Holy Cross Football Traditions

The leaves begin to change color, the air becomes cooler and crisper, and all across the country, people flock to local college football games. Every Saturday in autumn, students at Holy Cross are greeted by thousands of alumni, marching their way from the upper parking lots to the venerable Fitton Field. The enthusiastic marching band leads the visitors on a reminiscent trip through campus, while purple-clad students empty out of the dorms. The scene could take place at virtually any epoch in time.

The alumni bring an interest and fervor unlike any other on the Hill. The trip to Worcester seems to transport them back to another period. Despite the success of the Crusaders last year and the commemoration of the undefeated 1987 season, most students are unaware of Holy Cross’ rich football tradition. With many older alumni no longer able to make it to the games and impart gridiron wisdom on a new generation of Sader Nation, it is imperative that the stories stay alive.

Fitton Field, which saw its large steel structure erected in 1924, remains a haven for football fans across the Northeast. The stadium was completed as larger crowds began to pack the wooden stands that surrounded college football fields across the country. The large steel horseshoe harkens back to a time when going to the game on the weekend was a must for both alumni and residents of Worcester. As a matter of fact, the largest crowd at Fitton Field was not after the most recent renovation in the 1986, but in 1938 in front of 27,000 patrons. Alumni came from all across the country to watch the Crusaders take on the best teams around. Holy Cross played rival Colgate for the seventieth time in history last season in front of a meager crowd. Bitter temperatures forced many students from the stands, but a small contingent of students and alumni brought the stadium alive in the fourth quarter. The crowd was jumping up and down after a decisive stand on defense, creating a deafening roar. Imagine what a full house would sound like? In an expensive commercialized world, how often can a family find inexpensive, family-friendly fun like a Holy Cross football game? With last year’s on-field success, it is time to fill Fitton Field.

In order to understand the passion of Crusader fans, one must journey back in time to a golden age at the Cross. In the late 1930s, Holy Cross was among the most dominant football teams in the country. Led by coach, Edward N. Anderson, the Crusaders compiled an unparalleled record of 75-15-7 in the decade. The Crusaders went undefeated in 1935 and again in 1937 with wins over Boston College, Colgate, and even Georgia. Yes, the same University of Georgia picked by many experts to win the Division 1 FCS Championship this year played Holy Cross three times in the 1930s and fell to the Crusaders each time. During this time period, Holy Cross set the record for the longest unbeaten streak at Fitton Field, going 26-0-3 from 1935 to 1939. The stories vary from one alumnus to another, but all of them agree on the powerhouse that was Holy Cross Football. Loosing to Brown in November of 1938, “Bullet” Bill Osmanski put the ball in the end zone twice to give the Cross a 14-12 victory in his final home game. Anderson, who also coached at Iowa, was considered an innovative coach who truly believed in his players.

On September 27th, 1941, Holy Cross joined an elite group of football teams who were able to defeat Louisiana State University at “Death Valley” in Baton Rouge. The Crusaders edged the Tigers by a touchdown to stun the raucous crowd. The victory marked the fourth time in just five years the Crusaders beat a team from the juggernaut that is the Southeastern Conference. Many alumni remember the most storied moment in Holy Cross history that occurred a year later at the expense of hated Boston College. In front of a sell-out crowd at Fenway Park in Boston, the Crusaders routed the undefeated Eagles and kept them from a National Championship. The Crusaders also kept Boston College from celebrating at the Coconut Grove Nightclub in Boston, which quite possibly saved the team from devastation. That night, the nightclub burned down, killing nearly all the revelers inside. Three years later, Holy Cross traveled to Miami to play on one of college football’s biggest stages—the Orange Bowl. The team defeated Colgate, Yale, and rival Boston College en route to the school’s first and only appearance in a major bowl.

Some people agree that Holy Cross indeed left a mark on the world of college football, but that it stopped sixty years ago. To refute that claim, look no further than the 1980s, which saw the Crusaders most successful run since they marched onto Fitton Field with leather helmets.

Holy Cross compiled a school record 78 wins in the decade, most of which came under head coach, Mark Duffner. The 1987 squad, now playing in Division 1-AA in the Patriot League, went 11-0, including a victory over Army at West Point. Quarterback Gordie Lockbaum was so dominant on the gridiron, he was invited to the West Side Athletic Club in New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. The same trophy won by so many football greats and more recently, Division 1-A players, almost went to a Crusader. Just five years later, Holy Cross went undefeated again and swept their way through the Patriot League. Duffner was twice named coach of the year in 1987 and 1991.

After a successful season last year in which quarterback Dom Randolph picked apart defenses like Tom Brady, one cannot help but think back ten years. The Crusaders were fourth overall in the nation in total offense and Randolph was second in the nation in scoring. This year, the team returns eight starters to its prolific offense, including running back Terrance Gass and wide receiver Brett McDermott. Holy Cross “Iron Men” practice hard day in and day out and play against some of the best programs in the East. They deserve the full support of Sader Nation and the Worcester community as they look to claim their first Patriot League title since 1991. Since football has been played on Mount Saint James, student athletes have given their all in the classroom and then on the playfields. In today’s world of college football, it is rare to find a program dedicated to both academic and athletic performance. It is even rarer to find a successful program. That is the aura of the Cross.

Courtesy The Fenwick Review, the independent voice of faith and reason at the College of the Holy Cross