Ten Thousand Fans

[Arthuritis 10]

Where in the world do people get the notion there are 10,000 people in the stands at local high school games? They must be huffin the crystal meth down below in the $1 parking lot at Mitchell or on the 460 bypass in RTown. This is not Texas or Georgia football. Somebody take a count next week....or better yet.....ask the principals at RHS, BHS, or GHS what the gate was a week from now. I am sure they would be more than happy to tell you or just ask them under a FOY request. I bet you a Mitchell Stadium parking lot dollar the gate receipts won't add up to more than half that number.

[VHSLhelper 571]

where did this come from????

[BeaverHokie 35]

Where in the world do people get the notion there are 10,000 people in the stands at local high school games? They must be huffin the crystal meth down below in the $1 parking lot at Mitchell or on the 460 bypass in RTown. This is not Texas or Georgia football. Somebody take a count next week....or better yet.....ask the principals at RHS, BHS, or GHS what the gate was a week from now. I am sure they would be more than happy to tell you or just ask them under a FOY request. I bet you a Mitchell Stadium parking lot dollar the gate receipts won't add up to more than half that number.

 

 

Yeah, I guess the schools have been lying all these years, when we'd hear that there were 10,000 plus tickets taken for the Bluefield-Graham games.

 

Besides, if the math says there are 10,000 seats or so in Mitchell Stadium, and most are full, and there are enough people to surround the field, it could not POSSIBLY be 10,000 people there.

 

Right?

 

Also worth nothing about "gate receipts". There are quite a few people at the game who do not PAY to be there. Both bands, the press, and other VIP folks.

 

I guess I'm wondering...do you have any evidence to support that there have not been 10,000+ people at the Bluefield-Graham games?

[BeaverHokie 35]

Where in the world do people get the notion there are 10,000 people in the stands at local high school games? They must be huffin the crystal meth down below in the $1 parking lot at Mitchell or on the 460 bypass in RTown. This is not Texas or Georgia football. Somebody take a count next week....or better yet.....ask the principals at RHS, BHS, or GHS what the gate was a week from now. I am sure they would be more than happy to tell you or just ask them under a FOY request. I bet you a Mitchell Stadium parking lot dollar the gate receipts won't add up to more than half that number.

 

I wanted to append my answer, with some rough, "back of a napkin" estimates for the capacity of Mitchell Stadium.

 

I cannot remember exactly, but I believe there are approximately 26-27 rows on each side of the stadium. The stands run from goal line to goal line (well, it did, back when the field was grass..I know they've moved the field a little), and a little past that, if I remember correctly. Let's estimate that the total length of stands is 310 feet (there is a curve to the stands). With about 8 aisles, each aisle approximately 24 inches wide, that takes 16 feet from the length. That would roughly put the total length of seating at about 295 feet. Now, with the assumption that the average "seat" width is 19 inches or so, that would put 186 seats per row. That gives 5022 seats per side if we assume 27 rows. I know on the home side, there is a cutout for the pressbox, which will take out some seats.

 

Point being, the general assumption that Mitchell Stadium hold about 10,000 seated folks is pretty close, and would depend on how friendly people are, how close they'll sit to each other.

[GMan 3,569]

Where in the world do people get the notion there are 10,000 people in the stands at local high school games? They must be huffin the crystal meth down below in the $1 parking lot at Mitchell or on the 460 bypass in RTown. This is not Texas or Georgia football. Somebody take a count next week....or better yet.....ask the principals at RHS, BHS, or GHS what the gate was a week from now. I am sure they would be more than happy to tell you or just ask them under a FOY request. I bet you a Mitchell Stadium parking lot dollar the gate receipts won't add up to more than half that number.

 

Come to Bluefield Friday night and see for yourself....

[Lance 228]

Come to Bluefield Friday night and see for yourself....

 

what he said....

