The East LA Classic, or East Los Angeles Classic is the homecomingfootball game for both James A. Garfield High School and Theodore Roosevelt High School. It is known as the East L.A. classic, because the two schools were among the first schools to be established in the East Los Angeles area. The Classic is one of the most highly acclaimed and attended high-school football games west of the Mississippi River and has taken place since 1925, the year of Garfield's establishment. The Classic brings out alumni from all parts of the world, usually fielding crowds in excess of 25,000 per game and has been held at Weingart Stadium on the campus of East Los Angeles College, in Monterey Park, California, for much of its existence. The event was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a few years before returning to its original location at Weingart Stadium. On Feb. 12, 2011, the rivalry held its first alumni game with Garfield defeating Roosevelt, 19-12. In 2016 even U.S. Senate candidate Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez was in attendance. Garfield took the win, 49-3, for their then sixth consecutive victory over Roosevelt. First-time director Billy McMillin's film documentaryThe Classic about the football game won the 2017 storytelling award from the LA Film Festival. In 2019 Garfield continued its recent dominance of the series at the 85th game, with a 10th straight victory in the rivalry defeating Roosevelt 25-0 shutout over the Rough Riders. Roosevelt had enters the game undefeated in league play. Garfield leads the classic with 43 wins with Roosevelt having 41 wins and both tied 6 times. Prior to the game the Roosevelt coach had been candid, saying he was "happy that Garfield lost in the CIF State Division 4-A Bowl Game last season," while insinuating that the Bulldogs’ recent success in the rivalry boils down to recruiting. The Los Angeles Rams and Nike have provided additional promotion and support. For the second straight year, the two organizations have partnered to donate jerseys, shoes, gloves and other football gear to both schools. Nike has also held several events for the schools. Nike has even gone a step further in support of the Classic by providing gear to the Cheerleading and drill teams of both schools, something that has not been seen in the history of this rivalry. In 2019 Classic also coincided with the theatrical release of a 2014 documentary depicting the hardships of being a student-athlete in the Boyle Heights/East LA area. “The All-Americans,” which opens in area theaters.
