by Dr. Ferrell Miller, Geary County Historical Society Researcher
Football Seasons In The Past
For fans of American football this is their favorite time of the year. People will travel for hours to see a game. For some of us who just enjoy watching games on television at home, it is possible to watch four games at once. At a sports bar, it is possible to watch even more at one time.
No doubt there are risks of injury. However, when middle and high schools, colleges and professional games are played, rules and equipment for safety are a high priority.
By 1912, there was more acceptance of the sport. A football banquet was given by local merchants at the Bartell House at Sixth and Washington Streets. Twenty-one players and, as many merchants, enjoyed an evening of dining and hearing short talks given by Dr. Smiley (the team’s coach). After the banquet, the boys were treated to free entertainment at the Lyric Theater.
John York, who lived at 240 W. Fifth Street in Junction City until recently, shared about previous residents at that address who were Dr. W.A. and Hazel Smiley. In a June 8, 1960, article from our local newspaper. The author wrote the following: “Dr. W.A. Smiley was born in Delphi, Indiana and received his grade school education there before his widowed mother moved to a farm near Stafford, Kansas. He played football in high school and a physician-friend persuaded him to study medicine in college.
While at Washburn University, W. A. played halfback and quarterback. He captained the Washburn team in 1909 and had been credited by many players and the Topeka Capital newspaper with being the first football player to throw a forward pass. Until that time, passes were not permitted. Passes were considered trick plays and not real football”.
Friday Night Lights are a favorite among Blue Jays fans. The JCHS football program began in 1908. The Head Coach was Irving Platt. He served in that position for only one year. Three games were played and one of those was played against K-State Seniors. The high school team won 6-0. There is a long list of Head Coaches at JCHS from the beginning of the program and there is some incomplete information about who the coach was and their record.
An interesting observation is that during the 1917-1918 season only two games were played because of the Spanish Flu epidemic. In 1939 four games were canceled because of the Infantile Paralysis (Polio) Epidemic. Henry A. Shenk was the Head Coach that year.
There were many years when the local high school football team Head Coach led the team for only one year. Exceptions to this case were Al Simpler (1958-1981), whose team were State Champions in 1969; Ron Hill (1981-1990); Jerry Stuckert (1990-1994) and current Junction City High School Head Football Coach Randall Zimmerman (1994-present), whose team were State Champions in 2008. Coach Zimmerman holds the record as the longest JCHS Football Head Coach having served for 30 years this year (2024). In 2020 the COVID-19 Pandemic caused nearly everything to shut down, however, local football games continued to be played.
Those loyal to JCHS, Kansas State or Kansas University football enjoy their tailgating, the games and being with their friends on game day. Some of us, however, enjoy watching the games on tv or listening to the games on the radio in the comfort of our homes with no lines to the restroom, no waiting at the refrigerator and no one yelling from behind, in front of or beside us. Football season is a favorite time of the year for many of us!