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We’re Back! OCTOBER 1996 MBC Wolverine OBSERVER 5
Dr. Thomas Cole, President of Clark-Atlanta
University extending greetings at the dedication.
be spectacular and would include the
1948 Summer Olympic games gold
medalist and Georgia’s native Alice
Coachman who symbolized the spirit
of athletic competition.
Local businesses were involved in
the fervor of the activities
surrounding the new stadium. The
Atlanta Daily World newspaper
promoted the game and activities
extensively. Bailey Theaters, a chain
of movie houses that catered to
African-Americans in Atlanta, held
promotional activities enabling
patrons to win season passes. The
Ashby Theater near the campus and
the Royal Theater on Auburn
Avenue sold tickets for the game at
$2.00 for regular admission and
$2.40 for reserved seats.
THE GRAND OPENING
OF HERNDON STADIUM
On Friday, September 24, 1948 at
7:00 p.m., over 16,000 fans
assembled in the new $250,000
stadium sitting excitedly on the new
wooden seats. Sports fans from as far
away as Tuskegee, Birmingham, and
Montgomery, Alabama traveled to
Atlanta to witness this historic
event, and to see the Wolverines
football team take on the Hornets of
Alabama State.
The 1947 Football team for Morris
Brown College consisted of a stellar
line-up including W. Bly, John F.
McKinney (Clanton, Alabama), G.
Jewell, Roscoe Murchinson, E.
Hunter, James Cleveland, and B.
Wilcox. The backfield consisted of
Daniel Hawkins, Howell Hester, I.
Greene, and Defoy “Doc" Arnold
from Knoxville, Tennessee who was a
candidate for All-American.
Attending this ceremonious event
were many city luminaries,
sportswriters, and dignitaries.
Representatives from the papers
such as the Macon News and
telegraph, the Savannah herald, the
famed Fay Young, Sports Editor of
Chicago Defender, the Baltimore
Afro-American. Coaches from
Tennessee State, Cleve Abbott from
Tuskeggee, Vernon Smith from
Morehouse College, M.A. Tubby
Johnson of Fisk University. The
marching bands of David T. Howard,
Booker T. Washington, Morris Brown
College made a dazzling entry into
the stadium, along with folk dancers
and the Elks Marching Drill Team
entertained the throngs of on
lookers. In addition, the Washington
High School Girls tack team
presented a demonstration of the 440
yard dash relay to the cheers and
chants of the crowd .
During the halftime celebration,
the Honorable William B. Hartsfield,
Mayor of Atlanta, presented a
citation to the school. Telegrams
from local dignitaries were also read
and a gold Bulova watch was
presented to Miss Alice Coachman.
President W.A. Fountain, Jr. beamed
during this celebration as the
realization of his dream occurred.
The outcome of the game was
favorable. The Morris Brown football
team trampled Alabama State by a
score of 30-0 and thus would begin
five decades of athletic competition
for the Wolverines in the stadium.
The dedication of Herndon
Stadium was shared not only with
the Morris Brown family, but also
with the Atlanta University Center
including Clark and Morehouse
Colleges who would use the stadium
for their football games as well. Also,
local black high schools (Washington,
Howard, Archer, Carver, Turner)
would play double headers at
Herndon Stadium on Thursday and
Friday nights. In addition, these
schools would celebrate May day and
other festivals at Herndon. The rock
sculpture would be a landmark for
athletic competition and physical
fitness for over 40 years.
THE TURKEY DAY CLASSIC
The stadium was the site of the
beginning of many traditions as well
as continuing traditions including
the annual Thanksgiving Day game
between neighborhood rival Clark
College (now Clark Atlanta
University). The contest began in
1932 and was as much a part of
Thanksgiving in Atlanta as the
lighting of Rich’s great tree. Each
year droves of Atlantans would be
seen walking up and down Hunter
Street (now M.L. King, Jr. drive)
headed to Herndon for the big game
wrapped in furs, three piece suits or
packing street cars to see the duel
between the panthers and the
wolverines. By the mid 1980’s, the
crowd for the game began to dwindle
and in 1985, the last Turkey Day
game was played in Herndon
Stadium.
IT WAS MORE THAN
JUST A STADIUM
One of the most famous outdoor
venues in the country is the
Hollywood Bowl, a large opened air
facility in Hollywood, California
where musicians performed. Locally,
Atlanta had Chastain Park, a smaller
version of the bowl nestled in the
woods near Roswell Road in
Buckhead. Segregation prevented
Blacks from attending performances
there, leaving only the one other
outdoor public venue, segregated
Ponce De Leon Park. Morris Brown
College played many of their early
football games at Ponce De Leon
Park, as did the legendary negro
league baseball team, the Atlanta
Black Crackers.
Herndon Memorial Stadium would
became the Hollywood Bowl for
Blacks in Atlanta. The largeness of
the stadium, the crescent moon
shape made it ideal for outdoor
concerts and other major events. In
1948, heavyweight champion Joe
Louis put on a boxing exhibition that
filled Herndon Stadium to capacity.
It was a multi-sports field, as
baseball games would be played
there also. One of the most
memorable events involved an
exhibition game featuring Jackie
Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don
Necombe and Larry Doby, all
legendary greats of baseball.
As an entertainment venue, local
promoters welcomed the use of this
large facility. B.B. Beamon, one of
Atlanta's premier concert promoters
brought several concerts to Herndon.
Entertainers including Big Maybelle,
the Drifters, Laverne Baker, Sam
Cooke, Roy Hamilton, Brook Benton,
Ray Charles (who recorded a live
album while performing at the
stadium), and hundreds of others
performed. Gospel legend Mahalia
Jackson electrified Atlanta audiences
on an Easter Sunday Morning in
1958, along with Clara Ward and the
Ward Singers.
But perhaps the most memorable
musical performances that have
come out of the stadium, have come
not from singers, but from the
marching bands who have marched
on its field. Practically every major
college or university band has
performed at Herndon including the
marching Rattlers of Florida A&M,
and the Blue Devils of Tennessee
State College. However, it was the
Morris Brown College marching band
that called the grassy field home.
From 1947 until its closing several
outstanding persons led the band as
director during the original Herndon
Stadium years including G. Johnson
Hubert, Richard B. Haley, Colossius
Davis and the late Cleopas R.
Johnson, who would redefine the
meaning of marching bands in
Herndon. By the late 1960’s, the
Marching Wolverine Band had
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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Bishop Donald Ming of the Sixth Episcopal
District of the A.M.E. Church and Chairman of
the Board at the dedication ceremony.
Ms. Kathye Gary, singer, rendering a selection at
the first game in the new stadium.