AGAWAM — When Clark W. “Cracker” Jones joined the Agawam High School football team in 1929, he became a legend as part of the team’s first “golden” era under fabled head coach Harmon Smith.
Jones will be among the star athletes who played on the team whose feats will be remembered during a celebration of 100 years of Agawam football at a special event this month.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
Like many other Brownies, Jones’ accomplishments on the gridiron made Agawam one of the most powerful teams in the area during the past century. Playing in the 1931 season, Jones helped the team score 157 points in six games to complete an undefeated, untied season.
Most famously in that shutout season, the Brownies defeated archrival West Springfield 34-0, then finished the season with a 49-0 victory over Woodrow Wilson High School of Middletown, Connecticut. The Brownies were unstoppable and the 5-foot, 11-inch Jones — the league’s scoring champion in 1931 — was a key player.
Jones had one of the best-remembered moments of his high school career in 1933, his final season with the team. According to a story in a 1963 edition of the Agawam Advertiser News, Jones delivered for Agawam the “most scintillating” moment in the team’s early history. He made a spectacular 86-yard run that gave the Brownies a last-second 19-13 victory over West Springfield.
Pandemonium then broke out as 3,000 fans stormed onto the West Side field, tore down the goal posts and swarmed the Agawam team. This prevented the final few seconds of the game from being completed. But it didn’t matter. The win gave Agawam its second undefeated season and the Western Mass crown.
Jones got his “colorful” nickname when he was a youngster and a friend called him “a real crackerjack.” While the name stuck, it was shortened to “Cracker” when he entered high school.
Jones was interviewed for the newspaper when he returned to Agawam for the 30th anniversary of the class of 1933. He said that in the 1930s, winning was “very important” when playing for Agawam. There was also “lots of team spirit,” with parents and other family members showing up for every game.
After graduating from AHS, Jones went on to American International College in Springfield, playing on its first football team. His college football career was cut short when he had to quit school to help his family during the Depression, after his father lost his job.
During Agawam’s rich football history, Jones and many other former athletes played important roles in some of the team’s most unforgettable game moments during the past century. They will be remembered at a special celebration dinner on Oct. 18 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Oak Ridge Golf Club in Feeding Hills.
“The evening will be a gathering of current and former players, coaches, families and friends of Agawam football. This will be an opportunity for former players and coaches to reminisce and share stories of their times with the team,” said Domenick Pisano, captain for the team during the 1995 season. He heads the Agawam Football 100th Anniversary Celebration Committee.
Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased via a link on the committee’s Facebook page (“Agawam Football 100th Anniversary.”) They are also available during Agawam youth football games at Kirk Parker Field on School Street. Agawam resident and AHS graduate Chris Pisano, a local television journalist, will serve as master of ceremonies.
The celebration also will feature several speakers, including Mayor Christopher Johnson, Agawam Athletic Director Karen Gomez, football Head Coach John Benjamin, former Agawam Athletic Director Lou Conte (class of 1972), Richard “Dick” Benoit (class of 1963), Andrew St. Jean (class of 1998) and Dean Vecchiarelli (class of 1978 and a former coach).
The committee will sell 100th anniversary T-shirts and there will be a raffle. A showcase of memorabilia, nostalgic photos and newspaper stories will highlight the camaraderie that has defined the essence of Agawam football over the years. Individuals who want to submit photos or newspaper stories can find details on the Facebook page. Submitted material should include details, such as names of individuals and the approximate year.
