A History of Ballpark Football in the Rocket City
North Alabama and Jacksonville State will play in the first ballpark football game in Huntsville since the George H.W. Bush Administration
On Monday, the Rocket City Trash Pandas and North Alabama announced that North Alabama and Jacksonville State would play at Toyota Field in October. This will be the first football game at the two year-old ballpark.
In September, I flirted with the idea that this game may draw the neutral site treatment, but missed on the venue, as I said Legion Field was an ideal host.
Although the ballpark is young, Huntsville is no stranger to ballpark football, with Joe W. Davis Stadium, the home of the now-defunct Huntsville Stars hosting five games from 1985 to 1992.
Football fans in the Rocket City witnessed three straight defensive battles from 1985 to 1987. In 1985, North Alabama and Alabama A&M combined for 79 passing yards and nine points as James Knowles’ 49-yard field goal with 5:18 left was the difference in a 6-3 win for North Alabama.
The next year, two touchdowns in the first quarter were all that Alabama A&M needed to defeat Jacksonville State 14-7. Rodney Davis’ 142 rushing yards and Allen Moore’s 10 receptions for 156 yards led the way for the Bulldogs.
Alabama A&M went back to hosting North Alabama the following year, but could not get revenge for their 1985 loss. Lonnie Mister only completed nine of his 26 passes, but two of those completions went for touchdowns in a 16-14 win for the Lions.
After the 1987 North Alabama-A&M game, it would be five years before Joe W. Davis hosted another football game. Fans in the Rocket City were finally treated to points as Savannah State beat Alabama A&M 31-14. Lucious Cole ran for 121 yards and a touchdown and Douglas Grant added two touchdown catches for the Tigers.
Nearly a month later, the low-scoring norm returned as Albany State beat Alabama A&M 10-3 in the last college football game at Joe W. Davis Stadium. Edward Hobbs’ three-yard touchdown run and William Huff’s 84 rushing yards were enough for the Golden Rams as their defense held the Bulldogs to 79 rushing yards.
In the coming years, stars like Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Nelson Cruz would use Joe W. Davis Stadium as a launchpad for their careers instead of star running backs and quarterbacks. This October, the 80s and 90s are back as football returns to Huntsville’s ballpark.
*As usual, most of the research for this piece came from Mark Pollak’s sensational book The Playing Grounds of College Football: A Comprehensive Directory, 1869-Today. You can buy it here. Additionally, North Alabama’s football record book was also a useful resource. Check that out here.