1.
Bill Spears
–
William Douglas Bill Spears known as Bounding Bill Spears was an American football player and stand-out quarterback for Dan McGugins Vanderbilt Commodores football teams from 1925 to 1927. Spears was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1962, grantland Rice said of Spears that he was one of the fastest quarters hed ever seen. Known as Bounding Bill, Spears can run a team like a coach, drop kick, boot from placement. Edwin Pope writes In 1925 McGugin came up with his finest quarterback in Bill Spears. the 1926 team suffered its only loss to national champion Alabama. One fellow wrote Vanderbilt produced almost certainly the legit top Heisman candidate in Spears, in a 32 to 0 victory over Tulane, Spears had touchdown runs of 88 and 77 yards. Spears received the most votes for the 1927 All-Southern team, and was selected the first-team All-American quarterback by the Associated Press, the 1927 Vanderbilt Commodores included the nations leading scorer in running back Jimmy Armistead. His understudy at quarterback was later coach Henry Red Sanders, Spears was an assistant on the 1929 team
2.
American football
–
The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs, or plays, or else they turn over the football to the opposing team, if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs. Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the teams end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponents goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins, American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of association football and rugby football. The first game of American football was played on November 6,1869, during the latter half of the 1870s, colleges playing association football switched to the Rugby Union code, which allowed carrying the ball. American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States, Professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually, almost all of them men, in the United States, American football is referred to as football. The term football was established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season. The terms gridiron or American football are favored in English-speaking countries where other codes of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, American football evolved from the sports of association football and rugby football. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6,1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams, the game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, Rutgers won the game 6 goals to 4. Collegiate play continued for years in which matches were played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19,1873 to create a set of rules for all schools to adhere to. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet were specified, Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. An 1875 Harvard-Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two impressed Princeton athletes and these players introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to selling refrigerators to Eskimos. Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia then agreed to play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879, the introduction of the snap resulted in unexpected consequences. Prior to the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position, however, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they now could hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, both teams in a game between Yale-Princeton used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records, each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0-0 tie
3.
College Football All-Southern Team
–
The College Football All-Southern Team was an all-star team of college football players from the Southern United States. The honor was given annually to the best players at their respective positions and it is analogous to the All-America Team and was most often selected in newspapers. Notable pickers of All-Southern teams include John Heisman, Dan McGugin, Grantland Rice, W. A. Lambeth, Reynolds Tichenor, Nash Buckingham, Innis Brown, virginias 115–0 drubbing by Princeton in 1890 signaled footballs arrival in the south. For example, North Carolina was in both the SIAA and SAIAA at different points in its history, and Virginia Tech had one year in the SIAA. Clemson, today in the ACC, was in the SIAA, the SIAA was the oldest of these, founded in the winter of 1894 by Vanderbilt chemistry professor William Lofland Dudley. This organization really represents the south, as its scope is wider. V. P. I. can scarcely be figured in the calculation as that institution hasnt played any of the S. I. A. A. representatives. South Atlantic writers of course were not fond of this, and would sometimes critique the latest All-Southern selection with titles such as Virginia, in 1922 teams from the SIAA and SAIAA left for the Southern Conference and All-Southern teams become effectively All-Southern Conference teams. By 1933 the contemporary Southeastern Conference was established, Walter Camps annual official All-America first team had been historically loaded with college players from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, and other Northeastern colleges. Many selectors picked only Eastern players, in 1894, Michigan defeated Cornell and lobbied for its center Fatty Smith to be the first Western All-American. Notably the University of Michigan claims for their center Fatty Smith the supremacy in his position, but the western institutions have not yet mastered the eastern knowledge of all the details and fine points of the game. Smith has made a record against the west and even against Cornell. When brought to face a man like the Stillman of today or the Bulliet of last year, Smith would simply be lost, so it would be with all of the claimants for line positions from western teams. And no one claims for a moment that western back field men could play in the class with eastern men. The selectors were typically Eastern writers and former players who attended games in the East. The article noted, Eastern sporting editors must be devoid of all sense of humor, what man in the lot that have picked All-American elevens this fall, saw a single game outside the North Atlantic States. With a conceit all their own they fail to recognize that the United States reaches more than 200 miles in any direction from New York, suppose an Ohio football writer picked All-American teams. Ohio readers would not stand for it, but apparently the eastern readers will swallow anything
4.
John Barnhill (American football)
–
John Henry Barnie Barnhill was an American football player and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the coach at the University of Tennessee. Barnhill was an All-Southern lineman under coach Robert Neyland at the University of Tennessee, as a player he weighed 175 pounds. Barnhill was the coach for the University of Tennessee for four seasons from 1941 to 1945. He coached the team during World War II, managing the squad during the absence of General Robert Neyland who left for the War, during this period he led Tennessee to a record of 32–5–2. In 1946, after Neylands return to Tennessee, Barnhill was hired by the University of Arkansas as both head coach and athletic director. Barnhill gave up the coaching position in 1949 after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He continued as director at Arkansas until 1971 and was responsible for hiring legendary head coach Frank Broyles who ultimately replaced Barnhill as athletic director. Barnhill died of heart failure on October 21,1973, at a hospital in Fayetteville, Barnhill Arena, the former mens basketball and current womens athletic facility at the University of Arkansas, was named for him. Barnhill is a member of both the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, john Barnhill at the College Football Data Warehouse Encyclopedia of Arkansas profile
5.
Elvin Butcher
–
Elvin Oscar Butcher was a college football and basketball player for the Tennessee Volunteers of the University of Tennessee. Butcher was a prominent football player for Robert Neylands Tennessee Volunteers from 1925 to 1928, Butcher was selected for a 1920s All-Tennessee football team. Butcher was selected All-Southern at the position in 1927. His play against Vanderbilt helped secure the spot, as he outplayed Vandy center Vernon Sharpe, one of the All-Southern teams was to face an all-star squad of Pacific Coast players, and as a result the basketball team took a significant hit from the loss of its captain Butcher
6.
Vanderbilt Commodores football
–
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program represents Vanderbilt University in the sport of American football. The Commodores compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and they are currently coached by former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Derek Mason. Vanderbilt plays their games at Vanderbilt Stadium, located on the universitys Nashville. Adopting the nickname the Commodores after the 1897 season, the team has played in 1,250 games over 126 seasons. In that time, six coaches have led the Commodores to a bowl appearance, Art Guepe, Steve Sloan, George MacIntyre, Bobby Johnson, James Franklin. Four have led them to a championship, R. G. Acton, W. H. Watkins, James H. Henry. McGugin is the leader in seasons coached and games won, with 198 victories during his thirty years at Vanderbilt and he was awarded two National Championships retroactively by Clyde Berryman. Of the twenty-eight different head coaches who have led the Commodores, McGugin, Ray Morrison, Henry Russell Sanders, the current head coach is Derek Mason. Ole Miss is Vanderbilts cross-divisional rival in the SEC, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss have played 87 times since 1894. Ole Miss leads the series 50–38–2, the largest margin of victory was by 91 points won by Vanderbilt in 1915. Vanderbilt also holds the longest win streaks in the series from 1894 to 1938, having started in 1893, the Georgia-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1968. The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East, the two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, is tied at 42–42–4 with the score being Vanderbilt 17-Kentucky 15.6. Vanderbilt and Tennessee have played 107 times since 1892, Tennessee leads the series 75–30–5, when the rivalry first started Vanderbilt dominated by taking 19 of the first 24 with 3 ties. After 1928, UT has dominated the rivalry with a record of Vanderbilt 71–11–2, the largest margin of victory for Vanderbilt was by 76 points in 1918 at Old Dudley Field in Nashville. The largest defeat was 65 points in 1994 at Vanderbilt Stadium, the longest win streaks for Vanderbilt is from 1901 to 1913. The longest win streak for Tennessee is 22, from 1983 to 2004, Vanderbilt and the Sewanee Tigers were both founding members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Southern Conference, and the Southeastern Conference. It is the oldest of Vanderbilts rivalries, dating back to 1891 when Vanderbilt played its football game
7.
