Prior to the varsity night football game at Heartbreak Ridge on Friday, September 1, 2023, a ceremony was held to rededicate the newly-renovated stadium to Harry E. Franks. It was attended by several members of Harry and Joan Franks family; son Harry Franks, Jr. and his wife Ellen; daughter Joy Longenecker and granddaughter Kelsey Franks.
"Of all the honors and all of the accolades that my father had, the fact that this stadium, Heartbreak Ridge, was named in his honor, while he was live to enjoy it, was one of his truly great moments," said his son Harry. "He certainly would have been here this evening, and as much as a tough guy as he was, he would certainly have shed a tear."
"It was a hard decision to knock down the old stadium," said School Board Vice-President Paul Saraullo during the ceremony. "It was iconic, with a lot of history and tradition. But we soon realized that it was in the best interest to replace it."
"By the way," he added, "there was never a question that this stadium was always going to be called Harry E. Franks Stadium."
The stadium was named after Harry Sr. in honor of his years as a legendary football coach and athletic director in 1985. He was the school's first Head Football Coach when the new building opened in 1952. During the next several years he built a legendary program which set up Neshaminy as a football powerhouse for years to come. He finished his coaching career with a 69-10-2 record.
He was the school's athletic and co-curricular director until his retirement in the 1970s. He passed away in 2007. His wife Joan, who passed away just last year, was a teacher in the district for 42 years, including time as a kindergarten teacher at the old Tawanka Elementary School where one of her students was none other than our current Acting Superintendent, Jason Bowman.
At the end of the ceremony, members of the Neshaminy HS Cheerleading Team unveiled new lettering on press box restoring the name of Harry E. Franks to the stadium and school that meant so much to him and his family.
