Finally compiled the first ever football schedule for the Coogs of HJC!
1927 Season - Results: 1-4-3
| Coach: | John R. Bender | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Op Score | HJC/UH Score | W/L/T | Location | Time | Day of Week |
| 10/7/1927 | San Jacinto High School - Golden Bears | 0 | 0 | T | San Jacinto High School Field - Houston, TX | 3:15 PM | Friday |
| 10/17/1927 | Sam Houston State Teachers College Reserves - Bearkats | 13 | 0 | L | Huntsville, Texas | Monday | |
| 10/22/1927 | St. Mary’s Seminary | 7 | 7 | T | La Porte, Texas | Saturday | |
| 10/28/1927 | John H. Reagan High School - Bulldogs | 18 | 7 | L | West End Park - Houston, Texas | 3:30PM | Friday |
| 11/7/1927 | Sam Houston State Teachers College Reserves - Bearkats | 7 | 7 | T | San Jacinto High School Field - Houston, TX | 2:30 PM | Monday |
| 11/12/1927 | William M. Rice Institute Freshmen - Owls | 45 | 0 | L | Rice Field - Houston, Texas | 3:30 PM | Saturday |
| 11/18/1927 | Jefferson Davis High School - Panthers | 10 | 6 | L | San Jacinto High School Field - Houston, TX | 3:00 PM | Friday |
| 11/23/1927 | St Thomas College - Toms | 20 | 21 | W | San Jacinto High School Field - Houston, TX | 3:00 PM | Wednesday |
Notes:
- Coach Bender named the HJC Cougars after one of his former teams, Washington State University adopted their name (in 1919 after defeating UC Berkeley in football). Also assisted in the naming of the Saint Louis Billikens because he looked like one.
- HJC and San Jacinto HS (would become HCC Central College building in what we call “Midtown”) were both housed in the same building, but HJC students were evening students. I yet to find a picture of the football field at SJHS. The building was originally built as the “South End Junior High School” in 1913, but became a Senior High School in 1923. The area of the school, in the 1920s, was called the “South End”.
- SHSTC called their Freshman team “Reserves”. This team is the only back-and-forth schedule that HJC had in its football history.
- St. Mary’s Seminary was a Catholic theology school and high school in La Porte that, at this time, recently was granted on the 1856 charter of the previous St. Mary’s University from Galveston. It eventually left La Porte, for Houston in the 1950s, after storm damage and eventually merged with St. Thomas College to become current day University of St. Thomas.
- John H. Reagan HS moved multiple times, but eventually became Heights High School.
- Rice’s football team told their “slime” (as they were called then) to beat HJC by 8 touchdowns. There’s a Cougar write up trolling this commandment.
- Jefferson Davis High School became Northside High School.
- St. Thomas College was originally located near two prior locations (in what we know as Downtown), but at this period were located in the “South End” on Austin and Hadley. Once it became large enough, it moved to its current location near Washington/Rice Military with the name St. Thomas High School. The buildings were kept to merge into University of St. Thomas with St. Mary’s Seminary.
- “West End Park” was a premier multi-sport venue located in the Fourth Ward (“Freedman’s Town”) as opposed to the real “West End” that we associate with the Washington Corridor. The I-45 “Pierce Elevated” is located where the original West End Park once was.
Edits:
8/25/2022
- Table data updated
- Details written about opponents
- Added notes section
8/26/2022
- Added reference to Coach Bender naming the Cougars
8/31/2022
- Addition of John Bender photo and more about him.