Transylvania University
–
Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. It was founded in 1780, making it the first university in Kentucky and it offers 36 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Its medical program graduated 8,000 physicians by 1859 and its enduring footprint, both in national and southern academia, make it among the most prolific cultural establishments and the most storied institutions in the South. Transylvania was the first college west of the Allegheny Mountains, and was the namesake of the Colony of Transylvania, Latin for across the woods, Thomas Jefferson was governor of Virginia when the Virginia Assembly chartered Transylvania Seminary in 1780. Called Transylvania University by 1799, its first sponsor was the Christ Episcopal Churchs rector, the school later became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Originally situated in a log cabin in Boyle County, Kentucky, the first site in Lexington was a single building in what is now the historic Gratz Park. By 1818, a new building was constructed for students classes. Later, in 1829, that burned, and the school was moved to its present location north of Third Street. Old Morrison, the campus building at the time, was constructed 1830–34, under the supervision of Henry Clay. After 1818, the university included a school, a law school, a divinity school. This school was not affiliated with the modern University of Kentucky, founded by Baptist churches in Kentucky, Bacon College operated from 1837 to 1851. It was also distinct from nearby Georgetown College, another Baptist-supported institution and this school closed in 1860 and its Harrodsburg building burned in 1864. By mutual agreement and an act of the legislature the college was merged with Transylvania University in 1865. It attracted many politically ambitious young men including Stephen F. Austin, following the devastating Civil War, Kentucky University was hit by a major fire, and both it and Transylvania University were left in dire financial straits. In 1865, both institutions secured permission to merge, the new institution used Transylvanias campus in Lexington while perpetuating the Kentucky University name. However, due to questions regarding having a federally funded land-grant college controlled by a religious body, the A&M of Kentucky soon developed into one of the states flagship public universities, the University of Kentucky. Kentucky Universitys College of the Bible, which traced its roots to Bacon Colleges Department of Hebrew Literature, Transylvanias seminary eventually became a separate institution, but remained housed on the Kentucky University campus until 1950. It later changed its name to the Lexington Theological Seminary, in 1903, Hamilton College, a Lexington-based womens college founded in 1869, merged into Kentucky University
8.
Florida Gators football
–
The Florida Gators football program represents the University of Florida in American college football. Florida competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and they play their home games in Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the universitys Gainesville campus. The Gators have won three championships and eight SEC titles in the 108-season history of Floridas varsity football program. The Florida football program has evolved from its beginnings and achieved notable successes. Florida has had a home field since the beginning of their football program. Since 1930, their home field has been Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the stadium was known as Florida Field until 1989 when its name was extended to honor alumnus and sports benefactor Ben Hill Griffin. During the 1990s, football coach Steve Spurrier called the stadium the Swamp, the quickly became popular. Since 1906 Florida has had twenty-five head coaches, including three who were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for their coaching success and their first head coach was Pee Wee Forsythe in 1906, the 2015 season was the first for their twenty-fifth head coach, Jim McElwain. During the programs early years, Florida was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, in 1932 the University of Florida was a founding member of the Southeastern Conference, and it is currently one of fourteen member institutions. The Gators have competed in the SEC Eastern Division since the league began play in 1992. Florida plays an eight-game SEC schedule, with six games against the other Eastern Division teams, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, the schedule is filled out with an annual game against Louisiana State and a rotating SEC Western Division team. Until 2003, the Gators also played Auburn every season, Florida has also played in-state rival Florida State every year since 1958, usually facing off in the last game of the regular season. The two teams emergence as perennial football powers during the 1980s and 1990s helped build the Florida–Florida State rivalry into a game often has national-title implications. The remaining dates on Floridas regular schedule are filled by non-conference opponents which vary from year to year, previously known as the worlds largest outdoor cocktail party, it is most commonly called the Florida–Georgia game by Gator fans. The game is held at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, the designated home team alternates, with ticket distribution split evenly between the schools. In the rivalrys early years, games rotated among locations in Savannah, Georgia, Tampa, Florida, Jacksonville and, occasionally, Gainesville, since 1933 the game has been played in Jacksonville, except for 1994 and 1995. Georgia had early success in the rivalry, winning the first six games, after the 2014 game Florida had won 21 out of the most-recent 27 games, and holds a 38–28–1 advantage in the series since 1950. The Bulldogs lead the overall, 49–43–2
9.
National Football League
–
The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
10.
Green Bay Packers
–
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference North division. They are also the third-oldest franchise in the NFL, organized and it is the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team based in the United States. Home games are played at Lambeau Field, the Packers are the last vestige of small town teams common in the NFL during the 1920s and 1930s. Founded in 1919 by Earl Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun, between 1919 and 1920, the Packers competed against other semi-pro clubs from around Wisconsin and the Midwest. They joined the American Professional Football Association, the forerunner of todays NFL, the Packers have won 13 league championships, the most in NFL history, with nine NFL titles before the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowl victories. They won the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968 and were the only NFL team to defeat the American Football League prior to the AFL–NFL merger. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is named after the Packers head coach of the same name and their two further Super Bowl wins came in 1997 and 2011. The Packers are long-standing adversaries of the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit Lions, the Bears–Packers rivalry is one of the oldest in NFL history, dating back to 1921. The Green Bay Packers were founded on August 11,1919 by former high-school football rivals Earl Curly Lambeau, Lambeau solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company. He was given $500 for uniforms and equipment, on the condition that the team be named for its sponsor, the Green Bay Packers have played in their original city longer than any other team in the NFL. On August 27,1921, the Packers were granted a franchise in the new pro football league that had been formed the previous year. Financial troubles plagued the team and the franchise was forfeited within the year, before Lambeau found new financial backers and these backers, known as the Hungry Five, formed the Green Bay Football Corporation. After a near-miss in 1927, Lambeaus squad claimed the Packers first NFL title in 1929 with an undefeated 12–0–1 campaign, among the many impressive accomplishments of these years was the Packers streak of 29 consecutive home games without defeat, an NFL record which still stands. The arrival of end Don Hutson from Alabama in 1935 gave Lambeau, credited with inventing pass patterns, Hutson would lead the league in receptions eight seasons and spur the Packers to NFL championships in 1936,1939 and 1944. An iron man, Hutson played both ways, leading the league in interceptions as a safety in 1940, Hutson claimed 18 NFL records when he retired in 1945, many of which still stand. In 1951, his number 14 was the first to be retired by the Packers, after Hutsons retirement, Lambeau could not stop the Packers slide. He purchased a large lodge near Green Bay for team members, rockwood Lodge was the home of the 1946-1949 Packers, though the 1947 and 1948 seasons produced a record of 12-10-1, and 1949 was even worse at 3-9
11.
Fred Pickhard
–
Frederick William Pickhard Jr. was a college football player. Fred Pickhard, Jr. was born in Mobile, Alabama on July 20,1906 to Frederick William Pickhard, Pickhard was a prominent tackle for Wallace Wades Alabama Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama from 1924 to 1927. He was selected All-Southern and second-team All-America in 1926 and 1927, Pickhard blocked the punt against Sewanee in 1926, leading to the safety which secured the game and the undefeated season. Alabama also got two scores off blocks from Pickhard in the LSU game which followed, just 16 punts were blocked all year for scores in college football, and Pickhard had three of them. He was selected Most Valuable Player of the 1927 Rose Bowl in which Alabama tied Stanford and he was captain of the 1927 team. After his football career, Pickhard moved to Oregon in 1938 and they had three children- Penny, Barbara, and Fred III- and eventually had nine grandchildren. He also coached football and eventually started a career with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Portland. He died of heart failure in his Portland home on April 11,1993, Pickhard is buried at the Portland Memorial Mausoleum. 1926 College Football All-America Team 1927 College Football All-America Team
12.