[mnhokie 10]

What some people outside of Bluefield do not understand is that the game is more of an event than an actual game. You would not believe the amount of people who come in for this game every year. I know of ex Graham players who drive in from Columbus OH and Roanoke every year. The game is of course important, however it is more a celebration of our "Bluefield culture and pride". That is why 10,000 is a realistic number for the attendance every year.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Where in the world do people get the notion there are 10,000 people in the stands at local high school games? They must be huffin the crystal meth down below in the $1 parking lot at Mitchell or on the 460 bypass in RTown. This is not Texas or Georgia football. Somebody take a count next week....or better yet.....ask the principals at RHS, BHS, or GHS what the gate was a week from now. I am sure they would be more than happy to tell you or just ask them under a FOY request. I bet you a Mitchell Stadium parking lot dollar the gate receipts won't add up to more than half that number.

 

My mother used to work the gates of the game.

The lowest the attendance ever was in her time there was 11,563.

Your move.

[the watcher 10]

Amherst vs Salem 2006

 

Byline: Robert Anderson

Nov. 25--Salem High School's 50-50 drawing Friday night was announced as a record-breaking $3,550.

Too bad for the Spartans that was the only record broken.

Salem's bid for a Timesland-record 34th consecutive victory -- and more importantly a berth in the Group AA Division 4 semifinals -- came to a halt as Amherst County avenged two straight losses in the Region III championship game with a 25-21 victory at Salem Stadium.

Amherst (11-1) pulled out the win in thrilling fashion in front of a crowd estimated at 10,000. Quarterback Peter Rose threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to split end Derrick McCoy with 1:02 remaining, then the Lancers stopped a Salem drive that reached the 24 by forcing incompletions on the final two plays.

Salem's last-gasp pass by Mark Hanabury was aimed to the same end zone where the Spartans got the controversial game-tying touchdown last year that led to a 17-14 ...

[Pirate1 10]

Wasn't the reported crowd at the Pulaski/Salem regular season game last year huge as well? I can't remember the exact number, but I'm sure it was over 10k

[futbolking 766]

Where in the world do people get the notion there are 10,000 people in the stands at local high school games? They must be huffin the crystal meth down below in the $1 parking lot at Mitchell or on the 460 bypass in RTown. This is not Texas or Georgia football. Somebody take a count next week....or better yet.....ask the principals at RHS, BHS, or GHS what the gate was a week from now. I am sure they would be more than happy to tell you or just ask them under a FOY request. I bet you a Mitchell Stadium parking lot dollar the gate receipts won't add up to more than half that number.

 

You're an idiot....the Bluefield vs. Graham game has been in Sports Illustrated as high as the #8 rivalry in the entire COUNTRY...I've been to the game for 35 years straight and I have seen sometimes 11,000 or 12,000 fans in the stands and yes the local media has reported attendance....go to the game and see for yourelf if you don't believe it...just because your pitiful fan base has never seen that many at a game...and I bet the parking lot gate receipts won't add up to that either...because 1. They don't charge for parking (yet)....and 2....last I heard, more than one person can fit in a vehicle...

 

You can tell you've never been to the Graham Bluefield game...

[futbolking 766]

what he said....

 

Another thing....you'd better get there at least an hour and a half early, unless you want to park a half-mile away.....

[Guest BEAVERTAIL]

Ill be there at 10, or after my dog gets out of the vet... whichever happens sooner. lol

[beaverbaseball 10]

Ill be there at 10, or after my dog gets out of the vet... whichever happens sooner. lol

 

i'll be there between classes around 11 to 12:45 then after class at 3...You find anyone with a tent?

[Guest BEAVERTAIL]

I think Im gonna get one and quit all this dumb shenanigans lol. Then we will always have one...

[blufan04 12]

I know one thing. You better be there by 6:00 at the latest if you want a good parking space and a good seat.

[edrforshey 27]

I know for a fact the Battle of Wood County "parkersburg vs Parkersburg south" has over 10,000 every year also regardless of either teams records.

 

The largeest crowd every reported for a WVSSAC playoff game was 17,766 in 1998.

Nitro with J R House played at Parkersburg.

[neva_scarred 10]

i figure i have been to about 15 of these games and always a huge crowd.....it has to be in the 10,000 neighborhood all the years i have been there.

[capanther 10]

i figure i have been to about 15 of these games and always a huge crowd.....it has to be in the 10,000 neighborhood all the years i have been there.

[CPF 417]

I was told by someone that works for the city that in 2007 (first game on the new turf), that the gate was 13,100. It was packed that night.

