At the Booker T. Washington vs. Westwood game at BTW Stadium in South Memphis, 8/31/12
Sports
MIAA Football: Westwood at BTW, Memphis
Memphis’ Booker T. Washington Stadium is arguably the second-oldest in the city after Crump Stadium, behind Central High School, although the latter has had a complete renovation in recent years. Much has changed in the surrounding neighborhood, including the demolition of Cleaborn Homes and Foote Homes, but crowds still turn out to support the Booker T. Washington Warriors, the oldest Black high school in Memphis. This year, BTW seems to have a decent marching band, with a first-rate drumline. Westwood, on the other hand, is a pathetic shadow of its former life, when, in the 80’s and early 90’s, it used to march over a hundred band members. Open enrollment, and outmigration from the neighborhood have devastated it. Still, the Longhorns have a small marching band that seems well-trained and which might become the foundation of a rebuilding. Only time will tell.
Whitehaven vs. Fairley at JP Freeman, 2012
At the Whitehaven vs. Fairley game at J. P. Freeman Stadium, Memphis, 8/25/12
Whitehaven vs. Fairley at J.P. Freeman, Memphis, 2012
High school football (and the marching band battles that go with it) are a big part of the culture of Memphis, and there are few rivalries bigger than Whitehaven High School and Fairley High School. Their game this year, played at J. P. Freeman Stadium because Whitehaven Stadium is being renovated, was a rare Saturday game and it drew a crowd as big as one might expect for a college game.The weather was perfect, the bands were great, and there were no fights.
UAPB Band Entrance in Pine Bluff, 2011
#28 UAPB Band Entrance.MOV (by jdoggtn7)
The UAPB Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South marches into the stadium at Pine Bluff, October 15, 2011
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Whitehaven Band Marching into Melrose Stadium, 2011
#12 Whitehaven Band.MOV (by jdoggtn7)
The Whitehaven Band marches into Melrose Stadium in Orange Mound, Memphis at Melrose Homecoming, October 14, 2011
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
UAPB Vs. Southern University at Pine Bluff, 2011
When I got to Pine Bluff, the UAPB Marching Musical Machine of the Midsouth was marching into the stadium. The weather was great, and I thought I was in for a great game and a great band battle. Unfortunately, I soon learned that Southern University didn’t bring their band, so there was no battle. I left after the third quarter and grabbed a dinner in donwtown Pine Bluff, and just at the right time, evidently, because later I learned that the football game had ended in a series of brawls that led to tear gas being sprayed and people having to be hospitalized.
Melrose Homecoming 2011 in Orange Mound, Memphis
Toward the end of the third quarter of the Melrose High School homecoming game, I realized that I needed to head on out of town if I wanted to get to Pine Bluff, Arkansas by 5 PM for the UAPB/Southern game, so I walked back to my car and rode out.
Melrose Homecoming vs. Whitehaven in Orange Mound, 2011
Melrose High School had their homecoming game against Whitehaven on Saturday in Orange Mound, and not only was the weather perfect for football, but the atmosphere was like a college game, with both sides of the stadium packed, and two of the best high school marching bands in the stands. Across the street at the Orange Mound Community Center, the Melrose Class of 1981 was having a tailgate/picnic with a DJ, and when the bands weren’t playing, the sounds of Frankie Beverly and Maze and Willie Hutch drifted across the street along with the smells of barbecue. A perfect football day, except that Melrose was down 49 to nothing at the half.
Memphis Carver vs. Memphis Sheffield at Halle Stadium
Carver High takes on Sheffield High on a hot September evening in a Memphis Interscholastic Athletic Association football game at Halle Stadium