The Burley Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game played from 1945 through 1956.[ 1] It was held each year on Thanksgiving Day in Johnson City, Tennessee , at the city's Memorial Stadium, which was demolished in July 2010.[ 2] The game was part of an annual two-day tobacco festival,[ 3] 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.[ 1]
The inaugural game was held on November 29, 1945.[ 4] 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.[ 5]
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
[ 6] [ 7]
1948
November 25, 1948
West Chester
7
Appalachian State
2
12,000
[ 8]
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
[ 9] [ 10]
1951
November 22, 1951
Morris Harvey
27
Lebanon Valley
20
9,000
[ 11] [ 12]
1952
November 27, 1952
East Tennessee State
34
Emory and Henry
16
10,000
[ 13] [ 14] [ 15]
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
[ 16]
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",[ 1] which is inconsistent with contemporary newspaper reports.[ 3] [ 4]
See also
References
^ a b c "BOWL/ALL STAR GAME RECORDS" (PDF) . NCAA. 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "Lost Landmark-Memorial Stadium, Johnson City (TN)" . Historic Highway Guides . December 31, 2010. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
^ a b "Johnson City Plans Burley Bowl Game" . Kingsport Times . Kingsport, Tennessee . November 4, 1945. Retrieved March 27, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ a b "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.
^ "Truman Sets Nov. 22 As Thanksgiving" . Kingsport Times . Kingsport, Tennessee . AP . November 13, 1945. Retrieved March 27, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ "West Chester STC gridders whip Appalachian State, 7–2, in Burley Bowl" . Intelligencer Journal . November 26, 1948. Retrieved December 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ 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 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ 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 .
^ "Wasps Favored In Eighth Burley Bowl" . Kingsport . Kingsport, Tennessee . Associated Press . November 27, 1952. p. 7. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ 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 .
^ Thompson, Gene (November 28, 1952). "State Trounces Emory (continued)" . Bristol Herald Courier . Bristol, Virginia . p. 1C. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Memphis State wins Burley Bowl game, 32 to 12" . Johnson City Press . November 23, 1956. Retrieved September 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
Further reading