Detroit Tigers
–
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. One of the ALs eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in 1901 and they are the oldest continuous one-name, one-city franchise in the AL. The Tigers have won four World Series championships,11 AL pennants, the Tigers also won division titles in 1972,1984 and 1987 while members of the AL East. The team currently plays its games at Comerica Park in Downtown Detroit. The Tigers constructed Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Avenue in Corktown, in 1912, the team moved into Navin Field, which was built on the same location. It was expanded in 1938 and renamed Briggs Stadium and it was renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961 and the Tigers played there until moving to Comerica Park in 2000. The club is a member of the American League, one of four clubs still located in its original city. It was established as a member in 1901. The Tigers played their first game as a league team at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 25,1901. After entering the ninth inning behind 13–4, the team staged a comeback to win 14–13. The team finished third in the eight-team league,11 years later, an elegant stadium was constructed on the site of Bennett Park and named Navin Field for owner Frank Navin. In 1938, it was improved and named Briggs Stadium, and was subsequently renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961, Tiger Stadium was used by the Tigers until the end of the 1999 season. Since 2000, they have played in Comerica Park, there are various legends about how the Tigers got their nickname. One involves the orange stripes they wore on their black stockings, Tigers manager George Stallings took credit for the name, however, the name appeared in newspapers before Stallings was manager. Another legend concerns a sportswriter equating the 1901 teams opening day victory with the ferocity of his alma mater and they had played significant roles in certain Civil War battles and in the 1898 Spanish–American War. The baseball team was informally called both Wolverines and Tigers in the news. The earliest known use of the name Tigers in the media was in the Detroit Free Press on April 16,1895, upon entry into the majors, the ballclub sought and received formal permission from the Light Guard to use its trademark
13.
Cincinnati Reds
–
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League Central division. They were a member of the American Association in 1882. The Reds played in the NL West division from 1969 to 1993 and they have won five World Series titles, nine NL pennants, one AA pennant, and 10 division titles. The team plays its games at Great American Ball Park. Bob Castellini has been executive officer since 2006. The origins of the modern Cincinnati Reds can be traced to the expulsion of a team bearing that name. Both were important activities to entice the citys large German population, while Hulbert made clear his distaste for both beer and Sunday baseball at the founding of the league, neither practice was actually against league rules in those early years. On October 6,1880, however, seven of the eight team owners pledged at a league meeting to formally ban both beer and Sunday baseball at the regular league meeting that December. Only Cincinnati president W. H. Kennett refused to sign the pledge, when these attempts failed, he formed a new independent ballclub known as the Red Stockings in the Spring of 1881, and brought the team to St. Louis for a weekend exhibition. The Reds first game was a 12–3 victory over the St. Louis club, upon arriving in the city, however, Caylor and Thorner discovered that no other owners had decided to accept the invitation, with even Phillips not bothering to attend his own meeting. By chance, the duo met a former pitcher named Al Pratt, the ploy worked, and the American Association was officially formed at the Hotel Gibson in Cincinnati with the new Reds a charter member with Thorner as president. The club never placed higher than second or lower than fifth for the rest of its tenure in the American Association, the National League was happy to accept the teams in part due to the emergence of the new Players League. This new league, a failed attempt to break the reserve clause in baseball. Because the National League decided to expand while the American Association was weakening and it was also at this time that the team first shortened their name from Red Stockings to Reds. The Reds wandered through the 1890s signing local stars and aging veterans, during this time, the team never finished above third place and never closer than 10½ games. At the start of the 20th century, the Reds had hitting stars Sam Crawford, seymours.377 average in 1905 was the first individual batting crown won by a Red. In 1911, Bob Bescher stole 81 bases, which is still a team record, like the previous decade, the 1900s were not kind to the Reds, as much of the decade was spent in the leagues second division
14.
History of the Portsmouth Spartans
–
The professional American football team now known as the Detroit Lions previously played in Portsmouth, Ohio from its founding in 1929 to its relocation to Detroit in 1934. This article chronicles the history during their time as the Portsmouth Spartans. Originally drawing players from defunct independent professional and semi-pro teams, they joined the fledgling National Football League in 1930 and their home stadium was Universal Stadium. The Spartans formed in 1929, drawing players from defunct independent professional, during that same year, Portsmouth residents agreed to fund the construction of a football stadium that was comparable to those in neighboring communities along the Ohio River. That approval prompted the National Football League to offer the city a franchise in July 1930, and led to the construction of Universal Stadium, which opened September 14 with a capacity of 8,200. With less than 43,000 residents in 1930, Portsmouth became the NFLs second smallest city, ahead of only Green Bay, in that game, Spartan coach Potsy Clark refused to make even a single substitution against the defending NFL champion Packers. Portsmouth won 19–0 and used only 11 players all game, at the end of the 1932 season, the Spartans were tied for first place in the league with the Chicago Bears. That prompted what in retrospect known as the first NFL playoff game. Blizzard conditions in Chicago meant the game was moved from Wrigley Fields outdoor field to the field at Chicago Stadium. The game was won 9–0 by the Bears, on a pass from Bronko Nagurski to Red Grange. The resulting interest led to the establishment of Eastern and Western conferences, despite success on the field, low revenue and the Great Depression threatened the Spartans survival. On March 24,1934, it was announced that a group led by George Richards, Richards renamed the team the Lions, as a complement to the Detroit Tigers. 1 The result of the 1932 NFL Playoff Game to determine the NFL champion between the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans counted in the standings, history of the Detroit Lions Scioto Historicals Spartan Municipal Stadium & NFL Football in Portsmouth, Ohio
15.
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
–
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its games at Ebbets Field of. the baseball National Leagues team. Another NFL team that played in the Brooklyn borough was the Brooklyn Lions in 1926, the team began play in 1930 after two Brooklyn businessmen bought the Dayton Triangles for $2,500 and moved the team into Ebbets Field. These two individuals were Bill Dwyer, a past owner of the New York Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Hockey League, and Jack Depler, Dwyer and Depler then renamed the Triangles the Brooklyn Dodgers, borrowing the name of Brooklyns then major league baseball team. The 1930 Dodgers, built largely from the roster of the 1929 Tornadoes, the high point of their season consisted of a 7–6 upset over the New York Giants at the end of November. The Dodgers star back was Jack McBride, a former Giant and he led the league in scoring with a total of 56 points in 1930. However the 1931 season saw the Dodgers post a 2–12 record, once the season ended, Benny Friedman was brought in as the teams new player-coach. The 1932 season started off promising with wins over the Staten Island Stapletons, however the team soon hit a five-game losing streak. The streak ended with a 3–0 win over the Chicago Cardinals, the Dodgers ended their season 3–9. At the end of the 1932 season, Bill Dwyer had enough of professional football and his three years with the Dodgers had cost him an estimated $30,000. The Dodgers were then purchased by two former New York Giants players, Chris Cagle and John Simms Kelly for $25,000. Cap McEwen, a college football coach, was then brought in to replace Friedman. The 1933 season also saw the NFL split into two divisions, the Dodgers were placed in the Eastern Division. Dodgers had a chance for first place, by posting a 5–2–1 record, the following season Dan Topping bought Chris Cagles half of the team. Topping would later become an owner and president of baseballs New York Yankees, meanwhile, Cagle continued to play in the Brooklyn backfield. However the only story to come out of the season for Brooklyn was the signing of Ralph Kercheval. Kercheval would go on to one of the great NFL kickers. He returned to play for Brooklyn for the seven seasons
16.
Philadelphia Eagles
–
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football franchise based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference East division. The franchise was established in 1933 as a replacement for the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets, when a group led by Bert Bell secured the rights to an NFL franchise in Philadelphia. Bell, Chuck Bednarik, Bob Brown, Reggie White, Steve Van Buren, Tommy McDonald, Greasy Neale, Pete Pihos, Sonny Jurgensen, the team has an intense rivalry with the New York Giants. This rivalry is the oldest in the NFC East and is among the oldest in the NFL and they also have a historic rivalry with the Washington Redskins, as well as their bitter rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys, which has become more high-profile in the last three decades. The team consistently ranks in the top three in attendance and has sold out every game since the 1999 season, in a Sports Illustrated poll of 321 NFL players, Eagles fans were selected the most intimidating fans in the NFL. Midway through the 1931 season, the Frankford Yellow Jackets went bankrupt, the Bell-Wray group had to pay an entry fee of $3,500 and assumed a total debt of $11,000 that was owed to three other NFL franchises. Neither the Eagles nor the NFL officially regard the two franchises as the same, citing the period of dormancy. Furthermore, almost no Yellow Jackets players were on the Eagles first roster, the Eagles, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the now-defunct Cincinnati Reds, joined the NFL as expansion teams. To accommodate football at Shibe Park during the winter, management set up stands in right field, some 20 feet high, these east stands had 22 rows of seats. The goalposts stood along the first base line and in left field, the uncovered east stands enlarged capacity of Shibe Park to over 39,000, but the Eagles rarely drew more than 25 to 30,000. The Eagles struggled over the course of their first decade, enduring repeated losing seasons, soon after, Bell and Rooney traded the Eagles franchise to Thompson and moved it to Pittsburgh, while Thompson moved the Steelers franchise to Philadelphia. By the late 1940s, head coach Earle Greasy Neale and running back Steve Van Buren led the team to three consecutive NFL Championship Games, winning two of them in 1948 and 1949. After the 1957 season, the Eagles moved from Connie Mack Stadium to Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, Franklin Field would seat over 60,000 for the Eagles, whereas Connie Mack had a capacity of 39,000. The stadium switched from grass to AstroTurf in 1969 and it was the first NFL stadium to use artificial turf. In 1960, the Eagles won their third NFL championship, under the leadership of future Pro Football Hall of Famers Norm Van Brocklin and Chuck Bednarik, the head coach was Buck Shaw. The 1960 Eagles, by a score of 17–13, became the team to defeat Vince Lombardi. The Eagles had a good 1961 season and then fell on hard times in 1962
17.
