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INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL RESEARCHERS ASSOCIATION ™

The Historian ™

Expanding the knowledge and information on college football’s unique past—today!

ISSN: 1526-233x May 2010 Vol. 3 No. 3 circa: Jan. 2008

Tex Noel, Editor ([email protected])

http://www.secsportsfan.com/college-football-association.html

[The New Mexican, Nov. 21, 1961] First: WHY?

Bill Boand's Baffling The system was first compiled because I decided to combine best System features of three rating three Explained In Briefest systems into one. The three systems Manner were those of Professors Frank Dickinson of and Ralph

Powell of Ohio State and of William (The New Mexican’s) EDITOR'S T. Van de Graaf, football coach and NOTE — During the past three mathematics instructor at Colorado years, The Associated Press in New College. Mexico has been using the Boand

Football Rating System to rank New Each of these men was a nationally Mexico teams. known mathematician and each had Here, from the man who developed prepared his system to prove that the system, is the story behind the mathematics could play a sound Boand Ratings: part in the ranking of football teams

or indeed teams of any kind. By WILLIAM F. BOAND Each of these men corresponded Written for The Associated Press with me while I was living in Tucson (and incidentally coaching a football FULTON, Mo. (AP)-The Boand team at an Indian school there) and Football Rating System has a each of them was most liberal with history of 30 years of continuous his help. use. Naturally, enough material could be written about it to fill Each of these men completed his several any sense at all, a short own system in the early 1920 and history of the system must be the first to combined system called stripped down to the barest facts AZZI RATEM was completed in the and these facts must be in the late ‘20s. briefest POSSIBLE MANNER.

rankings have been used by the Football News of Detroit. The College Football Historian-2- For a time, the system was used to As I later discovered, the AZZI rank college football teams in RATEM method was really a method Canada and different states, for producing an unlimited number including New Mexico, have used of ranking systems rather than one the system for high school rankings. single system. The first edition of AZZI RATEM was This method was called AS I RATE printed in 1929 and my wife and I ‘EM and later was shorted to AZZ I have hopes that the last (13th) and RATEM. Thus a Mr. Brown might final one may be published some use the system and called AZZI time in 1962. RATEM-Brown and jones (sic) might have one called AZZI RATEM-Jones. From that point on, someone else can carry the . SECOND: WHAT? Third: WHO? My system, a product of the AZZI RATEM method is called the AZZI People who have contributed to the RATEM-Boand System, and in the progress of the Boand System with more recent years, simply the Boand suggestions or criticisms, in System. It has been adjusted 12 addition to Dickinson, Powell, Van times in the last 30 years with a few de Graaf and my wife, must run into to keeping up with the ever the hundreds. expanding number of good football teams. Some of them: Charles (Chuck) Kinter, one-time sports editor of the The national ranking for the top Arizona Daily Star; John F. Byrne of teams were used in the early days the Football Annual, Mr. Marble of by The Associated Press, and then What's What Football Magazine, by the United Press before the press Byron Bond of the Football News services started own system of and coaches of Notre ranking by poll. Dame, Howard Jones of Southern California and of the The rankings were published in the Carlisle Indians and many others first football schedule and feature whose letters are now stored away magazine, The Illustrated Football and unavailable at the present time. Annual, and were carried by this publication for more than ten years. During all these years I worked as a football coach in Arizona while A little later they were carried | in a attempting to regain my health, a football publication known as radio announcer and in recent years What's What for a period of years, as a plant security policeman at and from 1939 to the present the Libby-McNail-Libby in . Kentucky, and Texas A&M * * * University before he at last had the The College Football Historian-3- opening to return to his alma mater, Alabama. So enthused was Bear, Legendary College that he distinctively was quoted as Football Coach Paul saying, “Mama called. And when Bryant and The Alabama Mama calls, you just have to come Crimson Tide runnin’.” By Ben Bobo It was a change of atmosphere when Bryant came back to Tuscaloosa. In Alabama Crimson Tide football is 1958, Bear became of tradition rich with a number of great Alabama, and began leading it to its coaches over the years, and has former Rose Bowl-style success but churned out some of the most elite accomplished even more. Producing athletes that college football has legendary players like Pat Trammell, ever seen, but there is no greater Joe Namath, Big John Hannah, celebrity to come from Bama’s Snake Stabler, Lee Roy Jordan, Billy historic past than . Neighbors, Johnny Musso, Bob Baumhower, and many others. Paul “Bear” Bryant No doubt, Bear Bryant was a Bear Bryant started his career at dazzling motivator and knew how to Alabama as a football player in make his teams to do what he 1931. He was only 1934 national required them to accomplish. championship play . Brian always joked that he was the “other Florida A&M coach, Jake Gaither end” that played for “mamma”. The said of Bear Bryant, “He can take other end was the legendary NFL his’n and beat you’n, and he can Hall of Famer, Don Hudson. Even take your’n and beat his’n.” The bear Bryant’s college playing days, motivation wasn’t just on the field, he showed mental toughness and the motivation carried into the world playing the 1935 game against also by the nature he instilled in his Tennessee with a broken leg. players like big John Croyle, who founded the faith-based Christian As a head football coach, Paul Big Oak Ranch for unfortunate kids Bryant went through several college in Springville, Alabama. head coaching jobs such as the University of Maryland, University of The College Football Historian-4- CONGRATULATIONS to one of our members, John Maher. John writes The very last year that he coached for the Austin American Statesmen. Alabama, 1982, was a down year for Alabama and Bear couldn’t see He and four of his fellow writers on the Austin, Texas-based paper have himself coaching Alabama into been named finalists for national mediocrity. He always said that if he sports writing awards by the give up coaching that he “wouldn’t Associated Press. last a week.” In actuality, he didn’t last a great deal longer than that, John has been nominated for explanatory writing. only 37 days. On January 26, 1983, Bryant died of a heart attack at age From all of us at IFRA, John, we're 69 and many attended his funeral. proud of you. Public officials estimated that * * * between a half-million to a million individuals were lined along the 53 mile stretch from Tuscaloosa to the SOMES EARLY LOWER burial ground in Birmingham that DIVISION FOOT-BALL was mere blocks from Legion Field. CLUBS

