The Greeneville Exchange Club’s Field Day event that was scheduled for Friday at Tusculum University has been canceled due to the heavy rainfall received by the area this week.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of Field Day. The event was first held at Greeneville High School’s Burley Stadium and was a forerunner of track and field. Eastside School, a former school that was located in the current Jeffers Funeral & Cremation Service building in downtown Greeneville, won the first ever field day event, the 220-yard relay.
The first Field Day had more than 950 participants and has grown to nearly 2,000 students. The early events included the local high schools, but later just included students in grades 1st through 8th. Field Day currently consists of 11 events, with 17 schools competing and has evolved to include Special Olympic participants. Events over the years have included sack races, tug-of-war, crab walking, softball throwing, three-legged races, and wood cutting.
Field Day was held at Burley Stadium and moved to the current location at Tusculum University in the late 1990s due to Greeneville High School’s renovation.
There will be no makeup date for this year’s Field Day. The next Field Day is scheduled for May 9, 2025.
