1938: The first Oil Bowl matched Class B football stars from East and West Texas. The East wore the uniforms of the Wichita Falls High School varsity. The West wore the uniforms used by the junior varsity Rowdies. Jack “Jackrabbit” Crain of Nocona ran a punt back 55 yards for a touchdown in the final two minutes to give the West a 15-13 win. Carrol Wood of Cameron High School coached the East, and Volney Hill of Burkburnett coached the West in the inaugural game. Key players in the game were Preston Johnston of Newcastle, Cullen Rogers of Mart, Murray Evans of Burkburnett and Huck Schafer of Yoakum.
1939: T.A. Weems of Rockdale, Walter Heap of Taylor, Fritz Lobpries of Schulenburg and Glen Tegge of Georgetown all had touchdown runs in the East’s 24-13 Labor Day win over the West. Willie Zapalac caught several Weems passes to keep drives alive for the East. Thayne Ammonet of Flomot ran for 96 yards on 14 carries and scored both touchdowns for the West, one a 45-yard romp.