The Legendary Man Changed By Mel Smith Alabama and The World Bear’s legacy lives in the players All the levels of foot-ball play that are now growing older and the have helped in their way to fans that hark back to his forward the games we now championship spirit. Not only that… know as soccer, rugby and He helped break segregation in the football. This article delves into South’s football world, and in doing some of the Junior/Division II teams of the 1880s and 1890s so, turned the state around from that were generally the scrubs, intolerance to admiration. Not only seconds and B Teams. They that, he changed the world to a were not under the same better place than he left left. He ain’t administrative control as the never been nothing but a winner. designated varsities or Division Roll Tide! I teams. Used by permission of the author. The first stirrings of foot-ball * * * around 1880 at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore did not The College Football Historian-5- The name ‘Consolidates’ became a popular name for please the college some many scrub teams. administration very much. In Wesleyan University of fact any attempt at forming a Middletown, CT, seemed to be varsity team was definitely not the first college to use this acceptable. So the students name for their secondary went ‘underground’ in 1881 teams in 1882. In 1884, the and formed a foot-ball team. Trinity College of Hartford, CT, This team was named the and later Yale also used that ‘Cliftons FBC’ so it could not name for their catch-all be traced to the name of the secondary team. college. They beat the Marston University School on December The City College of 10, 1881, for their only game. started a seconds’ team called It was played at Druid Hill the ‘Crescents” beginning in Park away from the campus. 1883. When Columbia College These teams played the early dropped varsity football in rugby game using continuous 1885, a team was formed using carrying of the ball without any members of the college athletic downs. union. Its name was dubbed the ‘Unions’ and played all In 1882, the Christian three years while the varsity Brothers College of St Louis, team was suppressed. This MO, formed a varsity kicking ‘Union’ team, along with the game or association football Stevens Tech secondary team team. The college also formed a called the ‘Crickets” became strong secondary team to give founding members of the first the varsity some good practice Union sessions. This B team was League formed in January christened the ‘Resolutes’ and 1886. The Stevens Tech it was free to play all the “Crickets” actually won the secondary teams in the St first league cup during Louis area. This designated 1886/87. These secondary junior team was maintained for college teams could not keep almost twenty years into the up with new Division I twentieth century at the independent teams joining the school. league and dropped out after the 1887/88 season. The College Football Historian-6- 1890. had an undefeated second team When the administration of the named the ‘Consolidates’ in Polytechnic Institute 1890 which would rank near decided to do away with the top of any division II poll. football in the fall of 1887, several poly students went up Many of these teams sprung the street and secretly joined up from the approach of the Brooklyn Heights Football excessive administrative Club. To hide the team name control over what students even more, the team became thought at the time should known as the ‘Sydneys’. This have been under their control. situation lasted about two Other colleges had very little years. control. These secondary teams were able to have a freer had one hand in scheduling than most secondary team with a name varsity teams. Plus they would and it only lasted during 1888. play under less stressful The St John College (now situations. Varsity teams Fordham University) also always had to win to keep the began to name their B team name of a college ranking high, the ‘Invincibles’ in 1888. This whereas these secondary approach continued for almost teams played more for the fun twenty years into the twentieth of it. century. They would play ten plus games a year and became Originally published in the College Football the most famous B team in the Historical Society Journal (CFHS), Vol. area. XXIII, #2, February 2010; used by permission of the author, who is also a TCFH subscriber. Seton Hall College called its team the ‘Alerts’ for several * * * years when the administration cancelled support for a varsity IFRA member Darrell Lester team in the late 1880s. The writes...Under the heading of teams College of St Francis Xavier playing 7 of 10 years pre 1937, you have inadvertently omitted my also began to call its team the beloved Horned Frogs of TCU. ‘Antaeus’ when their administration also declined to During the 1930-1936 seasons they support their varsity after amassed a 67-12-6 record for a The life and times of The College Football Historian-7- coach Francis Schmidt winning percentage of .824. (From the book: Frantic Francis) Editor's Note: Darrell's dad played for the 1933-35 teams and was an 'Way ahead of his time' All-America center. Francis Schmidt jump-started Ohio State football in 1934 with game plans filled with

* * * trick plays. Seven seasons later, he was gone, and his legacy of innovations faded.

