Football Born at CHS & St. Mary's in 1921

Football Born at CHS & St. Mary’s in 1921

(Source: The Valley Gazette, Date ?)

Football was born at Coaldale High in 1921 when Irv Murphy and Professor A.C. Moser combined to organize Coaldale’s first bonafide high school gridiron team.

About the same time, Vince Gildea and Father Michael Boyle combined their efforts to put a team on the field representing St. Mary’s High School.

Both ventures were successful from the beginning.

A nine-game schedule was played in 1921 and when it was over, Coaldale racked up 176 points against 67 scored by the opposition.

The following year, just two teams scored against Coaldale in what became the team’s first undefeated season. Pottstown scored and Shenandoah scored.

The Coaldale High star that went farthest in professional football ranks was John “Gid” Gildea, punting star for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, after a successful college career at Saint Bonaventure.

George Harvan reproduced this shot (below) of the first Coaldale High School football team, taken back in 1921