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Toy Bowl History

We hope you enjoy these early JCCHS and Toy Bowl history memories as much as we do!

The first Toy Bowl took place at Legion Field on December 14, 1946, with some 20,000 fans in attendance, paying $1 per ticket. Toy Bowl began as a fundraiser for the building of John Carroll High School (est. 1947) and became an annual event and a cornerstone of John Carroll. It was the beginning of the “Knights” as an organized youth athletic team. For the first few years, Toy Bowl remained centered around football games solely. Over time, additional sports were added and played among Catholic elementary schools within the Diocese of Birmingham. Fore more information about the first Toy Bowl and the founding of John Carroll, see the Carrollife Spring 2026 issue.

TOY BOWL PHOTO GALLERY

A group of young women in matching %22TOY BOWL%22 sweaters and skirts pose on tiered steps in front of a building.
A man in a light shirt presents an award to a young boy in the foreground, while a group of boys in matching shirts and caps stand on bleachers in the background.
A group of young men and women in athletic wear pose with trophies on bleachers, with a backdrop of more seated individuals.
A document listing rosters for %22Flies%22 and %22Fleas%22 teams in Birmingham and Mobile is shown, with officials' names listed at the bottom.
A group of young girls in uniform stand on a grassy hill with trees and a fence in the background.
A group of young boys in basketball uniforms pose for a photo in front of bleachers, with a man in a suit standing on the right.
The foreground features the title %22NINTH ANNUAL TOY BOWL Football Classic%22 with the teams Birmingham vs. Mobile and event details, while the background displays cubes with children's faces wearing football helmets.
A group of young boys in football uniforms, some holding helmets, pose with a coach and a young girl in the background.
A group of young cheerleaders in uniform pose with pom-poms in the foreground, while a blurred background shows trees and a building.
A group of young basketball players in uniform, some holding trophies, stand in front of bleachers with a coach.
A group of young basketball players in uniform stand in two rows in front of bleachers, with a coach standing to the right.
A group of young women in athletic wear stand in two rows on a dirt field, with trees and a building in the background.
A group of young basketball players in uniform, some holding trophies, pose for a photo in front of a brick wall with a man in a suit standing among them.
A group of young women in athletic uniforms, some holding trophies, pose for a photo in front of a brick wall.
A group of young boys in matching shirts pose for a photo in a gymnasium with bleachers in the background.
A group of young women in uniform, some holding trophies, pose in front of a wooded area.
Two young boys, one taller and wearing a running singlet, stand proudly in the foreground holding trophies, while a blurred background of trees and a car suggests an outdoor setting.
A group of young boys in athletic uniforms stand in three rows in front of a blurred background of trees and a building.
A group of young boys in football uniforms, some with numbers, stand in rows with two adult men in the background.
A group of young women in athletic attire pose for a photo, with a trophy in the foreground and a blurred outdoor background.
Two posed photographs of young football teams, labeled %22125-Pound Squad%22 and %22100-Pound Squad,%22 are presented above lists of player names, schools, weights, and ages, all under the heading %22EAST ALL-STARS.%22
A group of young basketball players in uniform, some holding trophies, pose in front of bleachers.
A group of young women in athletic wear pose with a trophy in the foreground, while an older woman and other individuals sit behind them on bleachers in the background.
A group of young basketball players in uniform, some holding trophies, are posed on bleachers in front of a dark background.
A football team in uniform lines up on a field in the foreground, with buildings and trees visible in the background.
A typed letter dated June 4, 1975, is in the foreground, with a handwritten signature at the bottom right, against a plain background.
A handwritten list of names and roles, likely from a sports team, is presented on a yellowed paper background.
A group of young men in basketball uniforms pose for a photo in front of bleachers.
A group of young women in uniform, some holding trophies, pose in front of bleachers with a man standing behind them.
A group of young boys in athletic uniforms, some holding trophies, are seated on bleachers in front of a brick wall and metal railings.
A group of young football players in uniform are posing for a team photo on a grassy field with a building and trees in the background.
A sepia-toned photograph captures a group of young boys in athletic uniforms posing for a team photo, with a coach standing to the left, against a plain background.
Two smiling boys, each holding a trophy, stand with a man in front of a plain, dark background.
A group of young women in uniform stand with a priest holding trophies in the foreground, while bleachers fill the background.
A group of young women and a man are posing for a photo in bleachers, with the foreground showing several rows of seated individuals and the background filled with empty wooden bleacher seats.
A group of young boys in football uniforms pose for a photo in front of a building.
A group of young boys in basketball uniforms pose for a photo, with trophies in the foreground and a framed picture on the wall in the background.
A group of young boys in basketball uniforms, some holding trophies, are seated on bleachers in front of a wooden wall.
A group of young football players in uniform stand on a grassy field in front of a house and trees.
A group of smiling children, some holding trophies and a banner that reads %221966 Toy Bowl Field Day Champs,%22 pose for a photo on bleachers.
A group of young men in football uniforms pose for a team photo, with coaches standing behind them.
A group of young football players in uniform stand on a field in front of a wooded background.
A group of young football players in uniform pose for a photo in front of bleachers, with a car visible in the background.
A group of young boys in football uniforms pose for a photo on bleachers, with a man in a suit standing at the top right and a car visible in the background.
A group of young boys in football uniforms stand in rows on a grassy field, with a building and trees in the background.
A group of young men in football uniforms pose for a team photo on a grassy field with trees in the background.
A group of young men in football uniforms, some with helmets on, pose for a team photo in front of a blurred background of trees and sky.
A group of young boys in football uniforms pose for a team photo on a grassy field with trees in the background.
A football team poses for a photo in front of a line of trees.
A group of young boys in football uniforms and helmets are posed in the foreground, with coaches standing behind them in the background.
A group of young men in football uniforms pose for a photo, with trees and a building in the background.
A group of young men in football uniforms pose for a team photo on a grassy field with trees and power lines in the background.
A group of young men in football uniforms pose for a team photo outdoors on a grassy field with trees in the background.
A group of young boys in football uniforms, some with helmets, pose for a team photo in a grassy field with trees in the background.
A football team photo from John Carroll Cavaliers is displayed above a roster and a photo of cheerleaders.
A vintage newspaper clipping features a posed team photo of the Berry High Buccaneers football team in the background, with a group of young women in uniform in the foreground.
Two older men in suits are seated, facing each other, while three younger boys in suits stand between them, all against a plain, light-colored background.
A group of young men in football uniforms pose in the foreground, with a building visible in the background.
A black and white photograph of a football player in the foreground is set against a page of text in the background.
A group of young basketball players in uniform, some holding trophies, pose in front of a wooden wall.

 

    WANT TO CONNECT? 

We’d love to hear from you!

Here are 3 ways you can connect right now: 

1. Share your memories or information about these photos by e-mailing Alumni Director Mike Bouton  '73 (mbouton@jcchs.org).

2. Share your time and professional experience with current students through JC 360 and help inspire students who are interested in your field or vocation! Visit JC 360 page HERE for a brief survey to get connected.

3. Share a gift “in Honor of” or “in Memory of” a classmate, teacher, or loved one. Tribute gifts can be made online HERE or mailed to JCCHS 300 Lakeshore Drive Birmingham, AL 35209. Tributes are listed periodically in the Carrollife Magazine.