The College Football Historian ™ Expanding the Knowledge and Information on College Football’S Unique Past—Today!
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INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL RESEARCHERS ASSOCIATION ™ The College Football Historian ™ Expanding the knowledge and information on college football’s unique past—today! ISSN: 1526-233x [July 2011 Vol. 4 No. 6] circa: Jan. 2008 Tex Noel, Editor ([email protected]) (Website) http://www.secsportsfan.com/college-football-association.html All content is protected by copyright© by the author. I would like to thank the members who submitted information to ESPN writer, Alyssa Roenigk, for her story on the origin of the Quarterback Sneak. Our membership has supplied her with lots of vital and useful information…Great job one and all.-Tex Noel, Executive Director, IFRA * * * SPORTING LIFE Vol. 67, No. 16 Although from the point of view of June 17, 1916 sports, his name today is chiefly associated with the noble game of American Indians First lacrosse, which he invented and which is commemorated by one of Foot Ball Player our cities named in its honor, and in memory of the famous stretch of By Parke H. Davis sand near that city where the Indian played his greatest lacrosse games, In the history of foot ball in America, the first American also played foot what starting point could be found ball in a well-specialized game, of more pleasing to the great fraternity which he also was the inventor. of foot ball enthusiasts in this country than a game played by the original Americans prior to the The College Football Historian-2 - coming of the Europeans? The Indian was extraordinary in his Our authorities for these facts are love for the arts of the athlete. three old English writers who have sent down to us across the chasm of 300 years their interesting gridirons, is not this a concise chronicles. These three fathers of description of a kick-off or a punt? the literature of sports in this And can that swaying by a country were Henry Spellman, multitude be aught else than a author in 1609 of the "Relation of scrimmage, however crude? Virginia;" William Wood, author of "New England's Prospect" in 1634, Our genial reporters of three and William Strachey, author of centuries ago tell us that sometimes "The History of Travaille into several days were required to obtain Virginia," of the same period. a goal, in which event the contending teams would mark the GOALS A MILE APART sport where the ball lay at sundown and resume the game at that point Like lacrosse, the Indian played his the following day. And there was fair game of foot ball upon the Hat sportsmanship in their game, sands. The ball was made of leather, comparing the attacks of the sewn with a thong and filled with Indians to the tactics of moss. The goals were a mile or more Englishmen, mid clearly referring to apart. The players ordinarily were tripping and hacking, says: "They braves of the same tribe, but upon never strike up one another's heels, special occasions the- game would as we do, not acompting that be waged between selected players praiseworthy to purchase a goal by of different tribes, one tribe being such an advantage." arrayed against another. In these They played for stakes, did these tribal contests the players came to Indians, so high that William Wood the sands arrayed in war bonnets, is afraid to tell the size. On this war paint, and full savage regalia. subject he says: "It would exceed the As the time drew near for the game belief of many I to relate the worth to begin, bows, quivers, shields and of one goal, wherefore it shall be bonnets were discarded, and the nameless." Indian, lithe and athletic, stood forth eager and alert. Before commencing play the rival players THE MIEMACS SCALPED shook hands and rubbed noses OPPONENTS informal token of the friendliness of the fierce encounter. A picture in pronounced contrast to these friendly games is drawn by S. And were our comrades of this Hagar in the "American primeval game without technique? Anthropologists" for 1895. This Harken unto the words of William writer has discovered antiquities of Wood: They 'mount' the bull into the The College Football Historian-3 - air with their naked feet. Sometimes it is swayed by the the game among the Miemac multitude." Say, you sons of college Indians of Canada. These Miemacs, according to Hagar, "collared each book: "It is most delightful to see other around the neck and when them play, when men may view hard pressed drew their scalping their swift footmanship, their knives and scalped." curious tossing of the ball, their flouncing into the water, lubber-like No wonder such players, unlike wrestling, having no cunning at all their, brethren in New England and in that kind, one English being able Virginia, had to have the services of to beat ten Indians at foot ball." an umpire, and the latter, out of an abundance of caution, started play As the country along the Atlantic by throwing the ball between the seaboard became cleared, as the two rival lines from a safe distance stretches became more and more to one side. Such was the practice, populated, and as opportunities for according to Hagar. half-holiday recreations began to appear now and then in the bard Foot ball was likewise a common toil of the pioneer, foot ball came form of recreation among the more and more to the fore as an English Colonists, who took with outdoor game for companies of them to America a knowledge of players. As in England, the ball was several highly specialized games an inflated bladder, most frequently prevalent at the time in England. in its natural state, but occasionally protected by an extra leather Thus Henry Spellman tells us covering, patiently sewed by some concerning foot ball in Virginia in enthusiast. the time of Governor Berkeley: "They use beside foot ball play which Although no antiquary has women and young boys much do assembled for us a description of play at. They make their gooles like the methods of play, it is reasonable ours only they never tight nor pull to assume that with the continuous another done. The men play with a arrival of emigrants from England, little ball letting it fall out of their the types of games in America at hands and striketh with the top of any time during the colonial days his foote and he that can strike the corresponded with the types of foot ball farthest winnes that they play ball played in England at the same for." period. RED MAN VS. PALEFACE With the arrival of the year of 1800, villages not only were abundant Is it not refreshing to learn that throughout New England, but each relations in sport existed between the Colonists and the Indians and that their lives were not wholly The College Football Historian-4 - composed of warfare, massacre, and reprisals? In proof again let us refer to William Wood and read from his village had its "green." Here the carried or batted, but should be young and old assembled in leisure propelled only by the feet. The hours to play at bowls, the young to accidental kicking of the ball across wrestle, their elders to watch, and the side boundaries necessarily frequently all able-bodied fellows to kick a foot ball. Naturally in all such required the adoption of rules for neighborly assemblages a simple bringing the ball back upon the field game arose which consisted merely of play, and these rules of course in kicking the ball across two varied from village to village, opposite lines of "gooles." according to the contour of the field, the presence of trees, fences, and A common rule of all such games other obstructions, and the was that the ball could not be ingenuity of the players. * * * Book Report: How You The 1923 World Series was once again played in New York between Played the Game the Yankees and the Giants and Rice was once again in the press box By Randy Snow covering the series. But he skipped Part 2 of 2 Game 4 in order to cover a college football game at Ebbets Field The 1922 World Series between the between Notre Dame and Army. New York Yankees and the New However, Rice could not manage to York Giants was the first to be get into the press box and had to broadcast live on the radio. Who settle for a sideline pass for the better to handle the play-by-play game. On one play, all four that Grantland Rice? It was the one members of the Notre Dame and only time in his career that Rice backfield ran wide on an end run. ever called a game. It was broadcast They literally ran over Rice, on radio station WJZ which had a knocking him to the ground. He 300 mile range. described the incident by saying, "They´re like a wild horse Rice was also in the press box at the stampede." The following year, Rice opening of the newly constructed ´s description of the Notre Dame Yankee Stadium in 1923. It was known as "The House That Ruth The College Football Historian- 5- Built," and Ruth did not disappoint his fans when he hit two home runs backfield would become a part of for the Yankees during the game. sports history forever. On October 18, 1924, Rice was in between the Fighting Illini and the the press box for the Army-Notre visiting Michigan Wolverines. Dame Game. He sat at his Though Rice was not there to typewriter and typed the words that witness the game first hand, he would forever catapult him and the began referring to Grange as a team into legendary status; Galloping Ghost of the Gridiron.