Dec. 7, 2009

DID YOU KNOW? Sixty-eight years ago today (Dec. 7), as the North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) Eagles were returning home from playing Morris Brown in the black college football national championship game in Atlanta, Ga., the attack on Pearl Harbor was announced during the train ride back to Durham, N.C.

The day before, on Dec. 6, 1941, the Eagles suffered their first loss of the season with a 7-6 setback to Morris Brown in the Peach Blossom Classic. NCC opened the season with eight consecutive victories, including five shutouts, followed by a scoreless tie against Virginia State.

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan initiated an unannounced military strike against the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, resulting in the United States' entry into World War II.

With the United States' involvement in World War II, the Eagles did not have football teams in 1943 and 1944. The Eagles returned to the gridiron for the 1945 season and have played football every year since then.

As part of North Carolina Central University's Centennial celebration, the NCCU Department of Athletics will post sports history facts from the institution's first 100 years to its official web site, www.NCCUEaglePride.com, every week during the year-long observance.