One of the things Washington is especially excited to celebrate is the 40-year anniversary of bringing football back to Union’s campus in the fall of 1984. The sport was put on hold in 1942, due to World War II, and reinstating it was a team effort amongst campus, community, and alumni. Former football players Ossie Burch and Bill Nau were instrumental in fundraising, Knox Central Vocational School built the ticket booths, Pepsi-Cola Company of Corbin donated the scoreboard, and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Bob Potter designed the weight room.
“Coming together for a common cause is what we want to do more of as Union Commonwealth University,” Washington said. “The return of Union football is a powerful story of what we can do when we unite for a shared goal, and we want to honor that in addition to celebrating the program and all the players who have built our competitive program over the last four decades.”
Part of the celebration will include inviting football alumni, including Head Football Coach John Luttrell ’84, to participate in the pre-game walkout alongside the current team, symbolizing the enduring strength of Union football.