IFRA member and curator at the College By Tom Reed Football Hall of Fame, Kent Stephens wants to inform the THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH (used by membership on how teams listed in permission of the paper.) the early polls were ranked. Francis Schmidt's early teams earned the In the pre-mathematic ranking era, nickname "Scarlet Scourge" for piling up prominent national sportswriters points. wrote stories summarizing the most recent season. Ohio State won Big Ten titles in 1935 and '39 and finished second in 1934, '36 and '37. In doing so they frequently listed the Schmidt won his first four games against outstanding teams of the past Michigan by shutout but lost his last three. season. In some cases the listing would include numbering the In the 1930s, Ohio State football players teams. with places to go and appointments to keep walked past the 15th Avenue home of Francis Schmidt at their peril. In some cases they would not give a numerical listings and instead At any moment, regardless of the hour or speak of the most outstanding team season, the upstairs window could fly open and then write of those teams that and the excitable Buckeyes coach would followed. holler, "Hey, you sons of (guns), get over

here. I got something to show you." Often times the author would make it clear that he was speaking of the A summons to the dean's office might be teams in order. In some cases that met with less trepidation. listing was not clearly defined, and some assumptions were made that "(Former player) Jack Smith told me that he this indeed was the intent of the and a couple of teammates were called up to author. Schmidt's bedroom one spring day, and

there were all these index cards spread

* * * across the bed," Ohio State football historian Jack Park said. "Schmidt kept those guys up The College Football Historian-8- He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971, there for an hour showing them the plays he drew up for that season." Schmidt is best known in Ohio State lore for his early success against Michigan and Each play, scribbled by using stubby, founding the Gold Pants Club, but his legacy colored pencils, was more audacious than is largely forgotten. The two-story brick the last. Shovel passes. Double laterals. house where he and his wife, Evelyn, lived Spread formations. on Fraternity Row is now rental property for college students. What the bewildered Buckeyes of the leather-helmet era couldn't conceive is that But 75 years after Schmidt coached his first they were witnessing the future of wide- game at OSU, a new book profiling his life open football as taught by an eccentric, has been published. Frantic Francis, written profane law-school graduate. by Brett Perkins, examines not only his career but also his effect on today's game. "A lot of the plays they're using in the pros right now, we used back then," former "Francis Schmidt was the greatest coach Buckeyes fullback Jack Graf told The who ever lived," , a former Ohio Dispatch in 2003. State captain and assistant coach, said in 1965. "He was way ahead of his time." The idea of Ohio State as an incubator for imaginative offense runs counter to its 'Lookee here' reputation. Big Ten titles and national championships have been won with the Schmidt arrived in Columbus on Feb. 28, fundamental precision of , the 1934. Within hours, the coach had numbing orthodoxy of and distinguished alumni, faculty members and the conservative, sometimes Victorian tenets reporters on their hands and knees combing of . the carpets of a hotel conference room. But from 1934 to 1940, the most exciting, Asked for his offensive strategies, the high-risk college football was played in Kansas native dropped to the floor, pulled Columbus. nickels and dimes from his pockets and diagramed his innovative visions for the "Schmidt was the antithesis of Woody Buckeyes. Hayes," said Kent Stephens, College Football Hall of Fame historian and curator. Dispatch columnist Ed Penisten depicted the "There was no 'three yards and a cloud of bizarre scene: dust' with him. He was so different from what you consider the typical Ohio State He was a zealot, full of excitement, coach to be." confidence and quirks. Converts began to join him on the floor including OSU Schmidt led the Buckeyes to two Big Ten assistant football coaches. He moved the titles before his odd ways and impracticality nickels and dimes around like a spurred his resignation. Four years after kaleidoscope. leaving Ohio State, he was dead at age 58. The College Football Historian-9- Schmidt was not St. John's first choice to become the Buckeyes' 14th coach. Ohio At 6 feet 2 and 200 pounds, Schmidt was a State had tried to poach two coaches from large man with a prominent nose and Big Ten rivals -- only to have the plots distinctive drawl. He was Foghorn Leghorn discovered. in a three-piece suit and bow tie. St. John hired Schmidt and offered him the The fans and press delighted in Schmidt's program's first three-year contract ($7,500 charm and penchant for starting sentences per season) without ever seeing him coach. with "Lookee here." Informed that rival Michigan had beaten Ohio State in nine of The Buckeyes were desperate to inject the past 12 meetings, he said: "They put excitement into Ohio Stadium, where their pants on one leg at a time, just like we attendance in the 1933 season was the do." lowest since it opened in 1922.

