San Benito was first in RGV to install regulation football lights

By RENE TORRES

Although Valley teams had played football under baseball lights, none had done so under regulation football lights.

In 1934, San Benito made history as it bowed in a new era of night football. Resaca City was the first in the Rio Grande Valley to install regulation football lamps and in order to test the lights, a scrimmage was scheduled against Los Fresnos.

The Tuesday night scrimmage was another historical moment as hundreds of fans were attracted to this new football phenomenon. More people saw this mere scrimmage than had turned out for many regular games.

School officials were anticipating that this new addition to the field would bring a record crowd to their next regular game. And who would be that next opponent? None other than the Screaming Eagles from Brownsville.

The Eagles had not played in San Benito since 1927 when the Greyhounds toppled the Brownsville 11, 25-19. In the following year, the Eagles returned the favor by beating one of San Benito’s greatness gridiron teams in Brownsville, 27-2.

In 1929, the Eagles entered the Class “A” competition and San Benito did not appear on their scheduled again until 1933. In the ’33 game, played at Brownsville’s Tucker Field, the Greyhounds compiled more crooked numbers on the board to beat the Eagles, 25-6.

Opening ceremonies…
This was an exciting day during the “Depression Era” which began with a pep rally at the San Benito depot. It was followed by a parade downtown led by the school and city bands playing the marches of the era. As the parade made its way into the field, it was greeted with a thunderous roar from the sellout crowd.
At the gridiron, with the lights tested, adjusted and even overloaded to make sure that every part of the field was easily visible, the opening ceremonies began.

The program started with a brief speech by Dr. Hugh Robertson, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in San Benito, followed by the national anthem played by the combined school and municipal bands. The mayor of San Benito, E. L. Barmore, ended the ceremonies with the official kickoff.

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