Cousin
–
A cousin is a relative with whom a person shares one or more common ancestors. In the general sense, cousins are two or more away from any common ancestor, thus distinguishing a cousin from an ancestor, descendant, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece. However, in common parlance, cousins typically refers to first cousins as the children of ones uncles, systems of degrees and removals are used in the English-speaking world to describe the exact relationship between two cousins and the ancestor they have in common. The ordinals in the terms first cousins, second cousins, third cousins, the number of G words used to describe this ancestor will determine how close the relationship is. For example, having great-great-grandparents in common would be third cousins, when the cousins are not the same generation, they are described as removed. In this case, the number of generations to the common ancestor is used to determine the degree. Note that the ages of the cousins are irrelevant to the definition of the cousin relationship, the following is a list of less common cousin terms. A cousin chart, or table of consanguinity, is helpful in identifying the degree of relationship between two people using their most recent common ancestor as the reference point. Cousinship between two people can be described in degrees and removals by determining how close, generationally. Another visual chart used in determining the relationship between two people who share a common ancestor is based upon a rhombus shape, usually referred to as a canon law relationship chart. The chart is used by placing the common progenitor in the top space in the diamond-shaped chart, then follow the line down the outside edge of the chart for each of the two people until their respective relationship to the common ancestor is reached. Upon determining that place along the opposing outside edge for each person, the information contained in the common intersection defines the relationship. Then, following the spaces inward, they would intersect in the brother diamond
18.
Gaynell Tinsley
–
Gaynell Charles Gus Tinsley was an American football end and coach. He played professionally for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League from 1937 to 1938 and he attended Louisiana State University, where he was a consensus All-American for the LSU Tigers football team in 1935 and 1936. In 1937 he was drafted by the Cardinals, with whom he was an All-NFL selection in 1937 and 1938, during his three years in the NFL, Tinsley set or tied NFL single-season records with 674 receiving yards in 1937 and 41 pass receptions in 1938. He later served as the football coach at LSU from 1948 to 1954. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956, Tinsley was born in Ruple, Louisiana and raised in Homer, Louisiana in the northern part of the state. He attended Louisiana State University where he played football and baseball and was selected as the captain of both teams and he was considered one of the greatest receivers in college football, earning consensus All-American honors in both 1935 and 1936. At the time, at age 19 he was one of the youngest ever named to the All-America team, Tinsleys coach at LSU, Bernie Moore, once said, Tinsley could have made All-American at any position. He was so tough, he made blockers quit, hes the greatest lineman I ever saw. Tinsley concluded his career by playing in the Chicago College All-Star Game. Tinsley scored the points of the game on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Sammy Baugh, as the college players defeated the Green Bay Packers. This was the first victory for the players against the professionals in the series. In 1993, LSU selected its all-time team as part of the celebration of the centennial of LSU football, Tinsley was the only unanimous choice for LSUs Early Years Team of the Century. The star end led the Tigers to their first two SEC titles and played in two Sugar Bowls and he earned All-SEC and All-American honors in 1935–36 for his ability to dominate a game on both sides of the ball. In 1936, he was second in balloting for national MVP honors. … At 6-3,215 pounds, Tinsley was considered to the end of his era because of his mobility. Tinsley was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals as the 12th overall pick in the 1937 NFL Draft and he played for the Cardinals for three years, in 1937,1938 and 1940. As a rookie in 1937, Tinsley set an NFL record with 675 receiving yards, at the end of the 1937 season, Tinsley was selected as a first-team All-NFL player by the United Press, the NFL, New York Daily News, and Collyers Eye magazine. Tinsley twice set the record for the longest pass reception in NFL history and he set the mark first in 1937, when he caught a 97-yard pass from Pat Coffee for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears
19.
History of the Chicago Cardinals
–
The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois. This article chronicles the history during their time as the Chicago Cardinals from 1920 to 1959. In 1898, Chicago painting and building contractor Chris OBrien established an amateur Chicago-based athletic club football team named the Morgan Athletic Club, OBrien later moved them to Chicagos Normal Park and renamed them the Racine Normals, since Normal Park was located on Racine Avenue in Chicago. In 1901, OBrien bought used maroon uniforms from the University of Chicago and it was then that the team changed its name to the Racine Cardinals. The original Racine Cardinals team disbanded in 1906 mostly for lack of local competition, a professional team under the same name formed in 1913, claiming the previous team as part of their history. As was the case for most professional teams in 1918, the team was forced to suspend operations for a second time due to World War I. They resumed operations later in the year, and have operated continuously. At the time of the founding of the modern National Football League, in 1920, the team became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association, for a franchise fee of $100. The person keeping the minutes of the first league meeting, unfamiliar with the nuances of Chicago football, recorded the Cardinals as from Racine, the team was renamed the Chicago Cardinals in 1922 after a team actually from Racine, Wisconsin entered the league. That season the team moved to Comiskey Park, the Staleys and Cardinals played each other twice in 1920 as the Racine Cardinals and the Decatur Staleys, making their rivalry the oldest in the NFL. They split the series, with the team winning in each. In the Cardinals 7-6 victory over the Staleys in their first meeting of the season, each scored a TD on a fumble recovery. The Cardinals defeat of the Staleys proved critical, since George Halass Staleys went on to a 10-1-2 record overall, 5-1-2 in league play. The Akron Pros were the first ever champions, they finished with an 8-0-3 record, 6-0-3 in league play. Since the Pros merely had to tie the game in order to win the title, had the Staleys not lost to the Cardinals, they would have gone into that fateful game with an 11-0-1 record, 6-0-1 in league play. As it was, it all but assured that the Staleys/Bears, in 1922, the Staleys, now renamed the Bears, went 9-3-0, losing to the Cardinals twice. The Bears still edged the Cardinals for 2nd place in the league, in 1923 and 1924, the Bears got the better of the Cardinals all three times the two teams played. But in 1925, the Bears went 0-1-1 against the Cardinals with the tie meaning the Cardinals were only a ½ game in front of the Pottsville Maroons heading into their fateful 1925 showdown
20.
Associated Press
–
The Associated Press is an American multinational nonprofit news agency headquartered in New York City that operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. The AP is owned by its contributing newspapers and radio and television stations in the United States, all of which stories to the AP. Most of the AP staff are members and are represented by the Newspaper Guild, which operates under the Communications Workers of America. As of 2007, news collected by the AP was published and republished by more than 1,700 newspapers, in addition to more than 5,000 television, the photograph library of the AP consists of over 10 million images. The AP operates 243 news bureaus in 120 countries and it also operates the AP Radio Network, which provides newscasts twice hourly for broadcast and satellite radio and television stations. Many newspapers and broadcasters outside the United States are AP subscribers, as part of their cooperative agreement with the AP, most member news organizations grant automatic permission for the AP to distribute their local news reports. The AP employs the inverted pyramid formula for writing that enables the news outlets to edit a story to fit its available publication area without losing the storys essentials. Cutbacks at rival United Press International in 1993 left the AP as the United States primary news service, although UPI still produces and distributes stories and photos daily. Other English-language news services, such as the BBC, Reuters, some historians believe that the Tribune joined at this time, documents show it was a member in 1849. The New York Times became a member shortly after its founding in September 1851, initially known as the New York Associated Press, the organization faced competition from the Western Associated Press, which criticized its monopolistic news gathering and price setting practices. The revelations led to the demise of the NYAP and in December 1892, when the AP was founded, news became a salable commodity. The invention of the press allowed the New York Tribune in the 1870s to print 18,000 papers per hour. During the Civil War and Spanish–American War, there was a new incentive to print vivid, Melville Stone, who had founded the Chicago Daily News in 1875, served as AP General Manager from 1893 to 1921. He embraced the standards of accuracy, impartiality, and integrity, the cooperative grew rapidly under the leadership of Kent Cooper, who built up bureau staff in South America, Europe and, the Middle East. He introduced the telegraph typewriter or teletypewriter into newsrooms in 1914, in 1935, AP launched the Wirephoto network, which allowed transmission of news photographs over leased private telephone lines on the day they were taken. This gave AP a major advantage over other media outlets. While the first network was only between New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, eventually AP had its network across the whole United States, in 1945, the Supreme Court of the United States held in Associated Press v. The decision facilitated the growth of its main rival United Press International, AP entered the broadcast field in 1941 when it began distributing news to radio stations, it created its own radio network in 1974
21.