Athletic director Lynn St. John was pleased, Schmidt's bulging playbook was a show in but wary of Schmidt's profane past at Tulsa, itself. It contained more than 300 plays and Arkansas and Texas Christian. One of St. seven formations at a time when most John's old friends wrote, "You'll have the college teams ran fewer than 50 plays and job of a Christian missionary to convert the preferred one or two formations. heathen Texan." "It's interesting to see the playbooks of Schmidt did everything to extremes, another era because of the way the game has including recruiting. He refereed high- evolved and changed," Tressel said in an e- school football games, but spent much of his mail. "You don't have to look too hard to see time telling select players why they should that Schmidt was organized and meticulous. commit to TCU in the days before athletic Much of it centers on the T-formation, but I scholarships. think he covered that formation in every possible version and wrinkle. To a football Perkins said Schmidt probably suffered from junkie, it's fascinating stuff." hypomania, and Ohio State players saw their coach in its grip many nights as they walked In 1933, major-college teams averaged 12 up 15th Avenue. points and ran about 75 percent of their plays between the tackles. Teams played not "The light was always on in his room; I to lose, making good punters more valued don't know if he ever slept," former player than good passers. Nick Wasylik told The Dispatch in 1985. "It seemed like he lived, dreamed and ate Some coaches refused to fatigue their ends football. He had colored pencils -- reds, by attempting too many passes in an age greens, blues -- and he chewed them right when athletes played both ways because of down to the stubs when he designed his draconian substitution rules. (A substituted plays." player could not re-enter the game until the next quarter.) 'Shut the gates of mercy' Schmidt had as much use for conventional wisdom as he did proper language. He The College Football Historian-10- Notre Dame in the Horseshoe. St. John boasted that he could have sold 200,000 believed in a wide-open offense that relied tickets for the game, which attracted a on strategy and deception. One of the ironies capacity crowd of 81,018. of Schmidt's time at Ohio State is that 25 of his 39 wins came by shutout. The Buckeyes surged to a 13-0 lead, but their advantage vanished in the fourth "All we ever did was practice offense," Graf quarter. The Irish scored twice in the final said. "There was no defense. We were just two minutes to beat the Buckeyes 18-13. constantly working on new plays." The finish was so shocking that future The Buckeyes fumbled 11 times in President , calling the Iowa- Schmidt's Ohio State debut, but still Indiana game that day, refused to read the whipped Indiana 33-0 before 47,736 fans, score on air, certain it was an error. In the largest Horseshoe crowd in three Columbus, crestfallen fans knew otherwise. seasons. They finished 7-1 in his inaugural year, and the razzle-dazzle amassed a then- "My dad attended that game, and he said school-record 267 points. people just stood in the stands for 10 minutes in stunned silence," Park said. His 21-0 win over Michigan was the first of four straight over the Wolverines, all by The Buckeyes regrouped and won their final shutout, a feat likely to remain unequaled. three games, including a 38-0 pasting of Schmidt started giving his players a gold- Michigan, to win a share of the Big Ten title pants pendant, a tradition that lives on today. -- their first since 1920. Schmidt, however, was haunted by the Notre Dame loss. It was The early success and entertaining games the first in a string of big-game losses, and were thought critical to keeping the critics started to question whether his Buckeyes athletic department solvent reliance on laterals, shovel passes and trick through the Great Depression. At this point, plays worked against top-quality opponents. the only enemies he was making were on the opposing sideline. Schmidt never worried about "getting back to basics," because he didn't stress them. His Although Schmidt substituted in lopsided long practices were light on fundamentals games, he never tired of calling trick plays. such as blocking and tackling. Near the end The Buckeyes ripped Western Reserve 76-0 of Schmidt's regime, players were in 1934 and demolished Drake 85-7 the questioning his motives in the press. following year. The coach's habit of running up scores earned him the moniker Francis Perhaps fueled by paranoia, Schmidt didn't "Shut the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt. delegate authority, which often reduced his assistants to spectators at practice. He kept 'Rest in peace' the master playbook locked away; players' copies contained only their specific assignments and no hint at what their 10 The "Scarlet Scourge," as the Buckeyes teammates were doing. were dubbed, became a national sensation in 1935. They won their first four games, setting up an undefeated showdown against As Schmidt left Columbus, a Dispatch photographer asked him and his wife for a The College Football Historian-11- final picture.

