ST. JOSEPH – Friday night's Griffon Football Spring Game signals the end is near for the spring football season, but it will also signify the beginning of season No. 50 for football at Missouri Western.
 
This year's Spring Game will serve as the kick-off to the 50^th season celebration with the announcement of coming events and the unveiling of some exciting elements surrounding Griffon Football's Golden Anniversary.
 
50^th ANNIVERSARY LOGO AND VOTE
Beginning Friday and continuing through the weekend, fans will have the opportunity to select the 50^th Anniversary logo. Polls will be posted on the official Missouri Western Athletics social media channels (Twitter: @gogriffons, Facebook: Missouri Western Athletics, Instagram: @gogriffons) on Friday. Ballot boxes will also be available for fans to vote at Spratt Memorial Stadium during the Spring Game. The logo selected by Griff Nation will appear on the back of helmets during the 2019 season and be featured prominently on other publications and material distributed throughout the 50^th celebration.

 
 
THROWBACK HELMET DECALS
As previously announced, Griffon Football student-athletes will be equipped with the highest safety rated helmets available in 2019, but those high-tech helmets will come with a nod to the past. Each home game will feature a different throwback helmet decal, replicating helmet logos worn by Griffons past. The five helmets are pictured above. Every helmet this season will also include the 50^th Season logo on the back of the helmet along with the 150^th season of college football logo.
 
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY UNIFORMS
When the Griffons step onto Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium on Sept. 5, they'll do so wearing something no Griffon team has worn before: gold uniforms. The uniforms, which will be unveiled soon, honor the Golden Anniversary of Griffon Football and will be worn under the lights in the season opener against Northwest Missouri.
 
HALL OF FAME COACH WALL DISPLAY
Fans in the Stadium Club at Friday night's Spring Game will be the first to see visual recognition of the three Griffon Football head coaches in the Missouri Western Athletics Hall of Fame. Plaques and framed photos of Harold Cagle, Rob Hicklin and Jerry Partridge were hung in the Stadium Club, proudly looking out toward Craig Field. The Hall of Fame Coach wall display was made possible by the generosity of Griffon Football alums Scott Graham and Zack Workman, who are also chairing the many initiatives of the Golden Anniversary.


 
ALUMNI RECOGNITIONS
The 50^th Anniversary Committee will conduct decade reunions during each home game throughout the 2019 season. Griffon Football Alumni are always welcome, but special recognitions and events are in the works to celebrate five decades of football at Missouri Western.
 
ALL-DECADE TEAMS
The committee will announce all-decade teams from each 10-year period of Griffon Football. The teams, selected by the committee of Griffon Football alumni, will be announced periodically throughout the season and featured in special edition Griffon Gameday programs.
 
SPECIAL EDITION GRIFFON GAMEDAY PROGRAMS
Also a first in some time, all five editions of Griffon Gameday Programs will be unique and feature information on Griffon Football history with each week's program focusing on a specific decade in the program's timeline.
 
MUCH MORE TO COME
Many more items are in the works to celebrate the 50^th Season of Griffon Football. Be on the lookout for more announcements on the official social media outlets of Missouri Western Athletics and on GoGriffons.com.