Martin High School Steps Back in Time for Homecoming Friday

There always seems to be a theme to the Homecoming week at area high schools. There's a good reason why Martin Public Schools is making "vegetables" so important this year.

Though Martin plays as the Clippers, they will step back in time to honor their original mascot as the Onion Kings for this year's Homecoming. This week at the high school, students dressed up as couch potatoes (PJs), peas in a pod (twins), carrot top (crazy hair or orange) and bell peppers (different colors depending on class). It all leads up to Friday's Homecoming game as Martin hosts Lawrence.

According to Martin's history books, the school opened as the Martin Rural Agricultural School. It eventually become what is now known as Martin Public Schools in the early 1930s. When the change was made, local residents were asked to put money into jars to support the possible team name. Folklore says that an onion farmer from nearby Orangeville Township (which a small portion of the Barry County township remains in district) placed a $10 bill in support of the Onion King mascot. During the Great Depression Era, that was a large chunk of change. It also was known world-wide that Martin provided large onion crops.

The athletic teams from then until 1949 were known as the Onion Kings. For the next eight years (1950-1957), Martin High was then known as the Maroons. The mascot changed one more time in 1958, becoming what they are now - the Clippers.

The school and the district has been around for over 130 years but this week, they are "peeling back the layers of history" of their athletic heritage and become the Onion Kings once again.

The Martin Clipper Football Facebook page has given a small preview of their special uniforms for the night.

The school is also selling shirts and special order hats donning the former Onion Kings logo at the Junior/Senior High School.

The Onion Kings, undefeated at 3-0 in their first 8-Man football season, welcome the Lawrence Tigers (0-3) at 7pm Friday.