When reminiscing about the colorful history of Manheim Central football, many fond memories come to mind for thousands of fans and former players.

What many contemporary Barons don't realize is that Manheim Central's football history goes back beyond the 1947 season when Manheim High School officially adopted a football team.

The earliest record of organized football in Manheim, that I could document, was a Manheim school team in the 20's. This team was terminated in 1925 after a Manheim player was seriously injured in a game behind what is now Stiegel Elementary School, at the corner of Hazel and High Streets. At that time it was both grade school and high school. Many of us remember attending grade school there in later years and taking recess and playing baseball on that playground.

The Manheim community's interest in football did not die at that time, however. In the following years there were numerous football enthusiasts who aspired to return football to the school's sports program. Lebo, Grunenberger, Henry, Frysinger, Williams, Gordon, are a few of the names which come to mind as prime movers in this effort.

In the late 30's, the Red Raiders, a successful amateur football team. Carson Lebo, a Manheim policeman and former coal cracker, was a player and coach of this team.

In 1941, The Manheim Mites, a squad of 27 young athletes, was organized under the tutelage of two of Manheim's best-known sports promoters, Lebo and Francis Grunenberger. The fans called the team "the Mighty Mites" because of the outstanding gridiron success achieved in a very short time.

Carson Lebo continued to play a pivotal part in Manheim football as the community enthusiasm for a high school team increased.

In 1946, Lebo; Bob Gordon, a former Red Raider player; John Frysinger, a local sports promoter; and Erwin "Erch" Williams, father of Coach Mike Williams, were instrumental in organizing a "Junior Red Raiders" team from boys of junior and senior high age. I remember developing a love for football at that time while serving as mascot/waterboy for the team.

The success of the Junior Red Raider team so strongly galvanized the community and school officials that a Manheim High School team was approved for 1947. Football had come back to Manheim.

These early teams were pioneers blazing the football trail for future years of Manheim Central football. They labored under unique and sometimes adverse circumstances.

Yes, those early years were challenging years. The players, coaches, families, student body, faculty and community proved that Manheim had the enthusiasm and commitment to meet strong challenges. Those early teams and the teams that followed have proven, over the years, that Manheim Central is a football machine to be reckoned with on the gridiron.
GO, BARONS, GO!