Quarterback
–
A quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the team and line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is considered the leader of the offensive team. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually the leader of the offense, the quarterback touches the ball on almost every offensive play, and his successes and failures can have a significant impact on the fortunes of his team. Accordingly, the quarterback is among the most glorified and scrutinized positions in team sports, prior to each play, the quarterback will usually tell the rest of his team which play the team will run. After the team is lined up, the center will pass the ball back to the quarterback, usually on a running play, the quarterback will then hand or pitch the ball backwards to a half back or full back. On a passing play, the quarterback is almost always the responsible for trying to throw the ball downfield to an eligible receiver downfield. Depending on the scheme by his team, the quarterbacks role can vary. While quarterbacks in Canadian football need to be able to throw the ball often, in the NFL, quarterbacks are required to wear a uniform number between 1 and 19. In the CFL, the quarterback can wear any number from 0 to 49 and 70 to 99. Because of their numbering, quarterbacks are eligible receivers in the NCAA, NFHS, after a Super Bowl victory, the starting quarterback is the first player to be presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The starting quarterback of the victorious Super Bowl team is chosen for the Im going to Disney World. Campaign, whether they are the Super Bowl MVP or not, examples include Joe Montana, Trent Dilfer, Dilfer was chosen even though teammate Ray Lewis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, due to the bad publicity from Lewis murder trial the prior year. In addition to their role, quarterbacks are occasionally used in other roles. Most teams utilize a backup quarterback as their holder on placekicks, in the Wildcat, a formation where a halfback lines up behind the center and the quarterback lines up out wide, the quarterback can be used as a receiving target or a blocker. A more rare use for a quarterback is to punt the ball himself, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was known to perform quick kicks occasionally, typically when the Broncos were facing a third-and-long situation. As Roger Staubachs back-up, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White was also the teams punter, ascending the starting role upon Staubachs retirement, White held his position as the teams punter for several seasons—a double duty he performed to All-American standard at Arizona State University. White also had two touchdown receptions as a Dallas Cowboy, both from the halfback option, if quarterbacks are uncomfortable with the formation the defense is using, they may call an audible change to their play
22.
Fullback (gridiron football)
–
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback. Examples of players who have excelled at the hybrid running-blocking-pass catching role include Mike Alstott, in the days before two platoons, the fullback was usually the teams punter and drop kicker. In modern play, the fullback is a misnomer. Before the emergence of the T-formation in the 1940s, most teams used four offensive backs on every play, a quarterback, two halfbacks, and a fullback. The quarterback began each play a quarter of the way back, the halfbacks began each play side by side and halfway back, and the fullback began each play the farthest back. In the modern game, when the quarterback is under center, fullbacks are typically known less for speed and agility and more for muscularity and the ability to shed tackles. In the modern NFL, fullbacks, while deployed as ball carriers, are often primarily a lead blocker to allow running backs to get to the secondary of the opposing teams defense. In the early 2000s, many NFL teams used blocking fullbacks, such as Tony Richardson and Lorenzo Neal and these backs cleared the way for some of the decades great running backs. There are still fullbacks who remaining prominent in the NFL, among them Aaron Ripkowski, Jamize Olawale, James Develin, John Kuhn, Patrick DiMarco, Mike Tolbert, Kyle Juszczyk, and Marcel Reece. However, in spite of their usually infrequent carries in modern NFL offenses, notably LeRon McClain was the rushing leader for the Baltimore Ravens in 2008 and Tony Richardson led the Kansas City Chiefs in rushing in 2000. Giants running back Peyton Hillis started his NFL career as a fullback before being reverted into a halfback, although technically a running back, typically fullbacks are primarily valued for their blocking in most modern day offenses. The most common and simple runs, the Dive and the Blast, in the flexbone formation, however, the fullback can often be used as the primary rushing threat. In many other schemes, the fullback is used as a receiver. In selected plays, some teams will have a defensive lineman report as a receiver to line up as a fullback or tight end in a Miami package in goalline formation. Defensive Tackle William The Refrigerator Perry scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XX from the fullback position, most teams in the NFL do not have a substitute fullback, though there are exceptions. The role can be filled by backup or number three or four tight ends or bigger and less-frequently-used running backs. In modern offenses, fullbacks in an I-formation can be motioned into a 2-TE formation or H-back formation, the position is less frequently used in Canadian football, which focuses more on passing than running the ball
23.
Halfback (American football)
–
A halfback is an offensive position in American football, whose duties involve lining up in the backfield and carrying the ball on most rushing plays, i. e. a running back. The halfback position is one of the more glamorous positions on the field, sometimes the halfback can catch the ball from the backfield on short passing plays as he is an eligible receiver. Occasionally, they line up as wide receivers. When not running or catching the ball, the responsibility of a halfback is to aid the offensive linemen in blocking. Before the emergence of the T-formation in the 1940s, all members of the backfield were legitimate threats to run or pass the ball. Most teams used four offensive backs on every play, a quarterback, the quarterback began each play a quarter of the way back, the halfbacks began each play side by side and halfway back, and the fullback began each play the farthest back. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the position was both an offensive and defensive position. There has also been a shift in most offense’s dependence on halfbacks, however, the average output of the halfback has not changed. Older systems require the halfback be proficient at throwing the ball downfield as well, many of the “scat backs” in the modern era produce more total yards and touchdowns than their ancestor “power backs” by breaking off big plays on outside runs and receptions. The spread offense and the hurry-up offense change the halfback’s role, the spread, the hurry-up, and the pro-style offenses dominate American football but the “smash-mouth” style of play is far from extinct. A power-running scheme is often utilized to counter an effective Spread attack, as it allows a team to control the clock and this strategy is utilized in NFL, college, and all other forms of American football. The need for “power backs is very prevalent, alongside the need for “scat backs”, in the past few decades the role of the halfback has gone through a great shift as most offensive game plans are now fueled by creativity and finesse instead of raw force. Stamina and durability is more important than ever in the hurry-up offense, on the other hand, speed is often valued over strength, and pass-catching ability is sometimes valued over blocking proficiency. Power was once the most desired trait in a halfback, but has been taken by the need for a diverse skill set. In the last few decades the running back’s individual share of output has declined as quarterbacks are generally treated as the cornerstone of the offense. The demands of an up-tempo offense also favor a multiple running back system, from the dawn of American football through the 1880s most offensive schemes focused on the running game. In a running based game plan the halfback was typically the cornerstone of the offense and this system focused on a physical run attack concentrated in the inside of the field, and therefore depended on a skilled “power back”. There were no forward passes, and pure speed took a backseat to tackle-breaking and bucking ability, there was a focus on physicality over finesse, as this type of playing style earned the moniker of “smash mouth” football
24.
