The Classic: More Than a Football Game : A venerable rivalry--and a prideful community event--continues Friday when Garfield and Roosevelt take the field in the 22nd annual matchup.

Garfield vs. Roosevelt in the 22nd annual East Los Angeles Classic on Friday night.

It’s not exactly the Hatfields and the McCoys, but this football rivalry has been described as everything from a battle to a family affair.

A friendly football game between the two high schools has grown into a citywide event. More than 22,000 fans pack Weingart Stadium at East Los Angeles College for the annual game.

Friday’s game will be the 58th meeting between the schools. Roosevelt leads the series, 29-22-6; in the Classic, however, both teams have won 10 games and tied once.

This game will ensure bragging rights to the victor for one more year. And as far as East Los Angeles is concerned, it’s the only game in town.

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Mike Garrett, USC athletic director, Roosevelt player, 1965 Heisman Trophy winner at USC: “Roosevelt-Garfield was the game. It was exactly like USC versus Notre Dame in East L.A. It’s a rare treat that not many people have a chance to experience.”

Maria Tostado, Garfield principal: “The proximity of the schools adds to the rivalry, because the junior high schools--Robert Louis Stevenson, Hollenbeck, Belvedere and Griffith--feed into Garfield and Roosevelt. Many of the kids who attend Garfield and Roosevelt went to the same junior high schools. In East Los Angeles, everyone knows one another. It is like a little Midwest town in a big city. Everyone knows everyone’s family. It is the type of game where the husband takes half of the kids on one side and the wife takes the rest of the kids on the other, because he went to Garfield and she went to Roosevelt.”

Henry Ronquillo, Roosevelt principal and alumnus: “The East L.A. Classic is more than a game. It is the biggest rivalry in the country. It is a time for both teams to showcase their band units, drill teams and athletes. It knits the community together with even more pride. It is definitely the biggest community event in East L.A. for the entire year. This is the game that means the most to all involved.”

David Endow, Roosevelt coach: “Lots of the players (on both teams) grew up together and shared childhood experiences. There is a lot of intermarriage between the schools. You have cousins versus cousins and brothers versus brothers. . . . In 1990, we were 0-6 and Garfield was 6-0 when we played. We beat them, 7-0, and that was the only game we won all year. We haven’t scored a point against them in the past two Classics.”

John Aguirre, Garfield coach: “It is a community event. It is as big as it gets on the Eastside. The coaches are here to promote the kids’ performances and both schools’ athletics programs. You run into your old friends from the past who come to the game annually. It is an event that needs to stay in our area. (From a coaching standpoint,) every game is critical, but the Roosevelt game is special.”

Frank Madrid, Roosevelt quarterback: “There are a lot of people (on Garfield’s team) that I went to junior high school with. We talk trash to one another about whose team is better. The winner gets bragging rights. I really look forward to playing against Garfield because my family and friends come out to watch me and there is always a big crowd.”

Armando Figueroa, Garfield running back: “It is a real community game, because everywhere you go, people ask you: ‘Who is going to win?’ It is a real hyped-up game. It means a lot to the players because we live in the area and grew up watching the game. To grow up watching the game and now get the chance to play in it is the greatest feeling in the world.”

Ted Davis, Garfield publicity director: “In 1972, Garfield Coach Vic Loya, Roosevelt Coach Al Chavez and I got together at Club Fujiyama--a hangout that teachers and friends from both schools would meet at before and after the game. We decided to call the game the East Los Angeles Classic. Before that it didn’t have a name. The first Classic was in the fall of 1972. It is the biggest high school game west of the Mississippi. It could go to the Rose Bowl next year. It doesn’t matter what these teams’ records are--there will still be a big turnout for this game. Former Atlanta Falcon Lynn Cain, Los Angeles Dodger Willie Davis and USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett are all alumni of Roosevelt.”

Al Padilla, Roosevelt alumni: “I’ve been involved in the game for 25 years. I’ve coached both Roosevelt (1955-60) and Garfield (1960-70). It’s the biggest sociological event in East L.A. year in and year out. It’s a tradition that students go to the opposing school and paint graffiti.”

Gilbert Rozadilla, East L.A. College athletic director: “It’s a stable community, and many of the people who went to Garfield and Roosevelt keep in contact with one another. They rent hotel rooms and have social gatherings prior to and after the event. It perpetuates every year. Our stadium holds 22,000 and they fill it every year.”