September 4, 2024
The “First Annual Last Reunion of Jerome Berg Teams,” a title coined by Dr. Martin Johnson, who played on Jerome Berg teams, will take place as part of the annual Mayville State Homecoming/Farmers Bowl festivities on Sept. 27 and 28. Jerome Berg was head coach of Mayville State football teams from 1956 to 1966. During his tenure, Coach Berg’s teams won 62 games and lost only 20. This run included six conference titles. Coach Berg retired from coaching in 1966. He died in January of 2011, at the age of 84.
Coach Berg was a player’s coach who was highly respected by all who had the opportunity to be on one of his teams. Reunion organizers Curt Almlie, Richard Fugleberg, Marty Johnson, and Arne Osland have invited all former players to gather one more time to honor and celebrate the Comet coaching days of Jerome Berg.
Reunion activities will include participation in the Homecoming/Farmers Bowl events, as well as some special activities planned just for the Jerome Berg teams participants. The group will ride in the Homecoming/Farmers Bowl parade and then enjoy tailgating hosted by the Comet Gridiron Club at “The Grove.” Former Berg players will be recognized at halftime of the game. The reunion will culminate after the game with socializing at Richard Fugleberg’s airport hangar south of Mayville. Reunion participants, as well as their friends and family members and cheerleaders who supported the teams from 1956 to 1966, are invited to gather for refreshments and visiting. A video featuring game footage and yearbook highlights will be shown at 6:30 p.m.
Mayville State Homecoming/Farmers Bowl 2024 will begin in grand style with an Old Main renovation celebration event at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27. A program outside the front entrance of Old Main will be followed by the ceremonial first swing of the golden sledgehammer inside the building. The North Dakota Legislature has provided funding to renovate Mayville State’s historic Old Main. Preliminary work is well underway, and the interior transformation of Old Main will begin soon. This will be the last time when people will be able to see the building as it is remembered by many.
A light picnic-style lunch will be available to all as the celebration of Mayville State’s soon-to-be-completed Legacy Plaza begins at noon. Legacy Plaza is located along the thoroughfare that runs between the Classroom Building and Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.
This year’s Performing Arts Hall of Fame inductees Leeanne (Folland) Eylands, Christopher Pankow, and Amy Jo (Stewart) Paukert will be recognized at a program planned for 2 p.m.in the Mayville State Classroom Building Auditorium. The Mayville State Music Department will provide some musical selections, as will Triplicity.
The 2024 Athletic and Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame inductees and Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Service Award recipients will be recognized at the Homecoming Awards Dinner planned for 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are Hailey Longtin Aman, Stacey (Leinius) Hadler, Rob Montgomery, and Tom Pahl. Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame inductees are Ross Hjelseth and Ray Thorkildson. Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are Matt Fetsch and Rob Walker, and Distinguished Service Award recipients are Pam Braaten and Susan Schultz.
A pre-dinner social will be held at the Edson and Margaret Larson Alumni and Leadership Center from 4 to 5:30 p.m. A social for alumni and friends will also follow the Homecoming Awards Dinner from 8:30 to 11 p.m. at the Mayville Golf Club.
An open house at the Edson and Margaret Larson Alumni and Leadership Center and the surrounding gardens will kick off the day’s activities on Saturday, Sept. 28. The open house is set to begin at 8:30 a.m.
The traditional Ceremony of Remembrance at the Military Honor Garden on the grounds of the Larson Center will follow at 9:30 a.m.
A parade will start at the corner of Main Street and Center Avenue, beginning at 11 a.m. It will run down Main Street and end at Jerome Berg Field on the Mayville State campus. Those interested in entering a unit in the parade should contact Stacy Buchl at stacy.buchl@mayvillestate.edu or 701-788-4864.
Beginning at 11:30 a.m., Athletic Hall of Fame teams marking anniversaries in five-year increments since they played at Mayville State are invited to join in tailgating at “The Grove” northwest of Jerome Berg Field. Teams of honor this year are the 1959 and 1964 baseball teams, the 1984 volleyball team, and the 1989 women’s basketball team. Tailgating festivities will be hosted by the Comet Gridiron Club.
Mayville State’s athletic teams will be making the preparations and serving the legendary Farmers Bowl Corn on the Cob and Hot Dog Feed outside of Jerome Berg Field starting at noon. Pre-game festivities will also include music, yard games, inflatable games for all ages, and mini donuts.
Comets softball alumni are invited to join in tailgating starting at noon at “The Grove.”
The Comets will host Valley City State University in the Farmers Bowl/Homecoming game. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Jerome Berg Field.
The grand finale for the weekend will be the Farmers Bowl Auction. Socializing and silent auction bidding will begin at 5 p.m. at the MSU Campus Center Luckasen Room. The live auction will begin at 7 p.m.
The full Mayville State Homecoming/Farmers Bowl schedule with all the details is at www.mayvillestate.edu/reunion. Admission tickets for the Homecoming Awards Dinner and Farmers Bowl Auction are available for sale at this site, as well as at the offices of the MSU Foundation. Contact the MSU Foundation at alumni.mail@mayvillestate.edu or 701-788-4750 with questions.