a grassy area near the concession stand and knelt down on one knee. There, they received an uplifting talk, a scathing diatribe from the coaches, or a combination of both. The "wannabe" coaches and aging jocks crept as close as they could to the circle of players in an attempt to hear the lectures.

Another half and the game ended. The seemingly endless trail of headlights snaked its way out of Harmon field some headed home, some headed to the Dairy Barn, and most to the Willows in Pacolet Valley. The next day Monday morning quarterbacks discussed the game as well as the next opponent.

While Harmon Field is still a great place for family outings and equestrian events, the old football field remains hallowed ground to old timers like me. I will always cherish the memories of Friday night football there s.hefner@comcast.net.

Footnote: Many thanks to Mr. J. Floyd Sauve for correcting my grievous error about the "Screaming Eagles". He is absolutely correct. The 82nd Airborne Division was referred to as the "All American" division not the "Screaming Eagles". I was careless in my research into my uncle's background. I have the utmost respect for all of our men in service. Thanks again, Mr. Sauve for the nice letter.