Local Life, Opinion

Retro 1951 Rumson High Football Kicks

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Well, the RFH Bulldogs won their first game on Friday night by a landslide. So, we’re going back again to 1951 with a look at the team, those uniforms and some personal insight from one of the players himself, Chuck Seymour, a 1951 then Rumson High School graduate.

Seymour saw our initial posting of this Retro Pic of the Day and reached out to R-FH Retro with a bit of a commentary about the players, the uniforms and his Rumson High love, loyalty and connection that remains to this day.

Here’s what he had to say …

“The faces of former teammates looked out to me as I attached names to each jersey number. #25 Freddy Johnson, #21 Harold Apgar,#36 Jim McGuiness, #32 Philly Minton, #26 Johnny DeVito. #35 Walter Scholl, #28 Bob Osgoodby , #41 Sonny Baden, #40 Doug Farrington, #22 Bill Stout, #37 Jackey Smith. Coaches Al Loux and Joe Rosati and left side Ron Jacobs. This was the 1951 team.

“The Uniforms. Going back a few years and as a freshman I was issued a strange looking jersey that combined purple, white & yellow with stripes over the shoulder that resembled a tigers looks. Their were only about nine freshman so on game days that is what we were issued. At the time due to a lack of money we had the previously described jersey and the JV’s had a faded out solid purple look.

“None of those freshman and very few JV’s got to play on game day so the odd jerseys were not a problem. The program did not field a freshman football  team and they were mixed into the JV’s to gain experience. The total school enrollment was three hundred kids  including the 7th & 8th grades so at our best we were  small but played tough.   

“In the back row of the picture are some players wearing a purple & white version that came in when I was a sophomore.  The following year the striped shoulder jersey showed for my junior and senior year. 

“I retired from the Navy and returned (to Rumson) with the family in 1972. The kids all went to the local schools and even had several teachers that my wife, formerly Beverly Boyce,  and I had had  through Rumson High School at the time.

“Always admired the Rumson cheerleaders and ended up marrying one. It’s worked out well. Our son Chip had a very good career receiving the MVP honor and making the All Shore All Star Team.”

Thanks for the insight and facts on our look back, Chuck!

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