April 23, 2011
NORFOLK, Va. - The Oyster Bowl, an annual college football game in Hampton Roads for 61 years, will return to Old Dominion University's Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium as a featured game on the Monarchs 2011 football schedule, as announced today by athletic director Dr. Wood Selig.
Sponsored by the Chesapeake based Khedive Temple of Shriners International, the Oyster Bowl was played at ODU's stadium from 1946-1995. The Monarchs home contest on Oct. 29, against state and CAA rival James Madison University, will serve as this year's 62nd Oyster Bowl, with an additional $1 added to the ticket cost of this game to support the Shriners' Hospitals for Children.
"Growing up literally blocks from Foreman Field, I learned to value and appreciate the annual Oyster Bowl football game. It was an annual fall highlight for not only the local neighborhoods, but for football fans throughout the area," says Selig.
"The Oyster Bowl always supported such a wonderful cause in the Shriners Children's Hospitals. It just makes sense to bring back the Oyster Bowl each year to Norfolk and now tie this wonderful event to ODU football and our football fans across the region. I look forward to exposing a new generation of football fans to the Oyster Bowl, its surrounding festivities, and all the great qualities that have come to be associated with the Oyster Bowl since its inception in 1946."
The first Oyster Bowl was played in 1946 between Granby High School (Norfolk) and Clifton High School (New Jersey). However, from 1948-1995, the game featured NCAA major college teams, featuring All Americans and future NFL players such as Ernie Davis of Syracuse, Don Meredith of SMU, Roger Staubach of Navy, Bruce Smith of Virginia Tech, Randy White of Maryland and 1960 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino of Navy.
In 1999, the game was revived and relocated to the Joseph S. Darling Memorial Stadium in Hampton, Virginia and featured a match-up between Division III college teams.
"Khedive Shriners are pleased to return to Foreman Field at ODU for the 62nd Oyster Bowl" says Don Meyer, Potentate of Khedive Shrine. "We currently have 207 patients on our active patient roster at Khedive and we hope that the exposure we receive from the 62nd Oyster Bowl will allow us to add more children that we can help through our Shrine Hospital System, which treats orthopedic, burn, spinal injuries and cleft lip and palate patients."
"We appreciate Dr. Wood Selig's support in returning the Oyster Bowl to Foreman Field, where it had so many wonderful years," Meyers added.
The Khedive Shriners band will perform as part of the game's activities, and units and clubs of the Shriners will participate in tailgating on Kaufman Mall prior to the contest.
Old Dominion will kick-off its third season of football on Sept. 3, and its first year as a football member of the Colonial Athletic Association. The Monarchs open CAA play on Sept. 24 at the University of Delaware, the 2010 Football Championship Subdivision national runner-up. The CAA has produced four FCS champions in the last seven years, including Delaware in 2003, JMU in 2004, Richmond in 2008, and Villanova in 2009.