South Carolina has a proud tradition of high school football stretching back to the 1890s, making the sport one of the most celebrated in the state. Discover how Florence High School-- sometimes dubbed the Yellow Jackets or the Golden Tornados--won the first four state titles, a record that has been tied but never broken. And learn about the aftermath of a 1922 game between Columbia and Charleston, when violent Columbia fans hurled eggs at the Charleston train as the players left for home. Through the 1960s, the sport withstood the immense pressure of integration until 157 teams ballooned into 193 by the end of the decade. John Boyanoski reveals the trophies, tears, and triumphs of the Palmetto State's time-honored football legacy.
John Boyanoski is an award-winning journalist based out of the Upstate. He has written for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville Journal, Sports Business Journal, the Associated Press, GolfLink, the Tulsa World and many more. His work has been cited numerous times by the Suburban Newspapers of America and the South Carolina Press Association. Contact him at palmettopigskin@yahoo.com.