A PROUD TRADITION THAT BEGAN IN 1949

Of all the things that Bloomfielders seem to be the most emotional about Foley is the loss of the graduation procession and ceremony. Maybe it's because it's the one tie that binds the whole town together: The excitement of strolling down Belleville Ave. from the high school and striding across the hometown gridiron with hundreds of classmates who are finally free to embark on life's first big adventure is a time-honored tradition that Bloomfielders want to maintain. Foley is the only affordable place large enough to bring Bengal grads, friends and family together to bid a final farewell to school, staff--and each other. Double click on picture to enlarge. Link below was beautifully edited by BHS teacher Brandon Doemling and filmed by his graduating students. (If you want to watch the clip without the audio glitches, let it run through once and then let it replay.)

You can also click on this link to see scenes from the 2007 graduation festivities

No home games? No home-made meatballs???

Okay, we get it. No more home games. No more band festivals. No more Foley graduation ceremonies. But no more home-made meatball sandwiches? How many more seasons must we endure without the William Foley ladies' delicious home-cooked half-time treats?? BHS grad and photograper extraordinaire Dominick Delli Paoli contributed this shot of the now-shuttered entrance to the Foley Field concession stand, which has long been a great source of income for the William Foley Football League, which nurtures feeder teams for the BHS varsity squad.

To see more of Dominick's Foley pictures click here:

Foley Field: Current Status

BILL FOLEY--LEGENDARY COACH--1915-1951

BHS's first Bengal gridders--1904

There was little in the way of equipment. The boys supplied their shoes and pants and the school provided stockings and shirts. Shoulder pads? You could pack some newspaper and cloth together if you were so disposed. Nevertheless the Bengals won every game in 1904.

BHS's first marching band

In 1925 Bloomfield High formed its first marching band. “The spirit instilled in the football team by the band no doubt contributed to many victories in close games during the season,” said the BHS yearbook. Indeed, the band helped the team climax the season with a dazzling victory: Bloomfield, 45, Montclair zero.

Foley before it was Foley/Memorial Park

By 1922, Coach William Foley convinced the Bloomfield Board of Education to purchase a tract of land to build a new field just south of James Street between the defunct Morris Canal (now JFK Blvd) and the winding Third River. The $14,000 purchase price also included Oakes Mill Pond, which is now Memorial Park.