Uncovering the roster of the Bertrand High School football team from the 1962 season presents a unique challenge. Unfortunately, readily accessible online resources like digitized yearbooks or official team records from that era are scarce. Locating this information requires exploring several avenues, which I will outline below. This will involve a detective-like approach, utilizing various research methods to piece together the information you seek.
How to Find the 1962 Bertrand High School Football Roster
The quest to find this historical roster requires a multi-pronged approach:
1. Local Archives and Historical Societies: This is your best bet. Contact the local historical society in Bertrand, Nebraska (assuming this is the Bertrand you're referring to), or the Bertrand Public Library. They may possess yearbooks, local newspapers from 1962, or other archival materials containing the team roster. Many local archives digitize their collections, which might be accessible online, but in-person visits are often necessary for accessing less readily available documents.
2. School District Records: Reach out to the Bertrand Public Schools administration. Their archives might hold old athletic records, including team rosters. While they might not have a digital copy, they may be able to direct you to someone who can help.
3. Newspaper Archives: Many historical newspapers are now available online through subscription services like Newspapers.com or GenealogyBank. Searching these archives for "Bertrand High School Football" along with the year 1962 might yield articles mentioning players or game results, potentially providing partial or complete roster information. These articles often include team photographs, though identifying individual players can be difficult without additional information.
4. Alumni Associations: Connect with Bertrand High School alumni associations. Their members are likely to have memories or access to old yearbooks or photos. Online alumni groups, often found on social media platforms like Facebook, can be an invaluable resource.
5. Family History Research: If you know the names of any individuals who played on the team in 1962, researching their family history through online genealogy databases might reveal information about their high school athletic involvement.
Challenges and Potential Outcomes
It's important to acknowledge that finding this specific roster might prove challenging. Record-keeping practices were different in 1962, and many records might have been lost or damaged over time. Therefore, your research might uncover partial information, rather than a complete roster.
Frequently Asked Questions (While not directly related to the 1962 roster, these are common questions related to researching old high school sports teams)
Where can I find old high school sports photos?
Old high school sports photos can be found in various places: local historical societies, school archives, family albums (if you know someone who was involved), and online genealogy websites. Often, these photos are included within articles in digitized local newspapers.
How can I find information about a specific high school athlete from the past?
Finding information about a specific high school athlete from the past requires a similar multi-pronged approach to finding the team roster. Use the same strategies outlined above, but focus your search on the individual's name. Genealogy websites, local archives, and online alumni groups are particularly useful here.
This detailed approach, while time-consuming, offers the best chance of finding the elusive 1962 Bertrand High School football team roster. Remember that persistence and a combination of research strategies are key to success. Good luck!