Georgia Bulldogs football
–
The Georgia Bulldogs football program represents the University of Georgia in the sport of American football. The Bulldogs compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and they play their home games at historic Sanford Stadium on the universitys Athens, Georgia, campus. Georgias inaugural season was in 1892, UGA claims two national championships, the AP and Coaches Polls have each voted the Bulldogs the national champion once. UGA declines to claim four national championships awarded by some selecting organizations and publications. The Bulldogs have won 14 conference championships, including 12 SEC Championships, and have appeared in 52 bowl games, the program has also produced two Heisman Trophy winners, four No.1 National Football League draft picks, and many winners of other national awards. The team is known for its history, unique traditions. Georgia was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Georgia participated in the SIAA from its establishment in 1895 until 1921, during its tenure in the SIAA, Georgia was conference co-champion in two years,1896 and 1920. In 1921, the Bulldogs, along with 12 other teams, left the SIAA, during its time in the Southern Conference, the team never won a conference championship. In 1932, the Georgia Bulldogs left the Southern Conference to form and join the SEC, the first mention of Bulldogs in association with Georgia athletics occurred on November 28,1901, at the Georgia-Auburn football game played in Atlanta. Traditionally, the choice of a Bulldog as the UGA mascot was attributed to the alma mater of its founders and first president, Abraham Baldwin, prior to that time, Georgia teams were usually known as the Red and Black. After a 0-0 tie with Virginia in Charlottesville on Nov.6,1920, the name has been used ever since. Uga is the name of a lineage of white Bulldogs which have served as the mascot of the University of Georgia since 1956. The current mascot, Que, officially took the role of Uga X on October 23,2015, shortly before Uga IX, or Russ, deceased Ugas are interred in a mausoleum near the main entrance to Sanford Stadium. Georgia is the school to bury its past mascots inside the football stadium. Glory, Glory is the song for the Georgia Bulldogs and was sung at football games as early as the 1890s. The rally song was arranged in its current form by Georgia professor Hugh Hodgson in 1915, while Glory, Glory is the most commonly played Georgia song, the schools official fight song is Hail To Georgia which is played after field goals. Today, freshmen are no longer required to do the chore, with students, alumni, how bout them Dawgs is a slogan of recent vintage that first surfaced in the late 1970s and has become a battle cry of Bulldog fans
25.
End (gridiron football)
–
An end in American and Canadian football is a player who lines up at either end of the line of scrimmage, usually beside the tackles. Rules state that an offensive formation must always consist of seven players on the line of scrimmage. The position was used in this sense until roughly the 1960s, on offense, an end who lines up close to the other linemen is known as a tight end and is the only lineman who aside from blocking can run or catch passes. One who lines up some distance from the line is known as a split end. In recent years and the proliferation of the pass, the generic term wide receiver has come to define both split ends and flankers. The terms “split end” and “flanker” are often ditched today for terms like X and Z receivers, bill Carpenter was the first Lonesome end. On defense, there is a commonly used position called the defensive end and its primary role is to rush the passer, as well as to stop offensive runs to the outer edges of the line of scrimmage. However, as there are no rules regulating the formation of the defense, players at this position commonly take on, don Hutson of the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Green Bay Packers was one of the sports greatest. The self described other end opposite Hutson in college at Alabama was legendary coach Bear Bryant, gaynell Tinsley was another prominent of Hutsons time. Amos Alonzo Stagg of Yale and Arthur Cumnock of Harvard were ends on the first All-America team, Stagg went on to a hall of fame coaching career, some called Cumnock the greatest Harvard player of all time. Mike Ditka and Ron Sellers were some of the last to play the position in college, glossary of American football History of American football positions Tight end Defensive end Wide receiver
26.
Tackle (gridiron football position)
–
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system prevalent in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions, the offensive tackle is a position on the offensive line, left and right. The term tackle is a vestige of an era of football in which the same players played both offense and defense. A tackle is the position on the offensive line. They power their blocks with quick steps and maneuverability, the tackles are mostly in charge of the outside protection. If the tight end goes out for a pass, the tackle must cover everyone that his guard does not, usually they defend against defensive ends. In the NFL, offensive tackles often measure over 6 ft 4 in and 300 lb, the Wonderlic is taken before the draft to assess each players aptitude for learning and problem solving, a score of 26 is estimated to correspond with an IQ of 112. The right tackle is usually the teams best run blocker, most running plays are towards the strong side of the offensive line. Consequently, the tackle will face the defending teams best run stoppers. He must be able to gain traction in his blocks so that the back can find a hole to run through. The left tackle is usually the teams best pass blocker, of the two tackles, the left tackles will often have better footwork and agility than the right tackle in order to counteract the pass rush of defensive ends. When a quarterback throws a pass, the quarterbacks shoulders are aligned roughly perpendicular to the line of scrimmage. Right-handed quarterbacks, the majority of players in the position, thus turn their backs to defenders coming from the left side, creating a vulnerable blind side that the left tackle must protect. A2006 book by Michael Lewis, The Blind Side, Evolution of a Game, made into a 2009 motion picture, the book and the films introduction discuss how the annual salary of left tackles in the NFL skyrocketed in the mid-90s. Recent examples include Eric Fisher, Luke Joeckel, Lane Johnson, Matt Kalil, Trent Williams, Jake Long, and Joe Thomas
27.
Alabama Crimson Tide football
–
The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the team is currently coached by Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide is among the most storied and decorated football programs in NCAA history, since beginning play in 1892, the program claims 16 national championships, including 11 wire-service national titles in the poll-era, and five other titles before the poll-era. From 1958 to 1982, the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul Bear Bryant, despite numerous national and conference championships, it was not until 2009 that an Alabama player received a Heisman Trophy, when running back Mark Ingram became the universitys first winner. In 2015, Derrick Henry became the universitys second Heisman winner, Alabama has 878 official victories in NCAA Division I, has won 30 conference championships and has made an NCAA-record 64 postseason bowl appearances. Other NCAA records include 23 winning streaks of 10 games or more and 19 seasons with a 10–0 start, the program has 34 seasons with 10 wins or more, and has 37 bowl victories, both NCAA records. Alabama has completed 10 undefeated seasons,9 of which were perfect seasons, the Crimson Tide leads the SEC West Division with 12 division titles and 11 appearances in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama holds a record against every current and former SEC school. The Associated Press ranks Alabama 4th in all-time final AP Poll appearances, Alabama plays its home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium, located on the campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. With a capacity of 101,821, Bryant-Denny is the 8th largest non-racing stadium in the world, Alabama has had 28 head coaches since organized football began in 1892. Adopting the nickname Crimson Tide after the 1907 season, the team has played more than 1,100 games in their 114 seasons, in that time,12 coaches have led the Crimson Tide in postseason bowl games, Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Harold D. Red Drew, Bear Bryant, Ray Perkins, Bill Curry, Gene Stallings, Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, Mike Shula, Joe Kines, and Nick Saban. Eight of those coaches also won championships, Wade, Thomas, Drew, Bryant, Curry, Stallings, DuBose. During their tenures, Wade, Thomas, Bryant, Stallings, of the 27 different head coaches who have led the Crimson Tide, Wade, Thomas, Bryant, and Stallings have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The current head coach is Nick Saban, who was hired in January 2007, National championships in NCAA FBS college football are debated as the NCAA does not officially award the championship. Despite not naming an official National Champion, the NCAA provides lists of championships awarded by organizations it recognizes, beginning in 1936, the Associated Press began the best-known and most widely circulated poll of sportswriters and broadcasters. Before 1936, national champions were determined by research and retroactive ratings. The criteria for being included in this historical list of poll selectors is that the poll be national in scope, either through distribution in newspaper, television, since World War II, Alabama only claims national championships awarded by the final AP Poll or the final Coaches Poll
28.
Guard (American and Canadian football)
–
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player who lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team on the line of scrimmage used primarily for blocking. Right guards is the term for the guards on the right of the offensive line, Guards are to the right or left of the center. The guards job is to protect the quarterback from the incoming linemen during pass plays, Guards are automatically considered ineligible receivers, so they cannot intentionally touch a forward pass, unless it is to recover a fumble or is first touched by a defender or eligible receiver. This technique is used in most playbooks for outside runs and on counter plays, vanderbilts Dan McGugin is credited with first pulling guards. Since the Guard is free of responsibility for play-side outside runs and far-side counter plays, pulling is generally a unique responsibility for Guards
29.
