99 footballs on Harmon Field's birthday cake

Home of Bluffton High School football since 1924

Several very early 1900 teams may have been all-high school teams, while some, such as the Bluffton Warriors, was a town team made up of high school and alums.

The first games were played at Schmidt’s field, which was actually a cow pasture and property where circuses performed and where itinerant travelers set up camps. The was located on Vance Street, site of today’s Tommy’s Plaza and Community Market.

The final BHS team to play at Schmidt’s field was the 1923 squad.

In 1924 Harmon Field opened as a village park, actually more encompassing that a football field. However, football eventually was the major draw there as several newer parks developed.

Harmon Field also served as the home for the Bluffton College Beavers football team until the current university stadium was constructed.

It was not until 1936 that Bluffton stadium was constructed at Harmon Field. And all games until 1937 were played during the day. Lights were added to the field in 1937.

Bluffton High School participated initially as an independent with no league affiliations.

Then in 1929 Bluffton became a charter member of the Mid West League. That conference folded and was reborn as the Western Buckeye League in 1937. BHS was also a charter member of that league.

While Bluffton was competitive in the WBL, it was the smallest school by far and eventually Bluffton looked for a conference with similar sized competition. It found that in the Northwest Conference and joined the NWC in football in 1953. While still in the WBL in basketball, it joined the NWC basketball league in 1958.