Chuck Humble waves the Linfield Purple Flag flag from bleachers behind the Linfield Wildcat team bench at Goerke Field in Stevens Point, Wisc. In the Sept. 18, 2004 football game, Linfield beat the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, 46-35. Wildcatville photo.What a game to debut the Linfield Purple Flag.
During the summer of 2004, Linfield alum Chuck Humble commissioned a purple flag sporting a large white "L" and measuring 6-feet x 4-feet.
"I had seen other colleges with signature flags that the fans brought to the games and I thought there should be one at the Linfield games," said Humble in 2008. "I figured it would add something to the excitement and the fun of attending the games and provide a rallying point for our fans."
The flag wasn't ready for the season opener on Sept. 11 on Maxwell Field in McMinnville, when Linfield beat Western Oregon University, 58-17.
So, the flag's debut was in Wisconsin on the afternoon of Sept. 18. It was the second game for the 2004 Wildcats, their first season with Brett Elliott as quarterback. The 'Cats would go on that season to win the NCAA DIII national championship. From that game through the rest of the season, the Linfield Purple Flag was there.
"The hardest part was getting the flag to Wisconsin as I not only had to bring the flag, but also the flag pole," Humble recalled. "I couldn't take the pole as airline passenger carry on, so I took it as checked luggage. It was the first of many air trips for the flag and the flag pole."
But, back to Stevens Point. It's a home game for the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Pointers ranked seventh in the DIII poll. UWSP came into the game having not lost a regular season game to a non-conference DIII opponent since 1981. The Wildcats were ranked second in the poll.
The temperature was 80 degrees, it was sunny with a light breeze and the grass on Goerke Field was long. In the parking lot before the game and at halftime, brats are grilled, Wisconsin cheese curds and smoked trout jerky eaten and beverages consumed.
Final score: Linfield 46, UWSP 35. But, it wasn't easy. Led by Elliott, the Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win. He set a Linfield passing records of 480 yards on 38 completions out of 60 attempts.
A look at the game's scoring summary includes –with only points in which Elliott was involved listed -- for Linfield:
- Casey Allen 13-yd pass from Brett Elliot (Allen pass from Elliot)
- Brad McKechnie 16-yd pass from Elliot
- Brandon Hazenberg 11-yd pass from Elliot
- Tyler Kaluza 11-yd pass from Elliot
- Allen 10-yd pass from Elliot
- Thomas Ford 59-yd pass from Elliot
See below for game story which appeared in the Sept. 21, 2004, McMinnville News-Register. To see a larger version of each photo below, click on it.