Tennessee Volunteers football
–
The Tennessee Volunteers football program represents the University of Tennessee in the sport of American football. The Volunteers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and their all-time ranking in bowl appearances is third and sixth in all-time bowl victories, most notably four Sugar Bowls, three Cotton Bowls, an Orange Bowl, and a Fiesta Bowl. Also Tennessee and The Ohio State University are the only 2 programs left in the country to never have a season of more than 7 losses. They have won 13 conference championships and six titles in their history. Additionally, its 102,455 seat capacity makes Neyland the nations fifth largest stadium, the team is currently coached by Butch Jones. The Volunteers began wearing orange pants in 1977 under coach Johnny Majors and his successor, Phillip Fulmer, discarded the pants upon becoming Majors full-time replacement in 1993. The orange pants were worn three times under Fulmer, in the 1999 homecoming game vs. Memphis, the 2007 SEC Championship game vs. LSU, and the 2008 season opener at UCLA. Lane Kiffin wore the orange pants full-time on the road, except for the 2009 season finale vs. Kentucky, in 2009, the Volunteers wore black jerseys with orange pants on Halloween night against the South Carolina Gamecocks. On October 5,2013, the team debuted its Smokey Gray uniforms in a loss to the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. After more than a decade of Adidas uniforms and a year of speculation, the orange and white colors worn by the football team were selected by Charles Moore, a member of the very first football squad in 1891. They were from the American Daisy which grew on The Hill, the orange color is distinct to the school, dubbed UT Orange, and has been offered by The Home Depot for sale as a paint, licensed by the university. Home games at Neyland Stadium have been described as a sea of Orange due to the number of fans wearing the school color. Derives from the usage of UT Orange, the color is spot color PMS151 as described by the University. Tennessee first sported the famous design in 1964 under Dickey. They brought the design back in 1989, the idea was inspired by the checkerboard design around the top of historic Ayres Hall. The checkerboard was bordered in orange from 1989 until natural grass replaced the turf in 1994. The return of natural grass brought with it the return of the border that exists today. Rocky Top is not the official Tennessee fight song, as is widely believed, the Band began playing the fight song during the 1970s after it became popular as a Bluegrass tune by the Osborne Brothers
30.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
–
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in the sport of American football. The Yellow Jackets team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Georgia Tech has fielded a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 700–471–43. The Yellow Jackets play in Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field in Atlanta, Georgia, the Yellow Jackets have won four Division I-A college football national championships and fifteen conference titles. A number of collegiate and professional football players once played for Tech. The school has 48 first-team All-Americans and over 150 alumni who have played in the NFL, among the most lauded and most notable players the school has produced are Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Keith Brooking, Joe Hamilton, Joe Guyon, and Billy Shaw. In addition to its players, Techs football program has been noted for its coaches and its, in many cases bizarre traditions and game finishes. Among the teams coaches are John Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is named, and Bobby Dodd, for whom the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award. Heisman led the team to the game in American football history. Dodd also led the Jackets on their longest winning streak against the University of Georgia, Tech began its football program with several students forming a loose-knit troop of footballers called the Blacksmiths. On November 5,1892, Tech played its first football game against Mercer University, the team lost to Mercer 12–6 in Macon, Georgia. Tech played two games during their first season and lost both of them for a season record of 0–3. Discouraged by these results, the Blacksmiths sought a coach to improve their record, leonard Wood, an Army officer and Atlantan, heard of Techs football struggles and volunteered to player-coach the team. Over the span of 1892–1903, Tech only won 8 games, tied in 5, in 1893, Tech played against the University of Georgia for the first time. Tech defeated Georgia 28–6 for the schools first-ever victory, the angry Georgia fans threw stones and other debris at the Tech players during and after the game. The poor treatment of the Blacksmiths by the Georgia faithful gave birth to the now known as Clean. In 1902, Jesse Thrash was the teams first All-Southern selection and he began the season as a sub and closed it as the undisputed star of the Tech team. Oliver Jones Huie was selected by Ga Techs athletic association to coach the team for the 1903 season when the team won 3. A professional coach was desperately needed if Tech wished to build a competitive football program
31.
Center (gridiron football)
–
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football. The center is the innermost lineman of the line on a football teams offense. The center is also the player who passes the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play, in recent years, the importance of centers for a football team has increased, due to the re-emergence of 3-4 defenses. According to Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, you need to have somebody who can neutralize that nose tackle, if you dont, everything can get screwed up. Your running game wont be effective and youll also have somebody in your quarterbacks face on every play, the centers first and primary role is to pass the football to the quarterback. This exchange is called a snap, most offensive schemes make adjustments based on how the defensive line and linebackers align themselves in relation to the offensive line, and what gaps they line up in. Because the center has a view of the defensive formation before the snap. This call is typically based on the position of the linemen or linebackers in his gaps. In some cases the center may call an adjustment for the offensive line. This was taken to an extreme by the Indianapolis Colts in the early 21st century, the center is therefore usually the most intelligent player on the offensive line, which is critical to a centers success. After the snap, the center performs blocking assignments, the blocking assignments vary by offense but typically consist of the following, Run blocking assignments will vary based on the current play and the defensive formation when the ball is snapped. Typically, these assignments consist of the following, Blocking middle or backside linebackers in certain formations, assisting guards in their blocking assignments. This may be a center/guard double-team where the center and guard are assigned to the target to get extra push or drive. Assistance may also be just a quick hit or chip to throw the player off balance and help the guard to execute his block. Backside blocking of defensive tackles for pulling guards, in some offensive schemes, certain plays will involve pulling an offensive lineman to block for the ball carrier. If a guard needs to pull for a block, the center will typically block the defensive tackle in order to fill the guards void, pass blocking for a center is similar to run blocking for a center. The center will initially help guards based on the position of the defensive linemen, in the case of a blitz, the center may need to pick up a rushing linebacker, safety or corner. A good center also needs to stay vigilant during pass blocking to protect against defensive stunts and twists, on most plays, the center will snap the ball directly into the quarterbacks hands
32.
LSU Tigers football
–
The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in the sport of American football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, LSU ended the 2015 season with 770 victories, the 12th most in NCAA Division I FBS history, and the 4th most of any SEC team, behind Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. The Tigers also have the 11th highest winning percentage among teams with at least 1,000 games played, LSU has won three National Championships in 1958,2003 and 2007. LSU has been featured in a game with ESPN College GameDay on location a total of 25 times, the Tigers have now made at least one appearance on the show every season since 2003. In recent years, LSU has had a number of players drafted into the National Football League. As of the beginning of the 2016 NFL season, there were 42 former LSU players on active rosters in the NFL, Louisiana State University played its first football game in school history on November 25,1893, losing to rival Tulane in the first intercollegiate contest in Louisiana. The game sparked a rivalry between the Tigers and the Green Wave that has lasted generations, the Tigers were coached by university professor Dr. Charles E. Coates, known for his work in the chemistry of sugar. Future Louisiana governor Ruffin G. Pleasant was the quarterback and captain of the LSU team, in the first game against Tulane, LSU football players wore purple and gold ribbons on their uniforms. According to legend, purple and gold were chosen because they were Mardi Gras colors, the rules of play in 1893 were more like rugby than what might be considered modern football. LSU achieved its first victory by beating Natchez Athletic Club 26–0 in 1894, samuel Marmaduke Dinwidie Clark has the honor of scoring the very first touchdown in LSU history. The first football game played on the LSU campus was at State Field on December 3,1894, LSUs only touchdown in that game was scored by the head coach, Albert Simmons. This was the first year of play for William S. Slaughter who lettered as an end for 5 years, Slaughter was LSUs first five time football letterman. By 1895, LSU had its first win in Baton Rouge, Coach Allen Jeardeau returned for his second but final year at LSU in 1897 for two games in Baton Rouge. A yellow fever outbreak throughout the South caused the postponement of LSUs classes starting, another outbreak of yellow fever similar to the one in 1897 caused LSU to play only one game in 1898. By the time LSU was able to play its game of the season, Allen Jeardeau had departed from the school as head football coach. The job of coach then fell to the captain, Edmond Chavanne. New coach John P. Gregg led the Tigers to a 1–4 season in 1899, the only wins were in an exhibition game against a high school team—which LSU does not officially record as a win—and against rival, Tulane. Chavanne was rehired in 1900, posting a 2–2 record and he was replaced by W. S. Borland as head coach in 1901, who led the team to a successful 5–1 season
33.
