Allegany Campers Football: Welcome

Since 1904...

it was at the Cumberland Street school that Allegany football made its debut in 1904.  Fifteen boys reported to Coach Eugene Bartholomew for the first team and they had to purchase their own uniforms and other equipment.

Allegany football really came into its own after Allegany High School was formally opened October 15, 1926, a year after the cornerstone was laid at Campobello.  James Lazard was the last grid mentor at Allegany County High School in 1925 and Walter Bowers, of Hagerstown, coached the first team at Campobello in 1926.  The Campers played a 10 game schedule that season and at least one game was staged at the Fair Grounds because a carnival occupied the ball park on Wineow Street.

Since that time in 1904, the Allegany Campers have been state, county, region, CVAL and city champions on many occasions.  The Blue and White are legends of schoolboy football in the State of Maryland.  To date...the Campers show no signs of going away anytime soon.

The Campers are again ready to demonstrate their resolve in 2011 and for many years to come!

PRIDE - DEDICATION - TRADITION

A very sad day atop Campobello again as Camper football fans mourns the loss of legendary football coach Edward Schwarz.

Ed graduated from Strong Vincent High School, Erie, Pa., and spent two years in the U.S. Naval Air Corps in training as a Navy pilot on Long Island and North Carolina Pre-Flight. It was there he played on the football team coached by Paul “Bear” Bryant, and when the war ended, went with Bryant and several other teammates to the University of Maryland. Ed kicked off Bear Bryant’s first college football game as head coach. Playing every football game at Maryland for four years from 1946-1949, he also played under Clark Shaughnessy and Jim Tatum. He played in the 1948 Gator Bowl, Maryland’s first Bowl game appearance. Ed also excelled in basketball, baseball and ran track at Maryland, making him one of their last 4-sports athletes.

He got his first taste of coaching by teaching and serving as an assistant at Maryland, but chose to coach and teach high school. He went to Kingsport, Tenn. and Dover, Del., before coming to Cumberland in 1958. His years teaching at Allegany High and Braddock Middle included physical education and math, as well as being Head Coach of Allegany’s football team for thirteen years and coaching track and wresting as well. Coach Schwarz was elected to the Allegany High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, has been honored by the East-West Panhandle Football Coaches Association, and was chosen as an honorary captain for the University of Maryland Terps in 1994. He also assisted with the Art Monk Football camps for eight years.

Most Camper fans of the 50’s, 60’s and 1970, remember Coach Schwarz as a wonderful fellow.  He loved to kid around with most everyone he knew.  He made his players feel like they were somebody special every chance he could and molded young men like me, into a well rounded, polite and grateful to be where we were.

ME AND MY COACH

When I first met Coach Schwarz in 1968, I was a transfer from Ridgeley High School and its football program.  I was scared to death simply because at Ridgeley, you always read in the paper about Allegany and Fort Hill and their football greatness.  So I sign up for football at the giant of a high school...Allegany, and report for the first practice with about 75 to 90 players on the field.  At Ridgeley, we were lucky to have 35 total kids out for football and that’s from freshmen to seniors.

Right from the start, Coach Schwarz was all about conditioning, and by that I mean running, running and even more running.  For those of you that are “old school” Camper players as I consider myself, you fondly remember those practices on the old, dusty, and lacking of grass practice field beside the school.  The practice field was horrible, but the running was worse.  Why was it so bad your asking?  Well, around the practice field was this hill or bank with some trees on it and Coach Schwarz was in love with that hill.

After all the running during practice, it was the “ALCO way” to end every practice by running those hills, time after time after time.  It wasn’t so bad at the beginning, but rep after rep got to your air, your legs and to your stomach.  After about six times on the hill, your legs felt like rubber, the sweat was rolling and your stomach was turning flip flops.  Generally at the end of the hills, people were falling down the hill unable to get up.  Of course a well meaning coach on the staff would come over and explain to you how you couldn’t hack it and made some remarks about your....well...you know what I mean.

As a junior, the practices were really intense and hard hitting as well.  I was a big kid but had to go up against the likes of Chuck Shoenaddle, Randy Apple and of course Jimmy Daum.  If you know those guys, then you know we’re talking walking mountains in my view.  We weren’t too good that year but we did play some good football.