[vols4life 57]

well,that sturred up a hornets nest...lol...i know it's big game cause i work in bluefield every other week and around this time of year you hear the ppl start asking who looks better.

[ghstoga 10]

As MNHokie stated it's as much an event as a game....many class reunions are planned around this game and many family reunions as well. Can't wait 'till they tee it up!

[GMen22 10]

Every Graham-Beaver game that i been to its been at least 10,000 people there.

[floridabeaver 10]

Football’s back! Beaver-Graham highlights week one

By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD — It’s the Daytona 500 of high school football in this area of the country.

 

Much like in NASCAR, the biggest event of the season comes first.

 

It’s Beaver-Graham week or G-Men-Bluefield, depending on your allegiance. Many have no favorite, they just like good football.

 

There’s little doubt the 83rd edition of the series will bring people to Mitchell Stadium on Friday night that won’t see another game this season. In fact, they’ll disappear from local gridirons until these clubs meet again in 2010.

 

Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at a venue that’s been around for more than 70 years. It will be filled to capacity of more than 10,000, and most of the seats will be filled well before the opening kick.

 

It’s a big deal, a party for football fans or those looking for a social event, an atmosphere normally reserved for venues like Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium or Milan-Puskar Stadium in Morgantown.

 

“We’re all excited because the atmosphere is a lot like a major college on a little bit smaller scale,” Bluefield football coach Fred Simon said. “How many high school players and coaches get to play in front of 10-or-12,000 people that are there.

 

“It is kind of neat. It’s just a huge party for them and for us.”

 

Beaver-Graham might be the biggest, but it’s certainly not the only game on that night. Seventeen of the 20 area teams will kick off their seasons, with three schools having to wait a week to take the field.

 

Perhaps they’ll venture out to Mitchell Stadium. It’s probably the one must-see event in Bluefield each year.

 

While Bluefield holds a 59-21-2 advantage in the series that dates back to 1911, the G-Men have won two of the last three, and five of the last nine since 2001.

 

The series started in ’11, when Bluefield earned a 17-5 win. Seventeen years later, the teams met again. Since then, it’s been played every year but one (1937) and the clubs played twice in 2005.

 

Perhaps none was as controversial as last season’s 25-23 win by Graham. Bluefield quarterback Will Cole — himself a former G-Man — attempted to sneak into the end zone on the game’s final play.

 

Bluefield fans thought he made it. The Graham faithful thought he was stopped. The referees signaled nothing, and walked off the field, signifying the end of the game, and a win for the G-Men.

 

The video of that final play surfaced on YouTube. It only confused the issue more, but by then it didn’t matter.

 

That two-point differential was the closest game in the series since the Beavers earned a 6-4 baseball score of a win in 1991.

 

It was among the closest games in series history. Three times, one point has separated the teams, with Bluefield winning 7-6 in ’41, and 21-20 in ’84, while Graham took the victory 7-6 in ’34.

 

There have been two ties, 2-2 in 1948, and 12-12 in ’57.

 

Over the years there have been 13 games in the rivalry decided by seven points, five decided by three and 14 points, and four each determined by 6, 13, 20 and 26 points.

 

The largest margin was 61 by Bluefield when the Beavers thrashed the G-Men 61-0 in ’71. Graham’s most lopsided win came in a 56-8 rout in ’01.

 

Graham has never won the series for an entire decade, but they can with a win on Friday. Thanks to a pair of games being played in ’05, these clubs are tied 5-5 since 2000. Bluefield had never lost more than three games in any other decade against the G-Men.

 

Will Graham earn bragging rights for the decade of ’00-09? Or will Bluefield make it 6-5, and have reason to brag some more?

 

That remains to be seen. No matter who wins or loses, there’s little doubt nothing will be left out on that field.

 

“It’s a tough game for both teams because both teams always play so hard,” Simon said. “It’s going to be the same as it always is.

 

“I am just so happy to be a part of it.”

 

The countdown is on. Tick, tick, tick...

[VivaFutbol 10]

Wasn't the reported crowd at the Pulaski/Salem regular season game last year huge as well? I can't remember the exact number, but I'm sure it was over 10k

 

It was PACKED at that game. Even around the stadium as well. We had to park a mile away and we barley found a seat. This was a good 30 minutes before kickoff.