The Buckeyes lost at least two games in "People don't care about me anymore," each of the next four seasons, backing into Schmidt replied. "You've got plenty of the 1939 conference championship despite a pictures in your file. Just get one of them second straight loss to Michigan. and run it -- and put in big black letters 'RIP, rest in peace.' " Instead of altering his style, Schmidt threw all his energy into creating more plays. His Legacy endures playbook swelled to 500 plays, Perkins estimated, and his poor The Buckeyes have produced several required staggering attention spans. Tippy tremendous offensive teams in the past 75 Dye printed plays on index cards and carried years. The 1969 squad, under Hayes, them into the huddle under his helmet. averaged a school-record 42.6 points per game. Among his shortcomings, Schmidt never understood the importance of mentorship In 1995, under coach John Cooper, Eddie and discipline. In Schmidt's last seasons, key George won the by rushing players became academically ineligible; for 1,927 yards while Bobby Hoying threw others showed up late to practices. Team for 3,269 yards. morale suffered. Nobody questioned Tressel's offense in 2006 In 1940, the Buckeyes went 4-4 and scored when Ohio State averaged 385 yards with just 99 points. Troy Smith winning the Heisman. "He didn't have control of the players," said But since Schmidt's departure, the Buckeyes Graf, who liked Schmidt. "They didn't play have never sustained a wide-open offense. with a lot of enthusiasm. A half hour before In the 1955 and '56 seasons under Hayes, the Michigan game, (All-America Frank Elwood attempted a quarterback) Don Scott wasn't there. combined 43 passes. Schmidt said, 'Where's Don?' We all knew he was out selling his tickets." The legacy of Schmidt, who was childless, endures thanks to Gillman. The former All- The Wolverines routed the Buckeyes 40-0 in America end served as an assistant under Ohio Stadium, beating them for a third Schmidt and Brown, melding the daring of straight time. Under fire from fans and the one and the organization of the other. administration, Schmidt resigned and was replaced by Brown. No major program hired Gillman's teachings had significant impact Schmidt, and the University of Idaho on the careers of NFL icons such as Al became his coaching Elba for two seasons Davis and Bill Walsh. until the school suspended football because of World War II. As for Schmidt, his imprint remains on the game. In the 2006 Fiesta Bowl, Boise State used three trick plays -- a hook and lateral, Athletic Association); Kris Haines (Notre Dame); Phil Harris (Texas); The College Football Historian-12- Warren Lyles (Alabama); (Notre Dame) and coach Statue of Liberty and wide-receiver pass -- Jackie Sherrill (Texas to stun Oklahoma. A&M/Mississippi State).

Schmidt ran all three plays at Ohio State. In memory of Willie Leon Manley, former "I was at speaking engagement in Cleveland assistant coach at Texas, 83...Fess around 1992, and someone asked me, if I Elisha Parker, Jr, Hardin- could have dinner with any Buckeye player Simmons, 85...former Nebraska or coach from the past, who would it be?" Park said. "I told them, Francis Schmidt. He football player Justin Tomberlin, seemed like such a fascinating character. 27; Florida International running back Kendall Berry, 22...Horace McCool, former football coach at Delta State and Northeast Mississippi Community College, The Schmidt years 81...Former Sacramento State coach Bob Mattos, 68... Former Utah 1934: 7-1-0……………..1935: 7-1-0 State standout Altie Taylor, 1936: 5-3-0……………..1937: 6-2-0 62....Former ESPN president 1938: 4-3-1……………..1939: 6-2-0 Chester Simmons, 81...Former 1940: 4-4-0……………..Total: 39-16-1 Kansas State defensive end Elijah Ohio State won Big Ten titles in 1935 and Alexander passed away at age 39... '39 and finished second in 1934, '36 and '37. Notre Dame recruit, Matt James, Schmidt won his first four games against Michigan by shutout but lost his last three. 17. * * * * * *

Retiring How Howard Payne Ole Miss Senior Associate Athletics Became Known as Director for Media Relations the YellowJackets Langston Rogers will be retiring at the end of this month. Dr. Robert G. Mangrum University Historian and Halls of Fame IFRA Member R.C. Owens, a football All-American at Idaho, from 1952 to 1956, was Back in 1913 when Gwinn inducted into the Bay Area Sports Henry was head athletic coach Hall of Fame…The 2010 AT&T and O.E. Winebrenner, who Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame taught the physical sciences, class includes: Wilbur Evans (a late was the only assistant coach executive director of the Cotton Bowl the college had, the athletic The College Football Historian-13- this indicated that the name decided upon must reflect that and be teams did not have a name. A appropriate for something small but faculty committee headed by Dean which packed a terrific wallop. At F. Erdmann Smith was appointed to first the name yellow jackets was choose a name. used only by the football team but eventually all athletic groups would The committee called on the student adopt that as their team mascot. body to submit suggested names through an announcement in chapel In 1923, Winebrenner suggested the and a notice on the bulletin board. name of the campus newspaper be A prize was offered to stimulate changed to reflect the college mascot suggestions: a season ticket to all and the Yellow Jacket newspaper athletic events. banner was born.

Carrie (Tad) Camp (later she married The fall 2009 academic year began Homer B. Allen, class of 1914), won the Yellow Jacket’s 100th volume. with “Yellow Jackets.” She reasoned, as the football team was * * * small in stature and weight but powerful on the field, Tad thought

partner on the opposite side of the line, and it is only a matter of a little [Outing, January 1899/as is] practice to accustom one of these star players to his shift of position. By J. Parmly Paret…(The In both cases I have given the First Non-Eastern All- stronger player the preference in his American Team) regular position.

The first thing that will be noticed in this All-American team is that for the guard’s position two left guards The absence of an first-class have been selected and no right, and punting full-back among the big two right tackles and no left. This Eastern colleges has given, without was not an oversight, by any means, question, the choice to Hershberger, but rather an acknowledgment of from the University of Chicago, for the superiority of Boal and Hare this position. Punting is such a vital over any of the right guards, and of point in modern football that it is Hillebrand and Chamber. absolutely essential to have a strong

behind the line in an ideal (sic)lain to any of the left tackles. team. The duties of one tackle or one guard are identical with those of his