Jack McDowall
–
McDowall was recognized as an All-Southern football player in 1927. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975 - becoming the first player from NC State to be inducted, Jack McDowall was born on June 26,1905 in Micanopy, Florida to J. W. McDowall and M. D. Younglove. Jack played high school ball in Gainesville, Florida then at Rockingham HS in North Carolina and he took both schools to appearances in the state championship game. After having starred at Gainesville, he was deemed too small to ever get a scholarship to the University of Florida even though he was some 6 feet 1 inch tall, McDowall won 11 letters at A&M. He was named the top athlete in the first half-century of NC State Athletics, McDowall is the only man to twice win the Norris Cup, and once held the North Carolina state record in the high jump. McDowall is the man to twice win the Norris Cup. He is best known as North Carolina States first All-Southern running back and he once ran for an 80-yard touchdown against Richmond. He led the Wolfpack to a 9–1 mark and a Southern Conference championship in 1927 under coach Gus Tebell, McDowall threw for 14 of the Wolfpacks 31 touchdowns. In the 12 to 6 win in Tampa over his hometown Florida Gators, the season closed with a convincing defeat of Michigan State. He was selected to play on an All-Southern team which beat an All-Pacific Coast team on Christmas Day in Los Angeles, georgia Tech coach Bill Alexander said of McDowall, I have talked with a number of persons who know football well and that have seen McDowall play. They all say he is a wonder at running and passing and we expect much of him when we go to the Pacific Coast for the Christmas charity game. He was also captain of the team in 1928. He later coached at Asheville High School, and was director of Rollins College in his native state of Florida for 29 years. Re-elected in 1956, McDowall held the position until 1960, McDowall completed a masters degree in psychology at Duke University. One description of Jack goes as follows, He wears spectacles, is wiry of build and has described as looking more like a minister than a football player. 2014 NC State Athletic Hall of Fame Video
34.
NC State Wolfpack football
–
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in the sport of American football. The Wolfpack competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, prior to joining the ACC in 1953, the Wolfpack were a member of the Southern Conference. As a member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won seven championships and participated in 30 bowl games. NC State is currently coached by Dave Doeren, in their latest season under Doeren, the Wolfpack finished 7-6 after a 41-17 victory over Vanderbilt in the Independence Bowl. Since 1966, the Wolfpack has played its games at Carter-Finley Stadium. On September 16,2010, NC State restored the tradition of having a mascot on the field as a wolf-like Tamaskan Dog named Tuffy was on the sidelines for the Cincinnati game in Raleigh. Since then, Tuffy has not missed a Wolfpack football game in Carter-Finley Stadium, NC State played its first football game against a team from the Raleigh Male Academy on March 12,1892 in what is now Pullen Park. The Aggies, whose colors were blue and pink, won 12-6 in front of more than 200 spectators, the following year, the school played its first intercollegiate game, a 12-6 victory over Tennessee College. The programs long-standing rivalry with nearby University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began on October 12,1894 with a 44-0 UNC victory in Chapel Hill, eight days later, the team lost again to UNC, 16-0 in Raleigh. In 1895, under third-year coach Bart Gatling, the team wore red, over the next five seasons the program continued to try to establish itself, achieving only one winning season during the period. The football team has only had scholarship football players since 1933. In 1906, in a game against Randolph-Macon in Raleigh, the Farmers attempted their first forward pass, the following season was the programs most successful yet. Under coach Mickey Whitehurst, A&M won the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship with a 6–0–1 record and that season, the program also recorded its first ever victory over Virginia. The Farmers played their games that season on campus at the New Athletic Park. In addition to Pullen Park, the fairgrounds had hosted some games prior to the opening of the new stadium. The team won a second South Atlantic championship in 1910 under coach Edward Green, a win over Virginia Tech in Norfolk that season was dubbed the biggest game ever played in the South. Coach Green led team to a conference championship in 1913. The 1918 season was cut due to the United States entrance into World War I
35.
Mercer Bears football
–
For information on all Mercer University sports, see Mercer Bears The Mercer Bears football program is the intercollegiate football team of Mercer University located in Macon, Georgia, United States. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and is a member of the Southern Conference, the team plays its home games at the 10, 200-seat Tony and Nancy Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex on the universitys Macon campus. The Bears are coached by Bobby Lamb, mercers first football team was fielded in 1892, but the school did not consistently field teams until 1906. The sport was dropped in 1917 and 1918 during U. S. involvement in World War I, until 1924, the Mercer Bears were known as the Mercer Baptists. After the 1941 season, with the beginning of U. S. involvement in World War II, Mercer dropped football again, but did not resume the sport after the war. The program was reinstated after a 72-year hiatus in 2013, the first game was on August 31,2013, Georgia Tech player and later Hall of Fame coach Bill Alexander called Grice the meanest and toughest guy I ever ran across on a gridiron. Brothers Crook Smith and Phoney Smith were both stars for Mercer, famous University of Georgia football coach Wally Butts, who lead UGA to four Southeastern Conference titles and two National Championships, played end for Mercer from 1925-1928. Les Olsson, known around Mercer as Swede, was the only Mercer player from the pre-World War II era to go pro and he was part of the 1937 championship squad. On August 31,2013, Mercer played its first game since 1941 before a crowd of 12,172 spectators. The Bears opponent, Reinhardt University, also revived its football program, in a thrilling game that saw multiple lead changes, Josh Shutter helped Mercer clinch the victory with a 31-yard field goal with three seconds left in the game
36.
Bill Banker
–
Willis Burton Bill Banker was an American college football player and one-time vice president of Pinnacle Oil Co. Banker was a prominent halfback for the Tulane Green Wave football team of Tulane University from 1927 to 1929 and he was known as the Blonde Blizzard due to his blonde hair and playing without a helmet. During the 1929 game with Georgia Tech, Banker wore a helmet onto the field because coach Bernie Bierman threatened to yank him out of the game. But the helmet slipped over his eyes as the Yellow Jackets were preparing to kickoff, so Banker tossed it to the sideline, and was never taken out, calling Biermans bluff. He was featured as part of the All-American football team in the 1930 Warner Bros. feature movie Maybe Its Love starring 20-year-old Joan Bennett, Banker was a charter member of the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977, Banker died of a heart attack on September 25,1985. Bill Blond Blizzard Banker at the College Football Hall of Fame
37.
Tulane Green Wave football
–
The Tulane Green Wave football team represents Tulane University in the sport of American football. The Green Wave compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a member of the American Athletic Conference, the football team is coached by Willie Fritz, and plays its home games in Yulman Stadium on its campus in Uptown New Orleans. The Green Wave have played their games in Yulman Stadium on its Uptown campus since 2014. Prior to that season, Tulane played home games in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for nearly 40 seasons, because Tulanes campus is landlocked within Uptown New Orleans, Yulman is tightly fit within its athletic footprint and directly abutting the surrounding neighborhood. The stadium has a capacity of 30,000 spectators and was constructed with the ability to expand, the Tulane University Marching Band was founded in 1920 as a military band. It dissolved shortly after the move to the Superdome in the 1970s. The TUMB performs at home games each fall and in Mardi Gras parades each spring, riptide the Pelican debuted in 1998 with the re-branding of Tulane athletics. Prior to that, the school used an angry wave nicknamed Gumby by fans, Tulanes biggest and oldest rival was LSU. It began in 1893 with a 34–0 Green Wave victory over the Tigers, the teams stopped meeting every year in the Battle for the Flag in 2009. Between 1979 and 1982, Tulane won three out of four games against the Tigers, the 1982 win was the last win to date, the two schools stopped playing annually after the 1994 game, however, they have met six times since. LSU lead the series 69–22–7 and won 45 of the final 50 games, as a condition of the broken series agreement made in 2006, a potential future game will be played in a future season in New Orleans. Known as the Battle for the Bell, Tulanes rivalry with Southern Miss was played yearly from 1979 until 2006, as a result of Conference USA splitting into East and West divisions in 2005, the game was played two out of every four years. The rivalry is paused indefinitely as a result of Tulanes move to The American Athletic Conference in 2014, Tulane has won nine conference football championships in four different conferences. Its three Southeastern Conference titles are more than seven current members of the SEC, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas A&M, records current as of November 27,2015 Tulane has had 19 players named to first-team All-America teams. Of those 19, five were consensus selections, with one being a unanimous selection, the team has had 39 head coaches and 1 interim head coach since Tulane began playing football in 1893. While Tommy Bowden led the 1998 team to a perfect 11–0 regular season, six coaches led the team to conference championships, Clark Shaughnessy, Bernie Bierman, Ted Cox, Red Dawson, Henry E. Frnka, and Tommy Bowden. Clark Shaughnessy and Chris Scelfo are tied as the leaders in games coached at Tulane with 94 each. Clark Shaughnessy is the leader in years coached and total wins
