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Burley Bowl

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The Burley Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game played from 1945 through 1956. It was held each year on Thanksgiving Day in Johnson City, Tennessee, at the city's Memorial Stadium, which was demolished in July 2010. The game was part of an annual two-day tobacco festival, with the name of the bowl coming from Burley tobacco. Like some other postseason match-ups of the era, such as the Grape Bowl, Glass Bowl, and Optimist Bowl, results are listed in NCAA records, but the games were not considered NCAA-sanctioned bowls.

The inaugural game was held on November 29, 1945. That day was the last (and fifth) Thursday of November, which was observed as Thanksgiving in Tennessee that year, despite President Truman proclaiming the holiday to be the fourth Thursday of the month.

Game results

Program cover for 1947 game
Season Date Winner Loser Attendance References
1945 November 29, 1945 High Point 7, Milligan 7 3,500
1946 November 28, 1946 Southeastern Louisiana 21 Milligan 13 7,500
1947 November 27, 1947 West Chester 20 Carson–Newman 6 10,000
1948 November 25, 1948 West Chester 7 Appalachian State 2 12,000
1949 November 24, 1949 Emory and Henry 32 Hanover 0 12,000
1950 November 23, 1950 Emory and Henry 26 Appalachian State 6 12,000
1951 November 22, 1951 Morris Harvey 27 Lebanon Valley 20 9,000
1952 November 27, 1952 East Tennessee State 34 Emory and Henry 16 10,000
1953 November 26, 1953 East Tennessee State 48 Emory and Henry 12
1954 November 25, 1954 Appalachian State 28 East Tennessee State 13
1955 November 24, 1955 East Tennessee State 7 Appalachian State 0
1956 November 22, 1956 Memphis State 32 East Tennessee State 12 1,200

Game records

Team scoring records Performance Year
Most points scored (one team) 48, East Tennessee State 1953
Most points scored (both teams) 60, East Tennessee State vs. Emory and Henry 1953
Most points scored (losing team) 20, Lebanon Valley 1951
Fewest points scored (winning team) 7, West Chester
7, East Tennessee State 		1948
1955
Fewest points scored (both teams) 7, East Tennessee State vs. Appalachian State 1955
Fewest points allowed 0, Emory and Henry
0, East Tennessee State 		1949
1955
Largest margin of victory 36, East Tennessee State 1953

Most appearances

Only teams with more than one appearance are listed.

Rank Team Appearances Record
1 East Tennessee State 5 3–2
T2 Emory & Henry 4 2–2
T2 Appalachian State 4 1–3
T4 West Chester 2 2–0
T4 Milligan 2 0–1–1

Notes

  • NCAA records list the date of the first Burley Bowl as "1-1-1946", which is inconsistent with contemporary newspaper reports.

See also

References

  1. ^ "BOWL/ALL STAR GAME RECORDS" (PDF). NCAA. 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  2. "Lost Landmark-Memorial Stadium, Johnson City (TN)". Historic Highway Guides. December 31, 2010. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  3. ^ "Johnson City Plans Burley Bowl Game". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. November 4, 1945. Retrieved March 27, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Buffaloes, High Point Struggle To 7-7 Tie In Burley Bowl Tilt". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. November 30, 1945. Retrieved March 27, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Truman Sets Nov. 22 As Thanksgiving". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. AP. November 13, 1945. Retrieved March 27, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  6. Smith, Wray (November 27, 1947). "Carson-Newman, West Chester State Vie in Burley Bowl Tilt". The Knoxville New-Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. p. 25. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. Smyth, Jimmy (November 28, 1947). "West Chester Turns Back Plucky Carson-Newman Eleven 20-6". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. Johnson City, Tennessee. p. 11. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. "West Chester STC gridders whip Appalachian State, 7–2, in Burley Bowl". Intelligencer Journal. November 26, 1948. Retrieved December 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Thompson, Gene (November 23, 1950). "Emory And Appalachian Collide In Burley Bowl". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Virginia. p. 12. Retrieved February 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  10. "Emory and Henry stops Appalachian State 26 to 6 in defense of Burley Bowl crown". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. November 24, 1950. Retrieved December 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Burley Bowl Kickoff Set For 2:15 P.M. Today At Stadium". Johnson City Press–Chronicle. Johnson City, Tennessee. November 22, 1951. p. 9A. Retrieved March 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  12. Smyth, Jimmy (November 23, 1951). "Morris Harvey Top Lebanon Valley 27-20 In Burley Bowl". Johnson City Press–Chronicle. Johnson City, Tennessee. p. 6. Retrieved March 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  13. "Wasps Favored In Eighth Burley Bowl". Kingsport. Kingsport, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 27, 1952. p. 7. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  14. Thompson, Gene (November 28, 1952). "State Trounces Emory 34 To 16 In Burley Bowl". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Virginia. p. 1A. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  15. Thompson, Gene (November 28, 1952). "State Trounces Emory (continued)". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Virginia. p. 1C. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  16. "Memphis State wins Burley Bowl game, 32 to 12". Johnson City Press. November 23, 1956. Retrieved September 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.

Further reading

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