The College Football Historian-14- champion eleven, and 15 to 0 better than Princeton. Hudson’s selection for quarter-back may seem radical at first, but this * * * phenomenal goal kicker would undoubtedly add many more points to the score of a selected All- AN “ALL-AMERICAN” TEAM American team than any other quarter who could be put in his It is unusually difficult this season place. to select a list of the star players of the year for an “All-American” team, Daly showed up stronger than because there are many good Hudson in some points of his players in certain positions and a position, but Hudson has never corresponding dearth of them in been tried behind such a line as others. In all of the Eastern colleges, that of Harvard’s. Give him such for instance, there is not a single protection and such backs behind first-class full-back, while good him, and his goal kicking ability quarter-backs are almost as scarce. would make him the best scoring The supply of tackles is far above player of the best punter on the field the normal; but practically only one this year, the cleverest year. In the of the center rushes of the big teams selected combination we have the showed championship form. drop-kicker, and in Hare and Outland two strong place-kickers. It is also difficult to weigh the merits With kicking so important a feature of the stars of the second-rate of the game, these men should prove teams, for they should be a tower of strength if combined in considered under the same any one team. conditions as their rivals who are fortunate enough to play with the Team play is the vital point in the bigger elevens. We can only success of any eleven, but given estimate, for instance, how good three weeks’ proper coaching in the some of the backs at Wesleyan and Yale system of running attacks on West Point would be if put behind tackles and ends, Pennsylvania’s Harvard’s line. Undoubtedly, the center attacks and Cornell’s trick regular Crimson players appear to plays, with the Princeton defence for distinct advantage in being part of end plays and the Harvard defence so fine a team. But as the “All- against center plays and protection American” eleven must be selected for kicks, this combination of entirely on the individual skill of the football talent would be invincible. men, it is necessary to consider some of the star players from the Allowing the second team selected smaller teams, who suffered by here the same coaching, I should comparison on account of the estimate the All-American eleven to weakness by which they were be about 10 to 0 better than either surrounded. the second team or the Harvard The College Football Historian-15- have been seen prominently in the college football arena this season: On this basis, the following teams have been selected after a careful consideration of all the players who

All-American Position Second Team Poe (Princeton)...... right end ...... Hallowell (Harvard) Hillebrand (Pr’ton) ...... right tackle . . . . Haughton (Harvard) Boal (Harvard) ...... right guard . . . . McCracken (U. of Pa.) Overfield (Univ’ty of Pa.) . . . .center...... Jaffray (Harvard) Hare (Univ’ty of P.)...... left guard...... Edwards (Princeton) Chamberlain (Yale)...... left tackle ...... Donald Harvard) Cochran (Harvard)...... left end ...... Palmer (Princeton) Hudson (Indians)...... quarter-back . . . Daly (Harvard) Dibblee (Harvard) ...... left half-back. . . .Durston (Yale) Outland (U. of P.) ...... right half-back . . Whiting (Cornell) Hershberger (U. of Ch’go). . . full-back ...... Reid (Harvard)

