Rice Field - Plano, TX
N 33° 01.433 W 096° 42.300
14S E 714355 N 3656274
An interpretive sign stands in front of a town home on the site of the old Rice Field, where the Plano schools had some great times with their football teams.
Waymark Code: WM10EFT
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/23/2019
Views: 1
The Plano Conservancy calls these "Wayside Signs", and this one stands facing Avenue G at the corner of its intersection with 18th St. "Rice Field" is the title, at the top of the sign in red, and accompanying the text are:
- Several team photos
- A depiction of a Wildcat, the "white" team's emblem
- Depictions of ticket stubs, programs, and box scores
- Depictions of related news articles, including one about the "colored" Panthers
This site was the home of the Plano High School Wildcats football team from 1925 to 1963. Rice Field was also home to Plano's African American High School team, the Panthers. The local Lions Club and Jaycees also played their charity "Weevil Bowl" game at Rice Field.
John Lewis played football in Plano prior to the city's school integration. He recalls much time spent at Rice Field. "They'd play on Saturday night. We'd play on Friday night .... many of the black community would be down there watching our ball games. And on Saturday night, I'd go watch them play. Good football, now."
In 1925 the Plano Wildcats football team completed an undefeated season. The resulting fervor led to increased funding of Football. The district allocated funds to purchase a cow pasture for the purpose of playing football and other sports. The pasture was renamed Rice Field after two men who played key roles in the team's history.
Joe Rice was a Plano school board member until 1930 and also farmed in the area. In fact, his mules did most of the field grading by pulling scrapers across the lot. His brother, Guy M. Rice, was manager of the original Plano football team in 1900, when Joe played on the team.
By 1939, the Rice Field boasted amenities such as, seats for one thousand spectators, flushing toilets installed at the northwest corner of the field and a small press box. At that time, the field was rimmed by barbed-wire fencing and gravel paving.
But the glory days for Rice Field were short-lived. In 1964 the newly integrated Plano Wildcats would move into Wildcat Stadium (Williams Field) where they would win their first state championship in 1965.
Group that erected the marker: Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
1733 Avenue G
Plano, TX USA
75074
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