An event welcoming the George Jewett Trophy to Howell is set for 2-4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 at the Howell Opera House, 123 W. Grand River Ave. in the heart of the city’s downtown. After that, the trophy will be on display in the concourse near the concession stand of the Howell High School Memorial Stadium with photo opportunities prior to kickoff at 7 p.m. There will be a special presentation honoring Jewett and his connection to Howell football between the first and second quarters of the game.
George Jewett — a scholar, athlete, physician, coach, and entrepreneur whose life helped
shape the history of football in Michigan and beyond — was a standout student-athlete from Ann Arbor who played for both the University of Michigan and Northwestern University. The trophy was established in 2021, and the two programs play for it each time they meet on the field. You can read all about the trophy by clicking here.
Jewett, who coached and managed Howell High School’s first football team in 1895, holds a singular place in American football history: he was the first African American football player at both the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, and is recognized as the first Black player in Big Ten football history. He is also the first Black high school football coach in Michigan (and, perhaps, the nation).
It’s appropriate that the trophy be on display at the Howell Opera House: It was in an 1895 event at the Howell Opera House that Jewett introduced football to the community. As just-hired head coach, Jewett used the event to build support for the new program and players. Howell finished its inaugural football season with a 3-6 record.
Since then, Howell football has grown into an enduring community tradition. The program’s later successes, long-standing rivalries, and generations of players and supporters trace back to the foundation Jewett established.
“Bringing the George Jewett Trophy to the Howell Opera House and then to the Howell football game is more than a sports celebration,” said Ervin Suida, president of the Howell Well We Live Foundation. “It is a homecoming for a story that belongs to Howell. Sharing the trophy at both places gives our community the opportunity to honor Dr. Jewett’s courage, leadership, and lasting impact, from the first Opera House fundraiser that supported his first team to the field where Howell football continues today.”
Read more by clicking here.