Hedges (University of Pennsylvania) should rank nearly even with Uniforms -- introduced into college play in Hallowell for substitute right end; that groundbreaking 1875 Harvard-Yale Pierce (Indians) and Sweetland contest--were made from a thin canvas-like (Cornell) with Haughton for material called mole-skins, which soon substitute right tackle; Brown (Yale) tagged the players "canvasbacks." During and Reed (Cornell) with Edwards, for June each year, players would begin substitute left guard; Warren growing their hair long as protection against (Harvard) with Whiting, for the football season's bone-jarring collisions. substitute right half-back; Raymond (Wesleyan) with Durston, for But if a player secretly stashed pads beneath substitute left half-back, and his unnumbered moleskins, his teammates Romeyn (West Point) with Reid, for would ridicule him without mercy. substitute full-back. For all its roughness, however, there was a * * * lighter side to football during this era. After a game the two teams dined together, enjoying a feast of fresh fish and wild game; American Football it was a practice that bestowed a soothing balm to their weary muscles. After dinner, By Bruce K. Stewart unbridled boasting, story telling, and song satisfied a deeper appetite. From American History, November, 1995 The year 1888 heralded energetic changes Used by permission of the author and IFRA that led directly to the modern game of member (Part 2) football. Before that time, defensemen were permitted to tackle only above the waist, a The College Football Historian-16- of the mighty "fling wedge," a remarkable "kickoff" play invented by Lorin E Deland, restriction that encouraged an open style of a military strategist, chess expert, and running and pitching the ball from player to Harvard supporter who had never played a player across the whole width of the field game of football in his life. Fans got to see until the defense caught up. When tackling Deland's bold new tactic for the first time in below the waist finally became legal below the second half of the 1892 Harvard-Yale the waist but above the knees defensemen encounter. had a much larger target tackling area. Deland divided Harvard's players into two Ball carriers, much to their dismay, found groups of five men each at opposite that they could not easily elude such sidelines. Before the ball was even in play ferocious tackles. For counterbalance, the team captain Bernie Trafford signaled the offensive line began bunching together to two groups. Each unit sprang forward, at provide their carriers with more protection. first striding in unison, then sprinting Because there were not yet any rules obliquely toward the center of the field. regulating the number of men a team put on Simultaneously, spectators leapt to their feet the line of scrimmage to begin each play, gasping. offenses initiated a new strategy of placing a mass of players in the backfield. At the snap Restricted by the rules, Yale's front line of the ball, the players would all charge nervously held its position. toward one defenseman. The power of these "massing plays" soon resulted in deaths and After amassing twenty yards at full velocity, many grievous injuries. the "flyers" fused at mid-field, forming a massive human arrow. Just then, Trafford During kickoff plays, teams made use of a pitched the ball back to his speedy halfback, loophole in the old rule that required the Charlie Brewer. At that moment, one group offense to kick the ball, but did not specify of players executed a quarter turn, focusing that the receiver had to be on the opposing the entire wedge toward Yale's right flank. team. , a Yale All- Now both sides of the flying wedge pierced American in 1889 and later one of the ahead at breakneck speed, attacking Yale's game's greatest coaches, recalled that "the front line with great momentum. Brewer subterfuge was conceived of inch-kicking," scampered behind the punishing wall, while whereby the kicker made an "inch kick" to Yale's brave defenders threw themselves himself, thus retaining possession of the into its dreadful path. ball. He would then hand it back to a teammate in a play called the V-wedge, "and Brewer was finally forced out of the the slow-moving mass of players clinging to partially disintegrated wedge at Yale's one another moved forward in a slow lock- twenty-yard line, where he tripped over one step run. The strategy was to open an of his own players just as he was tackled by aperture at a certain point of the wedge, Frank Butterworth. Parke Davis, an early through which the imprisoned runner would footballer turned historian, wrote of the dart." action: "Sensation runs through the stands at the novel play, which is the most organized The suffering wrought by such plays and beautiful one ever seen upon a football increased dramatically with the introduction field." The College Football Historian-17- During those years, public outrage was not universal, nor was the negative sentiment Yale's incredible defense held and shared by the players of the game. It was eventually won the game. However, Deland during this era that the first "sports heroes" had opened Pandora's box. According to captured the public imagination. Since 1889, Davis, "No play has ever been devised so had been selecting the best spectacular and sensational as this one." players to an All-American team. Stagg, writing in 1926, remarked that "The Outstanding players captivated the crowds Deland invention probably was the most and sustained growing interest in the sport spectacular single formation ever opened as despite concerns about the dangers a surprise package. It was a great play when associated with it. By the turn of the century, perfectly executed, but, demanding the exact colleges across the country had become as coordination of eleven men, extremely involved with football as their Eastern difficult to execute properly." counterparts. In 1896, the Western Conference--which later evolved into the Harvard's dangerous flying wedge quickly "Big Ten"--was formed with memorable became the standard opening play for teams teams from the universities of Wisconsin, all across the country. But the play, which Michigan, and Chicago. In 1901 football used the principle of mass momentum to was added to the program of events great advantage, was deadly as well as associated with Pasadena, California's effective. The cause of numerous deaths, the twelve-year-old Tournament of Roses; on flying wedge was outlawed after only two New Year's Day of 1902, the tradition of the seasons. As often happens with new sports Rose Bowl was born. rules, however, coaches and players soon found intriguing loopholes that kept the At the end of the 1905 season, the Chicago flying wedge alive. Tribune reported some frightening news:

Mass formations resembling the forbidden 18 FOOTBALL PLAYERS DEAD AND play crept onto the field on nearly every 159 SERIOUSLY INJURED! down. If anything, variations of the flying wedge became even more vicious than the This report, coming weeks after he had seen original. Injuries soared, leading an outraged photographs of the bloodied combatants in a press to denounce the game for its excessive contest between Swarthmore and the violence. For eleven years the press fueled University of Pennsylvania, led President the public's clamor for substantial rule to proclaim: "I demand changes, advocating such things as that football change its rules or be abolished. increasing from five to ten the number of Brutality and foul play should receive the yards a team must cover within four downs. same summary punishment given to a man who cheats at cards! Change the game or Barnstorming Rugby and soccer teams from forsake it!" all over Europe and Australia gave demonstrations across the to The president immediately appointed a rules convince Americans of their games' noble committee and pressured football coaches values and superior morals. Some colleges across the country to come up with a did switch to Rugby or soccer, while others solution. John Heisman, Georgia Tech's banned all kinds of football. coach, proposed that a passing play might be The College Football Historian-18- inadequacy and spurred on by public outrage, the rules committee finally a good way to open up the game and help permitted only four players to line up in the disband massing plays. He hoped that the backfield, demanded a seven-man line, would change football's barred offensive lineman from using their emphasis from brute force to the kind of hands, and required kickers to send the ball clever ball-handling that would please at least ten yards on every kickoff. At last crowds and, more importantly, save players' football was freed of its own nemesis. lives. In spite of its destructiveness, the flying Just after New Year's Day 1906, the rules wedge and related "massing plays" did committee approved the forward pass. create some positive movements in Although the identity of those involved in American football. The news of the plays' the first play to involve a legal forward pass power and alluring beauty helped to launch has been the subject of debate, credit is the exciting game across the country, while usually given to Bradbury Robinson of St. their destructiveness heralded the birth of Louis University. A halfback, Robinson player-safety measures, including the threw the ball to a teammate in a September formation of the National College Athletic 1906 game with Carroll College in Association in 1906. Additionally, there Waukesha, Wisconsin. arose united groups of concerned citizens, media, and college administrators, all of The new rule, however, was full of which endeavored to make football a fair conflicting restrictions -- such as a penalty game for both sides. of fifteen yards for an incomplete pass -- that limited coaches' freedom to experiment One such administrator, Stanford University with the innovative play. president David Starr Jordan, wrote in the 1890s that "College football has come to It was six years after its introduction that the stay: It has its advantages, its dangers, and forward pass really came alive. Before the its evils, but it fills a place which no other 1913 season opener, Gus Dorais, Notre game can take. Its members are bound Dame's talented quarterback, practiced together by the strongest of ties. . . college concise pass patterns with a talented pass spirit." catcher on the shores of Lake Erie during their summer break. In the Notre Dame- The flying wedge could be used only in Army game, Dorais made the forward pass a place of a kickoff play at the start of each vital offensive weapon by passing for 243 half or after a team had scored. yards, primarily to his main receiver and future coaching great Knute Rockne. Teams from Stanford University and the University of Michigan met in the first such Meanwhile, flying-wedge principles game on January 1, 1902. However, the continued to persist in insidious forms. In second , which pitted 1909, two important players -- Navy's Early Washington State against Brown University, Wilson and Army's Eugene "Icy" Byrne -- was not played until 1916. were both killed in massing plays, creating a "great clamor for re-form or radical changes * * * . . .”Embarrassed and perplexed by its own The College Football Historian-19- that fragrance could be theirs to enjoy on New Year's Day.

