Cross High School has never been large, but it has always enjoyed a large amount of support from the community as well as participation from the student body.
In 1895, the High School boasted the Massachusetts State Champions for football, a still terribly violent sport that saw more broken bones than most parents were comfortable with.
On December 19, 1895, the football team celebrated their victory with a formal dinner at the high school, catered by the parents. The town council was present, as were many members of the community. What happened later that evening was witnessed by 73 people.
The dinner went well, and many toasts were given by prominent members of Cross. The champions had their fill of champagne imported from Boston for the event. Only the members of the team drank from the bottles, and it is suspected that the resulting incident was caused by the drink, although it was never proven.
At nine minutes past eight, the football players began to fight one another.
No words were spoken, no looks exchanged.
They launched themselves across tables and ignored all the other guests. The young men were imbued with a hideous strength, and in some cases literally tore the limbs off their teammates.
When the carnage was finished, all were dead.
It was another 40 years before Cross High School had another football team.
Champagne is strictly forbidden.
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