The Midnight Football League was a popular activity for Ocean City’s summer workers in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Young men from local establishments, such as Phillips Crab House, Frontier Town, the Ocean City Police Department and The Embers, played a rough and tumble brand of touch football for glory, beer and bragging rights.
Held on Holland Island (now the site of the Sunset Island community), the Midnight Football League was a big event and crowds often numbering 100 or more would come watch the late-night games and socialize.
The skill level of the ballplayers was actually quite good and in the early years cars would shine their headlights on the field to supplement the existing lights so the games could be played. The memories of those athletic contests remain strong today.
Photo courtesy of Jimmy Capati