Fifty years later, the memories were as vivid as ever.

The 1969 Institute Hill Mustangs — champions of the Butler Area Midget Football League — had a reunion recently at Institute Hill Park and reminisced about their unbeaten championship season.

“Every neighborhood had its own team,” running back Ken Clark said. “The rivalries were so natural. There was so much pride.”

“The league knew how to schedule then,” guard-linebacker Paul McCafferty said. “It always had the best two teams playing each other late.

“Center Township and the Hill were both undefeated when we played for the title.”

Institute Hill polished off its championship season with a 25-0 victory over CT. Clark rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns in the contest while also returning an interception 45 yards for a score.

Jeff McAnallen rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown while Eugene Clauser had 61 yards on the ground.

The trio of backs rushed for 284 of the Mustangs' 309 net yards that day in front of 2,000 people at Alf Allam Field.

“All I had to do was hand the ball to those guys,” quarterback Armand Natili said. “It was a good thing, too, because I couldn't throw the ball at all.”

When asked what he remembered most about that team, Natili said: “Hard work, loyalty and those hot practices on the athletic field.”

McAnallen recalled those practices as well.

“Those hot, humid August days and we weren't allowed a drop of water,” McAnallen said, smiling. “They had us take salt pills.

“(Head coach) Art Monteleone worked us hard. Those practices were brutal ... I hated the guy, but I loved him at the same time.”

Monteleone — who went on to become a long-time high school basketball official — coached in the BAMFL for 25 years. He coached Institute Hill for 21 seasons, South Side for four.

“I remember those salt tablets,” he said. “It was a different time then. I mean, everybody was playing football.

“A lot of our kids went on to play for the high school team or excelled in other sports.”

Monteleone's 1969 Institute Hill team dressed 35 players, but had as many as 60 boys on the roster. The BAMFL had 400 to 500 players in the league.

“We only had 35 uniforms to hand out, so that's how many we dressed,” the coach said. “There weren't enough uniforms to go around.

“But, man, those teams were good. One of our assistant coaches, John Billek, worked at Armco and knew the coach for the Ellwood City midget team. That coach wanted his team, to play a game against us.

“He came down to watch our championship game with CT. Afterward, he said that not only didn't he want to play against our team, he didn't want to play against the team that lost,” Monteleone added.

Tom Turner, who went on to become a standout swimmer at Butler High School and Syracuse University, was a tight end for the 1969 Institute Hill team.

“That's the only year I ever played football,” Turner said. “I was primarily a blocker. I caught one pass that season for 26 yards.

“Three plays later, I ran a block against Lyndora, collided with George Pakutz and broke my hand. I was done for the year and that was it for my football career.”

Butler County Community College basketball coach Dick Hartung was the center for Institute Hill. Other linemen were Jack McGrogon, Pete MacDonald, Tim Manuel, Jeff Freedline and Tim Nebel.

Dick Steighner, Tom Ihlenfeld, Ed Tomosovich, Paul, Joe and Ron Laconi were among others on the team.

The BAMFL's weight limit was 135 pounds. Many of the Institute Hill players weighed 140 or 145.

“We had some big kids,” Turner said. “Art used to have us run laps around Memorial Park to get our weight down so we could play.”

What the coaches said to do, the kids dutifully did.

“It was a fantastic time in our lives,” Natili said. “It wasn't just football. We all hung out together. Neighborhoods were territorial.

“Everybody was competitive, even on the playgrounds. We were intense about everything. That's just how it was.

“Winning that championship meant the world to us,” he added.