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The Downtown Historic Tomato Bowl - True Texas Travel Finalist

Added Feb 05, 2018 •

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For 80 years, a unique, downtown stadium in East Texas has kept silent vigil over the small town of Jacksonville, Texas. Come along on this sentimental journey during a day in Jacksonville where community members and graduates tell the unique story of what the historic stadium means to the Jacksonville community.

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One of the greatest aspects we have have in our town is the Tomato Bowl. The Tomato Bowl kind of anchors downtown, It sits at the far east end of Commerce St Street right across the street from the newspaper and  the Chamber of Commerce. It is right by major highway and everybody that drives by it they always ask, what is that? Tomato Bowl is a part of Jacksonville. Upon arriving in Jacksonville, I saw that the Tomato Bowl is one of the best historic football fields in the state of Texas. I can remember 15 years ago when I was drafted, the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals at the time, Dave McGinnis gave me a call he says, "Hey Josh, how's the Tomato Bowl?" before he even told me who I was drafted by or what was going on, it was how's the Tomato Bowl! I've lived in Jacksonville for 57 years in other words, all my life and the Tomato Bowl to me is the spirit of Jacksonville. Historically, the Tomato Bowl is important because it is one of the last downtown stadiums in the state. I have very early memories of the Tomato Bowl.   I was raised to believe that this was hallowed ground. The first game here was played in 1940.  They played Dallas Tech. It is 76 years old now. So the WPA done a fine job building this. I've had the opportunity to play in some great place throughout my career , whether its Soldier Field or Lambeau Field or Texas Stadium - some storied places. to me, the character is what made those places special,  and it's no different with the Tomato Bowl. It's that hallowedness, that atmosphere, when the fans get going and the train comes by and all those things that make this place special.   it's it's a privilege and an honor and it's right up there with all the other venues that I've played in. We are very proud to in our backyard it's just part of the great history that we have. If you go to Tomato Bowl on a Friday night, or even tonight during graduation you will see all types of people all different kinds of life.  Different goals, different ambitions,  different backgrounds,  and it truly is a beautiful thing to watch people come together is that location at that place inside those walls it's one of the shining stars of our town. My favorite thing currently is they've added flags to it. So on a Friday night they fly,  I don't know how many, 30 or 40 flags all around the perimeter that's says JHS or fightin' Indians and it's just a great thing to drive by and see. Any home game they put up all the flags around the Tomato Bowl and you know that you are in Jacksonville - you know that you are in Indian Territory. Putting up the flags - probably my favorite duty I've had to perform during high school. It's got to be the walls - they're almost sacred. Absolutely the walls. When I go into a locker room and I meet new players and new teammates and we talk about our High School experiences we talked about the stadiums that we played in many of the players that I know that are in the NFL now that played in the state of Texas know what the Tomato Bowl is - they've heard of it and it's because of the walls. It is unique in a way to be built out of the stone that come from this county. the Flaming J,  which is lit before each home game. The Flaming J is a tradition that dates back to the 70's - my aunt actually started it. The Flamin J - Class of '98 Once an Indian, Always an Indian. I was really worried about not being able to graduate in the Tomato Bowl.  I grew up going to the Tomato Bowl all my life, so to be able to end it there will be really exciting. Earlier this week when we thought we we weren't going to be able to have it in the Tomato Bowl,  graduation, we were all distraught because it's such an important I guess landmark in our lives.  Everything happens there. used to it and we were all looking forward to having our last time we are all out on the field so we were thrilled when we learned we could have it there. My favorite thing is the fact that the Tomato Bowl laces our years together. It laces the generations together.   It's home it's the Heart of the City and I don't think anybody would change it for the world. I hope they can continue to have this stadium and I hope we can get a little more work on it and get it more up-to-date.

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The Downtown Historic Tomato Bowl - True Texas Travel Finalist

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