Little Football Charms

 Football has been important at Highlands for decades. Really important. The School has fielded a team continuously since 1914, and countless stories, customs, traditions and legends surround those years. One of these traditions is that of the little gold footballs given to Highlands players during some of the years when the dynasty-to-come was still building. 

The earliest mention of these little footballs is in the 1954 Highlander. Recounting the 1953 season, reference is made to the “Booster Club,” which “sponsored the annual Football Banquet. Head Coach [Ewell] Waddell awarded 32 letters to members of the squad, and each were presented with silver footballs.”  

In subsequent years, members of the 1954, 1955 and 1956 teams remember these footballs as gold, and at least some included a blue “H.” In 1957, each player received two gold footballs, one inscribed “Champions,” since that team was recognized as the (then unofficial) State Champions, and one inscribed “Rotary Bowl,” the bowl game won by that team. 

Just where the footballs in his era came from is unclear. It seems likely that a supporting club or organization furnished them, perhaps the Lions or Rotary or Boosters.  

In 1959, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association established the official playoff and championship system that exists today. Beginning at least as early as 1960, KHSAA furnished gold footballs to the players on State Championship teams, bearing the date, “Champions” and “KHSAA.” Silver footballs went to the runner-up team. This continued until sometime in the 80’s, when rings became the emblem of choice for a championship season.  

The little footballs were treasured by the recipients, but some of the most poignant memories associated with them are about the girls who wore them. By a sort of odd confluence, the era of these footballs closely coincides with the period during which “going steady” was a pre-eminently important part of dating in the U.S. Before WWII, dating exclusively was sometimes regarded as a bit too intimate. Young people, to some extent, were encouraged to “play the field.” For whatever reason, this changed in mid-20th century, and, at least at Highlands, finding a “steady” (i.e. exclusive)  relationship. These ententes cordiales were usually fairly long (months or even years) and were serious, or at least as serious as relationships get at 16 or 17.  In the case of a football player, it was sealed when the boy gave the girl his football. It was not only an emotional moment for the two of them, but she wore the football around her neck on a gold (or silver) chain as a symbol of exclusivity. Pictures from that era often show them. When Sally showed up at school one morning wearing Harry's football, the entire student body knew by mid-morning. The day it was returned, (if it was) was a sad day and everyone knew that as well.

This display contains some of these footballs that have survived the seventy years since they were awarded.  One of the silver ones is from 1953(the year they are believed to have been first awarded), while the other is the kHSAA runner-up award from 1966.  The gold ones are from 1956, 1957 and 1975.

Here is our collection of little Highlands footballs from the 1953, 1956, 1957, 1975 seasons, as well as the 1957 Rotary Bowl. 

Bonus Pictures from the 1957 Rotary Bowl Game Program – This game resulted in the Bluebirds receiving their little Rotary Bowl football charms (featured in this story). 

Football, dating, charms,  Rotary Bowl