Written By
Written By
Written By
Written By
Halloween is full of tricks and treats and this year college football will contribute many. One of the more surprising games of the Black College Football season takes place on October 31st when Lincoln (PA) and Virginia Union meet at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The home of the Eagles looks to repeat the success of last year’s Delaware State-Norfolk State game which drew 47,266 fans.
This is a bold move for the de facto home team, Lincoln. The Lions have notoriously had poor fan support and last year’s 0-10 campaign was no different. The Lions only had three home games and drew an average of 1,721 fans.
Nonetheless, the Virginia Union-Lincoln series has a rich history with numerous neutral site games. The two schools have met at a variety of stadiums, from Negro League ballparks to minor league ballparks, and even a Major League Baseball venue.
In 1924 and 1930, the two schools met at Norfolk’s League Park. Home of the Norfolk Tars. 2,000 fans witnessed a 0-0 tie in 1924, while 3,000 saw Virginia Union beat Lincoln 2-0 in 1930. The 1924 game was such a grand occasion that the Norfolk and Western railroad announced a special route from Richmond to Norfolk to accommodate tha game.
In the 1930 game, the Panthers outgained the Lincoln 198-62 and had seven first downs to their four, but only scored when they blocked a punt out of the end zone in the 4th quarter. The Lions began that drive at their own 20 before losing 18 yards on an end-around to setup the safety.
In 1934, the two schools played in another ballpark, this time in Philadelphia. Lincoln got the best of Virginia Union in another defensive struggle. The Lions’ George Colburn scored the only touchdown in an 8-2 win at Passon Field, the home of the Negro League’s Philadelphia Stars and Bacharach Giants.
After playing on campus for the next decade, the series returned to Norfolk, this time at the Tars’ new ballpark, Myers Field. In 1945, an interception return touchdown in the last two minutes gave Virginia Union a 13-7 win. Two years later, Donald Ross scored two touchdowns in a 19-7 win for Virginia Union.
In between these two games at the Tidewater ballpark, the series reached its biggest stage, Shibe Park. The longtime home of the Philadelphia Athletics, Phillies, and Eagles hosted the Lincoln-VUU game in 1946. 5,000 fans appeared to see Lincoln beat Virginia Union 21-6. Al Cone’s 67-yard touchdown run sealed the win for the Lions.
The rivalry had its final neutral site meeting in 1949 when Newark’s Ruppert Stadium hosted the Lions and Panthers. Ruppert Stadium was home of the Negro League’s Newark Eagles and International League’s Newark Bears. Lincoln prevailed 18-0 thanks to two touchdown passes from Bob Smith to Bob Harris.
Both programs declined in popularity over the next decade, leading to their series moving on-campus until Lincoln paused its football program in 1960. This year’s meeting serves a reminiscence of yesteryear for both programs. Once again, the Virginia Union-Lincoln game is a landmark game on the Black College Football calendar.
Mark Pollak’s book, The Playing Grounds of College Football: A Comprehensive Directory, 1869 to Today was an integral aid to my research.
