G-Day has a Colorful History

G-Day History

In 1941 the Georgia Bulldogs were invited to their first ever post season contest and rolled past TCU 40-26 in the Orange Bowl behind a record setting performance from All American Frank Sinkwich. Nine months earlier the Bulldog nation got their first glimpse of what was to come with the first ever G-Day game on March 8th. The spring festival of Georgia football featuring split squads, famous alumni coaches, and a co-ed dance.

In the hall-of-famer Butts days, practices were broken down into winter, spring, summer, and in-season sessions. There was no question of the priority, no matter the sport in season. According to All- SEC football and baseball star and legendary high school football coach Billy Henderson, football was king, and if you played something else, you went after football practice. The schedule was demanding, so much so that the first priority for Butts heading into the promising football season of 1942 was re-recruiting Sinkwich. After telling the team to enjoy the Orange Bowl victory Butts said that he would see them in two weeks for winter practice. A tired and worn down Sinkwich quit, but he was re-recruited for his senior season and re-joined the team. Sinkwich went on to shatter the record book, win the Heisman Trophy, and team with fellow All-American Charlie Trippi to lead the Dogs to their first ever SEC title, an 11-1 record, the Rose Bowl, and a consensus national championship.

In the 1950′s, over a decade of G-Day’s had passed and the popularity grew so that it became a major event. A record 18,000 onlookers enjoyed the 12th G-Day of 1954 highlighted by the United States Marine Corps marching band, a dance, and a halftime entertainment by the young Andy Griffith, and one of the biggest parades in Athens history.

The 1980′s brought un-paralleled glory to Georgia with the 1980 National Championship, three consecutive SEC titles, Herschel Walker’s Heisman Trophy, and four straight top five national finishes. G-Day re-established itself as a showcase event. With celebrity coaches, major entertainers, and even alumni games it offered Bulldogs of old the chance to strap it on against the teams of the day. In 1996 due to Sanford Stadium’s preparations for the upcoming summer Olympics, the G-Day game was actually played at Billy Henderson Stadium on Clarke-Central High School’s campus. The 2016 game became the attendance benchmark with the all time record of 93,000 in Kirby Smart’s first year as head coach.

G-Day Attendance Records

2020 -- Cancelled, Covid

2019 -- 52,630

2018 -- 82,184

2017 -- 66,133

2016 -- 93,000

2015-- 46,815

2014 -- 46,073

2013 -- 45,113

2012 -- 44,117

2011 -- 43, 117

2010 -- 38,742

2009 -- 42,458

2008 -- 19,874 (rain)

2007 -- 21,407

2006 -- 18,530

2005 -- 24,117

2004 -- 25,134

2003 -- 17,500

2002 -- 17,812

2001 -- 20,445

2000 -- Cancelled

1999 -- 12,845

1998 -- 16,445

1997 -- 8,411

1996 -- 10,196

1995 -- 10,217

1994 -- 14,617

1993 -- 9,617

1992 -- 12,211

1991 -- 17,264

1990 -- 15,161

1989 -- 23,612

1988 -- 17,034

1987 -- 14,325

1986 -- 16,320

1985 -- 25,800

1984 -- 20,785

1983 -- 18,238

1982 -- 30,085

1981 -- 21,500

1980 -- 18,250

1979 -- 20,200

1978 -- 19,700

1977 -- 13,300

1976 -- 15,263

1975 -- 5,300

1974 -- 13,400

1973 -- ---

1972 -- 10,000

1971 -- 14,550

1970 -- ---

1969 -- 14,550

1968 -- 11,543

1967 -- 15,300

1966 -- 10,300

1965 -- 8,500

1964 -- ---

1963 -- ---

1962 -- 9,000

1961 -- 11,481

1960 -- 7,000

1954 -- 18,000

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