As a senior I would not have guessed that it would be Coach Schwarz’s last season as coach.  We again had some size and some great ball players with only 8 seniors.  We went 4-6 that season and got it handed to us on Turkeyday 33-0.  So that’s how my playing career went at Allegany.

The following season under coach Stimmel, the Campers were undefeated with a 10-0 record and the “Year of the Hunter.”

What I learned as a football player, a team member and how to handle myself as a young man in my future came from those years at Allegany.  I was taught respect, humility and how to not take myself so seriously.  Coach Schwarz’s always taught me how to handle myself and was a significant reason when I joined the Navy, to never slack off, always try to do your best and never give up.  I made the Navy a career with 25 years of service and obtained the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer...and loved every minute of it.

The last time I saw Ed was at the Allegany Campers Reunion of Champions on the downtown mall in 2009.  I went up to him and introduced myself, but before I could get it all out, he stuck out his hand and called me by name, knew what position I played and even complimented me on the playing as a senior.  That meant the world to me to know he remembered me after all those years.  I had not seen or talked to him since 1971 and after 38 years...still remembered!

As I said in the beginning, Ed Schwarz was a very likeable man.  He may not have shown it outwardly, but you knew it.  He is like that with all his players and to be honest, I don’t know how he remembers all of his boys from all the years...but he does.

Coach Schwarz was a mentor to me and at least a thousand other young men and women who graced the halls of Allegany High School.  His influence and guidance through those years will live with me forever and I owe a great debt to him for his leadership and guiding light that lead this young man to become an older and very fruitful citizen.

HOMECOMING 2011

SEE IT IN PHOTOS!

Camper fans!  If you thought the Homecoming game was a thriller like the Big Blue Review does, then you can see it in photo's.

The Big Blue Review took over 400 pictures of this annual rivalry game for all the fans, alumni and Allegany supporters to see.

Simply look to the left of this web site and click on Albums, then click on Homecoming 2011 to see them all.

If you see a picture you would like to have, email the web master at; jailer@atlanticbb.net and include your email to get the photos.  Be specific as to what photo you are interested in and include the photo number if you have it.

This is an act of love for this web master and I am happy to do it.

ENJOY THE PHOTO'S!

ALLEGANY'S

SENIOR FARWELL!

Unfortunately...Saturday afternoon around 4 p.m., 13 seniors on the Allegany team will have played their last football game for the Blue and White.  Thirteen young men who have dedicated themselves to untold number of practices, some for four years.  These seniors have had a tough road during their stint at Campobello have not won the amount of games that Campobello usually expects.

However, these are the core of the Campers football program.  Their dedications and pride in playing football for one of the best programs in the state is a credit for itself.  These dedicated young men are to be commended for all their efforts no matter what the outcome is or has become.

The the fans of  "THE BIG BLUE NATION" are sad to see you go, but are happy to see you succeed in your high school academics and move on to the rest of your life.  You will always remember these years when you played football and the time you spent with your friends, other players and playing at the best high school stadium in the state.

Your record of wins and losses is not the issue here.  It is simply to let you know that all of us who have played football at Allegany or here in Cumberland for that matter, do appreciate all your efforts in the past years and want to tell you all, "THANK YOU" for everything and good luck in your futures...whatever that might be.  Thank you all and good luck during homecoming.

THANK YOU SENIORS!

Want to help out?

Want to get involved?

IT'S EASY!

Simply contact me at; jailer@atlanticbb.net or Tammy Shook,President of the Grid Iron Club @ tammy@willetts.com.

The Grid Iron is always looking for volunteers and Camper fans to help out with all kinds of things.  Give us a call and see what you can do. 

THANKS ALCO GRID IRON CLUB!

ALCO FANS!  Do you need to update your Allegany wardrobe?  Of course you do.  Here is a way to update your Big Blue items with out a hassle.

Simply contact Debbie Wolford at DWolford@wmhs.com or call her at 301-697-8260 to set up an appointment or tell her what you need and "Gitter Done."

After a long time coming, the Grid Iron Club has finally gotten the key to open their new Grid Iron Booth and are now open for business.

Simply give Debbie a call and get your item now before the season rush begins.  Don't wait to long...items go fast.

CONTACT DEBBIE SOON!