Jesse Kracht, researcher and author.
Football has changed dramatically since 1947. Everything from the type of equipment used, the fields they played on and how they played the game is different than it used to be.
In the 1940`s players used leather helmets without face masks was used. Many noses were broken and faces were bruised. They didn`t use mouthpieces so chipped teeth and cut lips were all too common. Cleats consisted of high topped shoes with rubber spikes.
Belle Fourche football fields have changed a lot over the years. In the late 1940`s, pre-season practices were held on the west side of the Roosevelt School building. This practice field consisted of hard rock gravel. After school started, the team practiced and played their games on the rodeo grounds. After the Black Hills Round up in early July, the Rodeo grounds were hallowed and smoothed into a playing field. ``This wasn`t much of a field,`` recalled Bill Hannah. It consisted of hard dirt that turned into mud when it rained. Then when it dried, The field was full of hard dirt clumps.`` Referees had a tough time measuring first downs. Even finding the boundary lines, became impossible once the chalk had washed away. These were minor annoyances compared to playing on a field full of sand burrs. Opponents weren`t used to playing under these conditions and Belle had the home field advantage. Some advantage!
The game of football was played differently. The offense was generally a single-wing formation known for picking up short yardage. ``A cloud of dust and three yards was very common.`` Defensively they concentrated on the running game because passing wasn`t used very often.
Football was played with an eleven-man team as it is today. But the football player of yesterday had to overcome many obstacles that are unheard of today. They played football without the benefits of modern equipment or groomed fields. They played without the luxuries of personal trainers, physical therapists and $100.00 shoes. Football players today use more athletic tape in a single game than those football players used the entire season. Football was one tough game back then!