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ReitzFootball.com proudly presents “This Day in #ReitzFootball History,” as we look back through almost 100 years of The Mighty Panthers.
On November 29:
- Overall: 1-1 (2 games)
- Every game on this day has been at Reitz Bowl, on Thursday and on Thanksgiving
1928: Central 6, Reitz 0 (Tiny Ten Conference game)
“The vaunted all powerful and devastating Golden juggernaut of Central high school encountered a determined, ripping, fighting Reitz eleven yesterday afternoon in mud and water that was the Hilltop bowl and it was by a 6 to 0 margin that the widely heralded juggernaut emerged triumphantly in the final and deciding game of the city championship series. Six was the margin in points only. The difference between defeat and victory or at least a tie was only a matter of inches to the Blue warriors of the West Side.
A more stirring, heartbreaking, nerve wracking finish will not be witnessed for many years if ever. It was worth standing in the rain and chill of a dismal dreary November day to see. Not a one of the 4,000 or so fans that stood huddled under protecting umbrellas or out in the open with hats pulled low and collars turned up will ever forget the gripping finish. Even the boys in the walking press gang, slushing through the mud and water up to their ankles, soaked to the skin by the steady downpour and chilled to the marrow, felt the blood gushing forth as one of the Reitz backs steamed into the Central line on third down, two yards to go for touchdown and in the last second.
The Reitz back failed. The time was up.”
– Evansville Courier, Nov. 30, 1928
1934: Reitz 14, Central 13
“Two perfect place kicks by Billy Koch and a mighty tackle by Captain George Hape stood out in the cloudy gray of a late November day yesterday afternoon as Central’s Bears and Reitz’s panthers matched strength and skill on the gridiron for the 14th annual year.
Close to 8,000 fans, perched high on the concrete seats of the big west side bowl, saw Koch’s toe sent the ball unerringly over the bar and between the goal posts after two touchdowns and saw big Hape stop big Tony Vargo’s plunge for point after Central’s second touchdown.
[In the third quarter] came the great tackle by Hape. Central lined up with Vargo back. Hape anticipated the play and as Vargo came smashing in with his 194 pounds, Hape, 188, hurled himself at the big Central star. There was a crash. Hape recoiled a yard but Vargo went down about two or three feet short of the goal line. Probably no other player on the field could have prevented Vargo from gaining the necessary two yards for the point.”
J. Ritter and Gene Parrish scored the Panthers’ two touchdowns.
– Evansville Courier, Nov. 30, 1934
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