copyWrite By Mark House
12.19.15
While digging around in the outer edges of cyberspace for something old, somewhat interesting and consigned to oblivion (the 1928 Oklahoma City Ridenour-Baker sandlot baseball club), I just happened to run across a gridiron first that seemed to jump right out of my computer screen similar to those spectacular Star Wars action scenes coming at us on three-dimensional stereoscopic film. My initial assessment was who would have thought a ground breaking technologically advanced major college football first would have come from our own heartland in Stillwater, Oklahoma?
For pistol firing Cowpoke fans hoping it was a long forgotten national championship lost in a time warped outer spaced black hole, well, keep hoping. But, it is a "one upper" on the crimson colors of Oklahoma University and something, to me, that seems pretty cool and should be most interesting to college gridiron fans in general.
In what was recognized as the inauguration of night football in the state of Oklahoma and the greater southwest (United States), the September 28, 1929, edition of The Daily Oklahoman reported a previous night's victory by Oklahoma A&M under what was described as "the big floodlights" at Lewis Field in Stillwater.
12.19.15
While digging around in the outer edges of cyberspace for something old, somewhat interesting and consigned to oblivion (the 1928 Oklahoma City Ridenour-Baker sandlot baseball club), I just happened to run across a gridiron first that seemed to jump right out of my computer screen similar to those spectacular Star Wars action scenes coming at us on three-dimensional stereoscopic film. My initial assessment was who would have thought a ground breaking technologically advanced major college football first would have come from our own heartland in Stillwater, Oklahoma?
For pistol firing Cowpoke fans hoping it was a long forgotten national championship lost in a time warped outer spaced black hole, well, keep hoping. But, it is a "one upper" on the crimson colors of Oklahoma University and something, to me, that seems pretty cool and should be most interesting to college gridiron fans in general.
In what was recognized as the inauguration of night football in the state of Oklahoma and the greater southwest (United States), the September 28, 1929, edition of The Daily Oklahoman reported a previous night's victory by Oklahoma A&M under what was described as "the big floodlights" at Lewis Field in Stillwater.
Oklahoma A&M fullback, "Captain" Jack Baker, prepares to crash the line of the Northwestern Rangers wearing white-striped jerseys. This particular game, played on Friday, September 27, 1929, is recognized as the inauguration of night football in Oklahoma and the greater southwest U.S.
To a sports history enthusiast waiting around for some better bowl games to come about on 2015 television, the fore-mentioned transforms into subject matter possessing an eighty-six year old "wow" factor from the era of the Great Depression. While the U.S. economy struggled and the stock market was headed towards a massive crash exactly twenty-six days to follow, what is now known as Oklahoma State University was moving forward and setting a trend of night football on the cool and dusty ole plains of Payne County.
The Daily Oklahoman headline read "Aggies Annex 12-0 Win Over Rangers In First Night Go." Coach Lynn O. Waldorf's Oklahoma A&M football club, in what seemed to be unexpected fashion, defeated a more experienced Northwestern State Teachers' College team from Alva by that score of 12-0.
According to an unidentified Daily Oklahoman staff correspondent, "eight thousand watched the fray." It was noted as the largest Aggie football crowd in Stillwater since a memorable day in 1926 when Oklahoma A&M tied Oklahoma 14 to 14 laying claim to the Missouri Valley Conference pennant.
To a sports history enthusiast waiting around for some better bowl games to come about on 2015 television, the fore-mentioned transforms into subject matter possessing an eighty-six year old "wow" factor from the era of the Great Depression. While the U.S. economy struggled and the stock market was headed towards a massive crash exactly twenty-six days to follow, what is now known as Oklahoma State University was moving forward and setting a trend of night football on the cool and dusty ole plains of Payne County.
The Daily Oklahoman headline read "Aggies Annex 12-0 Win Over Rangers In First Night Go." Coach Lynn O. Waldorf's Oklahoma A&M football club, in what seemed to be unexpected fashion, defeated a more experienced Northwestern State Teachers' College team from Alva by that score of 12-0.
According to an unidentified Daily Oklahoman staff correspondent, "eight thousand watched the fray." It was noted as the largest Aggie football crowd in Stillwater since a memorable day in 1926 when Oklahoma A&M tied Oklahoma 14 to 14 laying claim to the Missouri Valley Conference pennant.
Jack Baker A secondary Oklahoman headline read "Waldorf's Young Team Displays Mid-Season Form In Turning Back Northwestern; Baker Scores Both Touchdowns." The game summary revealed team "Captain" Jack Baker, averaging five yards per carry, led the game in rushing with 97 yards from scrimmage and did indeed score both touchdowns for the leatherheads of Oklahoma A&M. One touchdown coming after Oklahoma City sophomore guard Bill Oates intercepted a pass and returned it twenty yards to the one yard line with Captain Baker charging forward to score on the next play.
The hard line plunger Jack Baker was the first Oklahoma A&M gridiron great to be honored with selection as team captain two years in a row. Baker served as team captain for the Aggies in both 1929 and 1930.
This first ever night time victory for Oklahoma A&M, with a team of few experienced men and a new system of coaching, was celebrated in Stillwater as the opening of a new era of Aggie football.
The hard line plunger Jack Baker was the first Oklahoma A&M gridiron great to be honored with selection as team captain two years in a row. Baker served as team captain for the Aggies in both 1929 and 1930.
This first ever night time victory for Oklahoma A&M, with a team of few experienced men and a new system of coaching, was celebrated in Stillwater as the opening of a new era of Aggie football.
Oklahoma A&M University, now known as Oklahoma State University, is recognized as being the first collegiate program in the greater southwest United States to coordinate, host and play a first "Friday Night Lights" football game at Lewis Field in Stillwater. Enjoy a fascinating and vivid description of this first Friday night light action vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State Teachers' College from September 27, 1929.
