A Crook County Historical Moment
First Football Game in Central Oregon Played in 1911
Football was relatively unknown in rural
Oregon in the early 1900’s but on a
clear, cold and crisp day in the Fall of
1911 the sport was introduced to the
frontier country of Central Oregon.
The rising community of Bend and the
long established frontier town of
Prineville managed to form the nucleus
of two teams.
Both communities managed to put
together teams consisting of players
with a surprising amount of ability in the
game. Some of the young players had
come from eastern colleges where the
sport was played and they had arrived
to start their business careers in the
newly booming area.
Oregon in the early 1900’s but on a
clear, cold and crisp day in the Fall of
1911 the sport was introduced to the
frontier country of Central Oregon.
The rising community of Bend and the
long established frontier town of
Prineville managed to form the nucleus
of two teams.
Both communities managed to put
together teams consisting of players
with a surprising amount of ability in the
game. Some of the young players had
come from eastern colleges where the
sport was played and they had arrived
to start their business careers in the
newly booming area.
A group of young men that recently graduated from college and still loving the game got together and
arranged to play a matched game of football between the two towns. In December of 1911 the two
teams met on a makeshift playing field in Bend. Fans included stockmen, farmers, merchants and their
ladies from all over Central Oregon. The two teams played a hard fought battle that resulted in an
unsatisfying tie 0-0. Prineville had crossed the goal line once but the play was negated by a penalty.
The players decided that they needed a rematch and a second game was arranged to be played in
Prineville. Prineville players learned that there was a former player of merit named Gumm living in
Redmond. He had been a star full back at Iowa. He was a practicing attorney in Redmond and was
prevailed upon to play for the Prineville squad.
The Prineville squad was sparked to victory with the assistance of the added star player. The
immortals of the Prineville team left the field at the end of four quarters with a 17-0 victory. There was
a large crowd that attended the game and a festive community cheered both the victors and losers.
Prineville had the distinction of winning the first decided football game in Central Oregon.
The first football games captured the interest of sports minded residents of the area and it rapidly gained
in popularity. Football was introduced into local high schools after this “first” game that was received
with so much enthusiasm. For many years the Crook County high school teams dominated the Central
Oregon football fields. As Bend and Redmond grew in population the Prineville team began to lose their
dominance until the early 1950’s. But that glorious day back in 1911 when football was introduced to
Central Oregon was a milestone in local sports
A.R. Bowman Memorial Museum
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See the drop
down menu at
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page for more
local stories
of Prineville's
colorful past.
down menu at
the top of the
page for more
local stories
of Prineville's
colorful past.