on Alaska history by local historian David Reamer. Have a question about Anchorage or Alaska history or an idea for a future article? Go to the form at the bottom of this story.
The distant ancestor of modern high school football in Alaska might be a 1903 New Year’s Day game between the Douglas and Juneau schools. According to accounts from Douglas, “Our team as they played yesterday weighed five pounds to the man less than Juneau.” Their math was either incorrect, or they played with less than a regulation squad, but they nonetheless trounced Juneau 20-0.
On Thanksgiving Day 1939, Juneau hosted the Gold Bowl exhibition between the Sourdough Nuggets and Baranof Bears, two teams of locals created for the event. The University of Washington loaned enough uniforms and gear for 40 players. So, the Nuggets wore the familiar purple and gold while the Bears were adorned in white and gold.
In 1948, some Fairbanks sportswriters, businessmen, and university leaders dreamed that Alaska could compete with the Rose Bowls and Cotton Bowls. So, organizers planned the first Ice Bowl for Jan. 1, 1949, between the University of Alaska and airmen from Ladd Air Force Base . The most significant hurdle was not the weather or cost but the lack of a university football team. In most places, teams exist before games, but allowances must be made this far north.
Despite a relatively brief football history, Alaska has produced several professionals. Fifteen players born in Alaska have played in the NFL, including two who began their professional careers in 2023, Brandon Pili and Tyree Wilson. The first NFL player from Alaska was George Nix .