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On Saturday, November 20, 1937, St. Aloysius and Holy Cross played the first high school football game in City Park Municipal Stadium.
A month earlier, DePaul of Chicago had defeated Loyola 18-7 in the first football game at the new stadium, which was built by the Roosevelt administration's Works Progress Administration at a cost of $563,641. The St. Aloysius band marched with bands from Warren Easton, Jesuit, Holy Cross, Commercial High, and Behrman in a parade into the arena, where 20,000 watched the action. The SA-HC double homecoming game drew only 2,500, a number that prep writer N. Charles Wicker characterized as "lost in the 26,000 capacity stadium." Crusader students outsold their Tiger counterparts by a 2-to-1 margin. However, Holy Cross won the game 22-0. The Tigers were led by Iggy Frey, who passed for one TD, ran for another, and accounted for most of his team's yardage. Just to show that the stadium was not completely finished, the teams returned to their locker rooms after the game only to find no hot water for their showers. The next day, 30,000 overflowed the new arena for the clash between 6-0-1 Jesuit and 5-1 Fortier. The Tarpons won 14-6 to stay alive in the championship race with Easton. |
 City Park Municipal Stadium, which was named for Frank "Tad" Gormley, the dean of southern track and field coaches, after his death in 1965. |
| Reference: The Golden Game: When Prep Football Was King in New Orleans, by Ron Brocato | |
 RB Mel Stevens |
The 1946 St. Aloysius Crusaders finished the football season on a roll, defeating Nicholls 39-0 and McGill of Mobile 35-0. (McGill was staffed by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.) RB Mel Stevens scored three TDs against the Rebels and two more against the Yellow Jackets. Unfortunately, earlier losses to Jesuit (13-0 before 22,080 at City Park Stadium), Warren Easton (12-0), and Holy Cross (7-0) kept the Esplanade Avenue Gang out of the state playoffs. That freed Coach "Wop" Glover's 6-4 contingent to play in the Sugar Cane Bowl in Thibodaux where they lost to Baton Rouge High 13-7.
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 Harry "Wop" Glover |
 George Oeschner |
The 1957 St. Aloysius gridiron aggregation compiled a 6-5 regular season record to finish in an unprecedented four-way tie for the Prep league crown. As a result, the Crusaders played the Redemptorist Rams in a semifinal for the right to meet the Jesuit-Holy Cross victor for the state playoff berth.
The Crusaders scored first on a 49-yard drive. HB George Oeschner scampered the final 7 yards. However, Lenny Balser missed the PAT. The Rams scored minutes later after recovering a bad snap over punter Nick Bonura's head. Redemptorist kicked the point to take a 7-6 lead that stood up the rest of the way. As solace for missing the state playoffs, Andy Douglass's squad met Biloxi in the annual Shrimp Bowl on the Mississippi Gulf coast. The Indians jumped out 15-0 in Q1 on two TDs and a safety. After a Saints TD, the home team made it 28-7 in Q3. The Crusaders scored twice in Q4 but fell short, 28-20. SA was paced by Oeschner, FB Leonard Stein, and E Bobby Foret who each scored a TD.
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 Andy Douglass |
On Saturday, October 26, 1985, Brother Martin faced Archbishop Shaw at Tad Gormley Stadium.
- The game was played in rain and strong winds from hurricane Juan, which was upgraded to a hurricane that very day while dawdling at the coast of south central Louisiana.
- During the second half, the stadium lights went out, causing a delay.
Alas, the Eagles prevailed 10-8 to hand the Knights their first loss after seven wins.
- Victories over St. Augustine (20-6) and De La Salle (17-14) propelled BM into the playoffs.
- Wins over B. T. Washington (55-6), Bogalusa (13-6), and Central Lafourche (28-7) preceded a bitter semifinal loss at St. Martinville (7-14).
- The 12 wins were the most since the 1972 state semifinalists.
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The 1991 Crusader gridders defeated Holy Cross 34-12 for the first homecoming victory since 1988. Even more impressive was the fact that BM put 34 on the board despite losing five fumbles.
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 Jeff Lupo blocks against Holy Cross |
The 1980 Brother Martin-Jesuit game came down to two 22y FG attempts.
- It seemed like neither team wanted to score as both squandered multiple opportunities. Each defense stopped the opponent’s top rusher as Jesuit’s Gill Fenerty (future New Orleans Saint) gained just 47y on 25 carries, and Benny Burst picked out just 41 in 14 tries.
- Entering Q4, the game remained scoreless, but the Jays had driven into position for Fenerty to try a 3-pointer that missed on the first snap of the period.
- After more offensive futility, Martin got a golden opportunity when Kevin Schulz returned an interception to the Blue Jay 41. From there, the Crusader wishbone marched to the 3. However, on second down, QB David Stechmann missed a handoff, and Randy Hubbell recovered at the 5 with 3:15 remaining.
- But Jesuit was forced to punt after three plays. When a high snap delayed punter Clark Brennan, Barry Lemoine partially blocked the hurried kick, and BM took over on the 19 with 0:51 to go.
- Stechmann completed a 13y pass to Schultz on first down. After Marlon Yarbrough gained a yard to the 5, Mark Mire came on to attempt his first place kick of the season. His 22-yarder sailed true with 0:19 on the clock for a 3-0 victory.
- "It was just meant for us," said Bob Conlin. "It was just not for them. They had their chances."
