THE RHODE ISLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC INJURY FUND HISTORY

In 1942 Raymond Smith, who was a member of the Cranston High School Football
Team, was seriously injured and required a lengthly stay at New England Baptist
Hospital in Boston.

In order to assist the family with extensive medical bills, Cranston Coach Ed Stebbins
helped organize a series of community fundraisers which included benefit football
games. The games were called the Ray Smith Injury Fund games.

In 1947 a Football Round Robin consisting of eight teams was organized to raise money for injured football players and was called the Injured Players Fund Game.The idea was so successful that the concept was soon enlarged to establish an injury fund for all high school football teams in the state.

The fund was eventually called the Rhode Island Football Coaches Injury Fund.The fund eventually expanded to include all junior and senior high school athletes who compete under the jurisdiction of The Rhode Island Principals Committee on Athletics and was named the Rhode Island Interscholastic Injury Fund.The Injury fund is a nonprofit organization and is the only one of its kind in the nation.

Ray Smith is the father of A.J.Smith who served for many years in his capacity as General Manager of the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He is now serving with the Washington Redskins as an evaluator of personnel.