SPORTS He's the United Press Coach of-the - PARADE Week, Tommy Prothro of those rising, surprising Oregon State By OSCAR FRALEY Beavers. Just a year ago when Prothro took over as head coach, he United Press Sports Writer implanted the remnants of the worst NEW YORK (UP) football team in Oregon State history. He guided the Beavers to a Game of The Week 6-3 won and lost record and this Tennessee over Georgia Tech it's the season he has steered them to the Solid South against the Solid South top in the tough Pacific Coast and something has to give. Bowden Conference. If they can get by Wyatt has developed an old Stanford on Saturday, they should fashioned stoic wing crusher with make it to Pasadena, because only tailback Johnny Major directing the Idaho and Oregon, both comparative hammer blows. Tech has more weaklings, remain after that. depth but the Vols all season have done more than expected. So on to State's 28-20 victory over the Southeastern Conference Washington’s Huskies last week championship and the Sugar Bowl wasn't a surprise; in fact the for Tennessee. Beavers had been favored to win.

But it was just another workmanlike demonstration of Prothro's single * * * wing efficiency.

Tommy Prothro "This team goes places because it Named as UP has a great desire to win," declared Prothro, who was a standout "Coach of Week" football player himself at Duke. He By HOWARD APPLEGATE played in the game against Oregon State and the CORVALLIS, Ore. (UP) —He played Beavers won that thriller, 20-16, in in the Rose Bowl game once but the Durham, N.C. Rose Bowl itself was more than 3,000 miles away. It was transplanted from Pasadena because it was only a few weeks This time he'd like to get his boys at after the bombing of Pearl Harbor least close enough to smell the and there was fear of bombing flowers, and the way they are going attacks on the Pacific Coast.

* * * The College Football Historian-20- • Wikipedia has this to say:

Steve Greene has submitted In 1918, Snooks, playing halfback this… Lehigh, completed a 115-yard run. According to the From the November 8, 1941 Football story, Dowd ran the wrong way, Game Program Lehigh vs. Rutgers circled his own goalposts, and went and a small cartoon entitled the right way 100 yards to score. "Oddities" • From the Lehigh media "'Snooks' Dowd - in a Lehigh- guide: Lafayette game, ran 210 yards for a touchdown. He ran in the wrong In 1918, as recorded by various direction, circled around the goal observers, Lehigh halfback posts and ran back again the length Raymond B. “Snooks” Dowd of the field." completed a 115-yard touchdown run. According to the story, Dowd Further information has been ran the wrong way, circled his own located. goalposts, and went the right way 100 yards to score. * * *

[Charleston Gazette 12-16-1931] players was announced today in the official football review. Marquette All-Opponent The team follows: ends, Briley, MILWAUKEE, Wis.—(UP)— Drake and Arbelbide, Southern Marquette's all opponent team was California; tackles, Riley, announced today as follows: Ends, Northwestern, and Price, Army; McNeil, W. & J. and Hackett, guards, Baker, Southern California, Detroit; tackles, Sklenar, Creighton, and Underwood, Navy; center, and Turnbow, Mississippi; guards, Daugherty, Pittsburgh; quarterback, J. Fife, W. & J and Sohl, Butler; Mohler, Southern California; center, Downes, College; halfbacks, Stecker, Army, and quarterback, Lindstrom, Drake; M. Rentner, Northwestern; fullback, Armstrong, W. &J and Parsaca, Perina, Pennsylvania. Detroit; fullback, Anderson, Ripon.

Irish Announce Opponent TCFH is going out Team to

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — (UP)—Notre 186 subscribers Dame's official all-opponent team selected by the coaches, scouts and