Written by Haley Parnell, LINK nky reporter
Dayton Mayor Ben Baker issued a proclamation last week naming Saturday, Jan. 22. ‘Who Deyton, Kentucky’ in recognition of the Cincinnati Bengals’ divisional playoff game against the Tennessee Titans.
Of course we are all still celebrating the win … maybe Who Deyton was the luck charm that ensured their victory?
“Because of our city’s past history with the Cincinnati Bengals and as a fun way to celebrate this year’s football team with our residents, who we call the Who Deyton Nation, we decided to change our city’s name for one day to recognize the team’s successful 2021-22 football season and support it in its upcoming divisional playoff game against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday,” Baker said last week.
Dayton’s history with the Cincinnati Bengals stretches back to 1937, when the team first got together to work out at Tacoma Park.
“The proclamation also recognizes the city’s past history with the Cincinnati Bengals,” said the release announcing the proclamation. “In 1937, the original Cincinnati Bengals professional football team — one of seven members of the American League of Professional Football — held its first work out under Coach Hal Pennington at Tacoma Park in Dayton, Ky.”
The Bengal’s history also has ties to O.W. Davis Field in Dayton.
“The team also held its first scrimmage game on Sept. 27, 1937, before 2,000 fans at Dayton’s O.W. Davis Field,” the release said. “The stadium, which was only three years old at the time, continues to serve as home of the Dayton High School Green Devils football team. John McAfee, an Ohio State University graduate and football coach and teacher at Dayton High School, played halfback on the original Cincinnati Bengals professional football team in 1937.”
Bakers’ proclamation also declared that Jan. 22 would be recognized as “Cincinnati Bengals Day” in Dayton.
Some physical changes happened around the city to support the Bengals. The city’s logo changed from green to orange. Both city hall and the Dayton-Bellevue firehouse changed their colors from white to orange, and the firehouse also hung an orange and black banner on their building that reads “Who Deyton: Let’s Go Bengals” and changed their website and Facebook page to mirror the sign.
Maybe the city’s name should remain Who Deyton until they win the Super Bowl!
Photo: Provided by the City of Dayton
