Nov 21

This Day in #ReitzFootball History (Nov. 21): Panthers battle Central to scoreless Thanksgiving Day 1940 tie

ReitzFootball.com proudly presents “This Day in #ReitzFootball History,” as we look back through almost 100 years of The Mighty Panthers.

On November 21:

  • Overall: 1-2-1 (4 games)
  • At Reitz Bowl (1924, 1925, 1940, 1992): 1-2-1
  • The Panthers have never played away on this date
  • On Thursday (1940): 0-0-1
  • On Friday (1924): 0-1
  • On Saturday (1925, 1992): 1-1

1924: Central 20, Reitz 7 (Tiny Ten Conference game)

1925: Reitz 10, Memorial 0 (Tiny Ten Conference game)

1940*: Reitz 0, Central 0 (SIAC game on Thanksgiving)

“Mud be-spattered and leg and arm weary, the 1940 football teams from Central and Reitz High Schools proved themselves anything but mud-runners as they battled to a scoreless tie in the Reitz Bowl Thursday afternoon.

At the start of the game the Thanksgiving Day crowd was estimated at 8500…at the finish there were some 4000 rain-drenched fans in the chilly stands. And the boys who played didn’t have a very pleasant afternoon either.”

– Evansville Press, Nov. 22, 1940

1992: Harrison (West Lafayette) 30, Reitz 8 (Class 4A Semi-State Championship)

* – denotes state championship season

ReitzFootball.com

Dan Engler's love for Reitz Football goes back a long time. Engler played for the Panthers all four years of high school and graduated in 1996.
That summer, as the popularity of the Internet began to explode, Engler's search for Reitz Football information came up empty, so his father suggested he create a website. Engler taught himself HTML and launched the Unofficial Reitz High School Football Home Page that August.
Since then, Engler, through ReitzFootball.com, has spent the past 25 years chronicling the rich history and tradition of Reitz High School Football.
Engler and his wife, Melissa, have two sons, Logan and Micah, and a daughter, Juliette. Engler has traveled all over the world but is proud to call Evansville his home.

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