While the 2015 edition of the Mighty Panthers added to the rich legacy of Reitz Football, unfortunately there are no more games to look forward to this year. However, with so much tradition, there is plenty to look back on and remember.
With that in mind, ReitzFootball.com proudly presents “This Day in #ReitzFootball History,” a new series that will look back on the games played on a particular day throughout the nearly 100 years of our beloved school.
The first installment is for today, November 1.
- Overall: 7-2
- At Reitz Bowl (1946, 1947, 1975, 1985, 2002, 2013*): 6-0
- Away (1924, 1930, 1997, 2013*): 2-2
- On Friday (1946, 1985, 2002, 2013): 4-0
- On Saturday: (1924, 1930, 1947, 1975, 1997): 3-2
1924: Reitz shutout Mount Vernon, 56-0, in a Tiny Ten Conference game
1930: This time the Panthers were shutout by the Kentucky Military Institute, falling 6-0
1946: Reitz held Central scoreless, winning 28-0 in an SIAC contest
1947: In a battle of Top 10 teams, the tenth-ranked Panthers shut out the No. 8 Hammond Wildcats, a northern Indiana stronghold, 6-0, in front of 5,500 fans.
The Evansville Press gave a detailed account of the finish the following day:
A last ditch looping pass, Charlie Fisher to George Byers, with only 20 seconds to play, gave the Reitz Panthers a hard-earned 6-to-0 triumph over Hammond high’s Wildcats in Reitz bowl last night.
Fisher dropped back and lobbed the soggy ball over the heads of the Hammond secondary into the arms of Byers, son of Panther Coach Herman Byers, who was slammed into the mud on the goal line. His elbows and shoulders were on the double stripe and the elusive pigskin was tucked neatly beneath them. A mighty roar echoed from the crowd and the Panther gridders slapped mud from their teammates backs in glee.
1975: Another shutout, Reitz crushed Bloomington South, 31-0
1985: The Panthers held on in overtime to beat Harrison, 9-6, in a Class 4A Sectional 16 semifinal
1997: Reitz fell to Central, 28-7, in a Class 5A Sectional 8 semifinal
2002: The Panthers beat Jeffersonville, 41-19, in a Class 5A Sectional 8 semifinal
2013: Reitz slayed the Silver Creek Dragons, 49-15, in a Class 4A Sectional 24 semifinal. * – Officially an away game, the contest was moved to Reitz Bowl due to young program’s inadequate facilities
