Uncovering the complete roster for the Bertrand High School football team from the 1962 season presents a significant challenge. Detailed records from that era are often incomplete or unavailable digitally. However, we can explore avenues for finding this information and offer insights into how rosters were typically structured and what information might be available.
Where to Look for the 1962 Bertrand High School Football Roster
Locating this specific roster requires a multi-pronged approach, combining online research with offline methods.
Online Research:
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Local Newspaper Archives: Search online archives of newspapers that covered Bertrand, Nebraska, or the surrounding area during 1962. These archives (often accessible through subscription services like Newspapers.com or GenealogyBank) may contain game reports, season previews, or even team photos with player names. Be sure to search variations of "Bertrand High School," "Bertrand football," and "1962 football season."
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School District Archives: Contact the Bertrand Public Schools directly. Their administrative offices might maintain yearbooks, historical documents, or even archived sports records. This is potentially the best source for a complete roster.
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Local Historical Societies: Local historical societies often collect and preserve community memorabilia. They might possess old yearbooks, scrapbooks, or other materials containing the 1962 football team's roster.
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Online Genealogy Databases: While unlikely to have a dedicated football roster, genealogy websites might list individuals who graduated around 1962 from Bertrand High School. Cross-referencing this information with news articles mentioning players could help identify some team members.
Offline Methods:
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Visit the Bertrand Public Library: The local library likely holds historical records for the community, possibly including information on the high school's athletic teams.
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Connect with Bertrand Alumni: Reach out to alumni associations or connect with older residents of Bertrand. Someone might remember players from the 1962 team or possess personal records related to the season. Social media groups for Bertrand alumni could prove useful.
What Information Would a Typical 1962 High School Football Roster Include?
A 1962 high school football roster would likely contain the following information:
- Player Names: First and last names of all players on the team.
- Player Numbers: Uniform numbers assigned to each player.
- Positions: The primary position played by each player (e.g., quarterback, running back, linebacker).
- Grade Level: The player's grade (e.g., 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade).
- Possibly Height and Weight: Although less common in that era, some rosters might include this physical data.
Why Finding this Specific Roster Might Be Difficult
Several factors contribute to the difficulty of locating this specific roster:
- Record-Keeping Practices: Record-keeping methods in 1962 were less advanced than today. Many records were maintained manually, increasing the chance of loss or damage over time.
- Digital Accessibility: Records from this era are less likely to have been digitized and made easily available online.
- Limited Online Resources: The internet's reach was significantly less extensive in 1962, leaving fewer digital traces of this kind of information.
Persistent research using the methods outlined above offers the best chance of uncovering the 1962 Bertrand High School football team roster. Good luck with your search!
