Steel Bowl

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This article is about the college bowl game. For the post-season high school matchup, see Steel Bowl Classic.

The Steel Bowl was an annual college football bowl game held from 1938 to 1941 at Legion Field.

1930s proposals

A "Steel Bowl" was first proposed in February 1937 by the American Legion Worth Lewis Post No. 22 in Bessemer. They intended for the event to rival the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, and for it to raise funds, "to combat destruction of natural disasters and emergencies and ravages of disease amongst the children and citizens of Alabama." The Post sought approval of the full American Legion Alabama Department at its annual convention in Gadsden.

In November 1937 Labor News editor Ted Williams proposed the same idea as a means of promoting industry while also celebrating college football. He proposed inviting the University of Pittsburgh to take on the University of Alabama in Birmingham on New Year's Day. Birmingham Post columnist B. U. L. Connor agreed the proposal was "a fine idea," but suggested that, "With the Magic City about to become a big tin plate manufacturing center (in reference to the Fairfield Tin Mill then being built), why not call the game Tim Cup?" Similarly, Birmingham Age-Herald columnist John Temple Graves II favored the proposal, but inserted a stipulation that the Pittsburgh team should be "entitled to no Pittsburgh Plus," (in reference to U.S. Steel's policy to sell all of its products, no matter where made or delivered, at the mill price from its Pittsburgh plant plus the cost of freight from Pittsburgh.)

No real progress was made on the proposal that year or the next. By November 1939 a committee had begun meeting and attempted to arrange a matchup between smaller college teams. The Louisiana State Normal School (now Northwestern State University) had expressed interest in accepting an invitation. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania was mentioned as a potential opponent.

At the same time, Titusville YMCA volunteer Edward Q. Adams organized an unrelated first annual "Steel City Classic" as an All-Star Black high school football showcase at Legion Field to benefit YMCA programs.

1941 Steel Bowl

A different Steel Bowl game was organized by promoter W. F. Hawie. He attended the October 23, 1940 meeting of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board to seek their "endorsement" for a proposed matchup between Mississippi State and the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. The board tabled the proposal and planned to ask for support from the Quarterback Club.

On October 24, Birmingham Post sportswriter Fred Parker laid out his arguments for why Birmingham could not expect to rival the major college bowl games. He noted the 24,000-seat capacity of Legion Field, the unfavorable climate, and the lack of major attractions (resorts, racing, nightlife, etc) to draw fans to travel. He also noted that local fans spoiled by big-time regular season match-ups like the Alabama-Tennessee rivalry were unlikely to attend a game between smaller teams without a local fan base.

Ultimately, Hawie was able to secure a New Year's Day matchup between two high-performing Black colleges: Undefeated Wilberforce College of Xenia, Ohio, an established rival of Tuskegee Institute, agreed to a second post-season game after facing Florida A&M College in the Orange Blossom Game in Orlando. Their opponent was Morris Brown College of Atlanta, Georgia which held claim to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship based on their 1-loss record. The Steel Bowl was therefore billed as a "Negro football championship of the nation".

Hawie's committee of local business men guaranteed both teams' expenses and secured the use of Legion Field. Tickets ranged from 35¢ for students to $1.65 for reserved seats in the lower section, available at the Union Drug Store in Bessemer, Temple Pharmacy, the Little Savoy Cafe, and the 28th Street Casino, or by mail order. The east-side stands were reserved for white spectators.

Officials from both schools visited Birmingham and met with the Steel Bowl committee in mid-December, promising strong support from their relative fan bases. Atlanta sports writer Ric Roberts praises the organizers, stating that "the place, the time and the occasion is a dream— a dream come true." San Francisco Call-Bulletin sportswriter Jack McDonald employed colorful dialect in his prediction that the Steel Bowl would offer the best football of all the New Years Day games. Strong early ticket sales prompted organizers to predict a large turn-out. National newspapers, magazines and newsreel companies covered the game.

Both teams arrived in town in time to practice on Tuesday, December 31. Wilberforce fans made the Owl Club their headquarters. A parade was held beginning at 11:00 AM on January 1, and the game kicked off at 2:00 PM. Detailed updates on the other major bowl games were provided over the stadium's public address system. The Parker High School marching band performed at halftime, joined by the Rosedale High School band in the stands. The committee offered free tickets to Black paper carriers.

The threat of rain contributed to limiting actual turnout. Contemporary newspaper stories reported around 8,000 fans in the stands, but the Park Board reported 11,104 in its tally compiled at the end of the year. The Morris Brown Purple Wolverines handed Wilberforce its only loss of the season by a score of 19-3. After giving up the first points on a field goal, Morris Brown fullback John "Big Train" Moody consistently out-maneuvered Wilberforce tackle William Schnebly in the game's featured matchup. Moody took in one touchdown after Gerald Brown forced a fumble at the Wilberforce 13 yard line. Wolverine Scatback Joe Jenkins scored touchdowns on a 37-yard reverse and a 65-yard punt return to cap the game.

1942 Steel Bowl

The game reportedly turned a profit in its first year. Hawie approached the Park Board in March 1941 about securing the stadium for a second year, as did a few other promoters. They were informed that "no action could now be taken," due to uncertainty about whether a proposed 10,000-seat expansion would interfere with scheduling the event. The Board finally accepted the Steel Bowl Committee's bid on May 14.

In September, The Birmingham News reported that the committee was leaning toward having an Alabama-based college serve as host: likely the winner of the Turkey Day Classic between the Alabama State Teachers College and Tuskegee Institute.

Meanwhile, a rival bowl game, the Vulcan Bowl, sponsored by the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, succeeded in securing a matchup of their champion, Morris Brown, against Langston University, champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The new event, which continued to lay claim to deciding a national championship, was scheduled for a 1:30 PM kickoff at Rickwood Field. Organizers touted the fact that Rickwood, home of the Birmingham Black Barons, was better known to Black sports fans; and that part of the stands were covered, offering protection from inclement weather.

In late December, the Steel Bowl Committee, chaired by attorney Mansoud Zanaty, announced that the Nashville Professionals, an All-Star squad of southern Black college teams sponsored by the L & N Railroad would take on an All-Star squad of players from Alabama A&M Institute, Alabama State Teachers College, S. D. Bishop State Junior College, Miles College, Tuskegee Institute and other Southern schools.

The game, confusingly advertised as the "Steel Bowl Classic", was billed as "Birmingham's first taste of Negro professional football." It was scheduled for 11:00 AM at Legion Field, with advance tickets offered at 50¢ to 75¢ at the Temple Bowling Center. The early start was intended to allow fans time to get home to listen to the other college bowl games, including Alabama vs. Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, on the radio.

Dwight Fisher of Alabama A&M was named coach of the Southern College All Stars, which featured his star halfback Sellers Baker. Baker proved to be the game's most valuable player by passing for one touchdown, catching another, and punching a third in from the 1-yard line on the way to opening up a 26-0 lead with 4 minutes to play. Tennessee, which had previously won 30 of 31 games, managed to narrow the margin with two late scores.

1943 Steel Bowl hiaitus

The Steel Bowl Committee did not put together a game for the 1942 season, but did not formally disband.

1946 Steel Bowl plans

After the war, Hawie, then operating an amusement park at Fairhope in Baldwin County, attempted to resurrect the game. In December 1945 he wired invitations from Mobile to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, the University of Virginia, Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University, the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M University, and Temple University. The pitch did not succeed.

References

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