FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[bashbrother]

We've got a trophy game this week....you guys have come through for me in the past (the stringer and the broadsword).  Who's got a picture of the lantern that Wooster and Denison play for?  Short of a picture, I'll take a good story as to the history of the lantern. 

This is a tough one, I have yet to even come close to finding anything?

[bashbrother]

Ok..... from the home office in Omaha, Nebraska...this is all I could find.....

It is an old train lantern.  It represents the trip that was taken (before buses) by the two schools to play the game.  Wooster was Denison's first game in school history in 1889 and it was also the first game played when the NCAC formed in 1984.

[wally_wabash]

I've been all over the Wooster site looking for it...to no avail.  It's been so long since Denison's even seen it that I'm just assuming they don't have a picture of it or even know that it exists.   

But seriously...I'm dying to see a picture of this thing.  This seems like a perfect time for an SID to post a picture on their website or include a photo in the game notes (cough, Hugh Howard, cough).  Keep looking fellas...it's going to pop up sooner or later this week. 

[wabndy]

Forgive me for missing this topic if it were posted much earlier but - I was wondering what any of you all who have gotten a closer look think of the new Wabash athletic facilities update plans.

http://www.wabash.edu/news/displaystory.cfm?news_ID=6189

Is a new pressbox part of the mix?

Any discussion on installing lights on any of the fields?

Will the grass practice football field be regulation length?  What length will the mini-fields with fake grass be?

The new baseball stadium looks especially nice - and a huge improvement.

After officiating a number of HS games on the pro-turf (insert brand name of choice) - I can at least say that the stuff is definately the right move.  Drainage issues alone will be a big improvement.  Not to mention that at times our field markings look like they were put in by drunk drivers.  If nothing else - we won't have a repeat of the infamous "grubworm" game.

[BashFan74]

We chatted about this a bit last week.  What is presented in the news story is an architect's concept.  As we understand it, the final design and details have not been locked down.   

I agree, lights on the practice field would be a plus for late-season practice and IM's.  We'll have to see how this gets formalized.  A stable surface like Field Turf would be a big improvement.  (Having officiated FB in a previous life, we only had Astroturf and Tartanturf back in those dark ages.  It was hard as a rock.  Sliding on it during/after a good rain was 'entertaining,' but at least no mud.)

[wally_wabash]

From the drawings the two synthetic surface practice fields appear to be full half-fields (50 yards + 10 yards worth of end zone) and the grass practice field appears to be full sized.  At least that's how the fields are lined in the drawings.  I have no idea if fields of those dimensions would fit in the space.  I'm not going to step it off next time I'm down at Mud Hollow, but my sense is that there is space for all of that over there. 

I haven't heard anything about lights (which I don't think are really necessary) or a major press box overhaul (which I don't think would be a bad idea).  Of course, just because I haven't heard about these things doesn't mean that they aren't being discussed or that they couldn't be added to the plans if the $6.2 million goal is exceeded. 

[ScotsFan]

Ok..... from the home office in Omaha, Nebraska...this is all I could find.....

It is an old train lantern.  It represents the trip that was taken (before buses) by the two schools to play the game.  Wooster was Denison's first game in school history in 1889 and it was also the first game played when the NCAC formed in 1984.

You dug up more than I could find.  All I could find was a little about when their rivalry started and how it was Denison's first ever game and Wooster won rather convincingly.  But I could find nothing about the lantern, let alone a picture. 

It must have sucked to lose being the road team back in the early days of the rivalry and being forced to make the trip home in the dark!!!      

[Li'l Giant]

It must have sucked to lose being the road team back in the early days of the rivalry and being forced to make the trip home in the dark!!!      

*applause*

[BashBacker#16]

Wabndy,

I believe Wally has it correct, 2 - 50 yard turf fields with a full size grass field.  I think a lot depends on how successful the campaign is with regards to exceeding or meeting commitments.  The baseball stadium has some nice character additions and the new scoreboard in the stadium sounds pretty cool.  The more money that we can raise, the more "bells & whistles" we'll get.  With regards to the home side of the stadium and the press box, I think there are some safety/building codes that greatly impact the possibility of doing much (would need an elevator, etc.??).  It sounds first class.  Again, those drawings are generic and the actual project will have many more details.

[wally_wabash]

The Wooster/Denison series dates back to 1889....despite the more recent results that have favored Wooster pretty heavily, the series is very close with Wooster leading 36-33-7.  Denison hasn't won a game in the series since 1994 however prior to Wooster's win in 1995, the Big Red handled Wooster in every meeting between 1983-1994.   The elements are here for a good rivalry game with an interesting trophy at stake....I'm amazed that there isn't more interest in it between the two sides! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

The Wooster/Denison series dates back to 1889....despite the more recent results that have favored Wooster pretty heavily, the series is very close with Wooster leading 36-33-7.  Denison hasn't won a game in the series since 1994 however prior to Wooster's win in 1995, the Big Red handled Wooster in every meeting between 1983-1994.   The elements are here for a good rivalry game with an interesting trophy at stake....I'm amazed that there isn't more interest in it between the two sides! 

Since most fans are not long-term historians, long stretches of one-sided dominance can pretty well kill a rivalry.  (By 1994, Denison may not have felt any particular rivalry either! )

[bashbrother]

Maybe someone buried the trophy (lantern) years ago and forgot where they put it.  They may want to check the endzone, it's probably thawed by now. 

Back to the regularly scheduled season:   

The Witt early season injury bug is a shame, they had lined themselves up for a strong season.  I am sure they still are a very formidable team and very much in the running for an NCAC crown, just don't like seeing numerous injuries this early; on any team.  Hope all the Witt players get back to the field soon.

[Ryder16]

Being a former wooster guy, I can say that I know the trophy is in the trophy case in the Phys Ed. center, someone just has to get a picture !

[Black n Gold]

Denison is supposely having a "White Out" for the fans.....encourging them to wear white as well as Denison wearing their all white unis for the game. Wooster will be wearing the all black and have encouraged the fans to help them out and wear black on Saturday night. If you're into team spirit support the Wooster boys and flaunt your Black attire this weekend. Sounds like this should be a exciting game for both teams. There are several boys from Licking County on the Woo squad (Sheppard, Holter, Dawson, Stein and Grangaard) and it sounds like they may bring a favorable crowd to support the hometown boys.

GO SCOTS

[Li'l Giant]

Denison is supposely having a "White Out" for the fans.....encourging them to wear white as well as Denison wearing their all white unis for the game. Wooster will be wearing the all black and have encouraged the fans to help them out and wear black on Saturday night.

View from above?




Or maybe it will look like a Go board.