1.
American football
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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
2.
College Football All-Southern Team
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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
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1902 College Football All-Southern Team
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Clemson won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship, though Virginia was often ranked as best team in the south. Fuzzy Woodruffs A History of Southern Football records the first All-Southern team as in 1902, Reynolds Tichenors eleven as posted in Fuzzy Woodruffs A History of Southern Football includes, Sandy Beaver, guard for Georgia. He was once head of Riverside Military Academy, marvin M. Dickinson, halfback for Georgia, later coached for his alma mater. Tradition dictates many publications list Elmer as the schools first All-Southern selection and he started every game Harold Ketron, center for Georgia, known as War Eagle. Ketron was known as quite a physical player, one source reporting he pulled hair, another writer claims There have been many of the old players who have followed the Georgia games long after graduation, but none of them with a record of more loyalty than the War Eagle. Joseph Lee Kirby-Smith, tackle for Sewanee, son of Edmund Kirby-Smith and he later moved to Jacksonville, Florida as a practicing dermatologist and gaining distinction throughout Florida and the south. Henry D. Phillips, guard for Sewanee, sportswriter Fuzzy Woodruff called him the greatest football player who ever sank cleated shoes into a chalk line south of the Mason-Dixon line. One account of Ridley reads Ridleys first year on the team he played this position so well that Coach Heisman named his as the All-Southern end and he is quick and active and never hesitates to tackle a man, seldom being blocked. He was later a physician and surgeon, one publication reads Vetter Sitton and Hope Sadler were the finest ends that Clemson ever had perhaps. Carl Sitton, Clemson Frank Ridley, Georgia Hope Sadler, Clemson Albert Cox, North Carolina Thomas Bronston, Virginia Lois Thompson, Kentucky U. Harris, Virginia H. A. Allison, Auburn Bold = Tichenors selection WRT = selected by W. R. Tichenor, AC = selected by the Atlanta Constitution. It had substitutes, denoted with a small S. JLD = selected by UVA coach John L. DeSaulles and it had substitutes, denoted with a small S. H = selected by John Heisman, WAL = selected by W. A. Lambeth for Colliers Weekly. It had a first and second team
4.
1910 College Football All-Southern Team
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Vanderbilt post the best record in the SIAA, the only blemish on its record a scoreless tie with defending national champion Yale. Auburn also posted an undefeated record, but lost to Texas. Hamilton Fish’s Harvard Law School All Stars played three games against different All-Southern elevens on December 30,31, and January 2, the one on the 31st had been scheduled for a prior date but had been rained out. The first of these was a tie on muddy ground, the second a 5–0 Harvard victory. On December 7 it was announced Fishs team was to two games against southern teams. A December 26 wire service reported that Fielding Yost “may don the moleskin again. ”He was coaching a “western all-southern eleven” that was to play Harvard Law School in two days. Joining him from his Michigan squad were Germany Schulz and Andrew W. Smith, the Harvard All Stars made a stop in Cincinnati on their way south. The Memphis game on account of rain was then postponed to the 31st, a heavy rain also fell in Nashville on the night of the 28th, and while the game had been expected to start at 2 oclock on the 29th, it was apparently played on the 30th. Yost coached the team and Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin played in the game for his former coach, in spite of a muddy field the game was fast from start to finish on Old Dudley Field in front of 3,000 spectators. Former Sewanee end Silas Williams played for Harvard while taking graduate courses, on a 110 yard field in those days, Fish had run for 100 yards when caught from behind by Browne 10 yards short of the goal. A blow from Michigans Smith also broke Fishs nose, the game ended as a scoreless tie. Originally the first game scheduled in Memphis finally happened on the 31st and it included many Ole Miss players. Earl Kinnebrew was a standout for the southern team, the Southerners showed unexpected strength in individual defensive work. Harvard won 5 to 0, the points a 25-yard pass from Stephen Galatti to Silas Williams. Then on January 2 Fishs team played a group of LSU players in Baton Rouge, the game was without question the finest exhibition of football ever given in the state. Harvard was hurt by the injuries and length of the trip, Rice also claimed he was harder to surround and tackle than a flea. It was said he could run 100 meters in 10 seconds flat, E. L. Caton, center for Auburn, once coach of Howard. John Heisman considered him one of the souths greatest centers and he managed the southern branch of the Pure Oil company in 1922, which marketed Tiolene, Pennsylvania base motor oil
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1915 College Football All-Southern Team
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The 1915 College Football All-Southern Team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-Southern Teams selected by various organizations in 1915. Josh Cody and Baby Taylor were selected third-team All-Americans by Walter Camp, Van de Graaff was Alabamas first ever All-American. Buck Mayer of the 8–1 Virginia Cavaliers was the souths first consensus All-American, the point-a-minute Vanderbilt Commodores won the SIAA. He was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era, later a prominent football coach at many institutions. Rabbit Curry, quarterback for Vanderbilt, unanimous selection, during the First World War, he was killed in aerial combat over France. Russ Cohen, end for Vanderbilt, later an assistant under Wallace Wade at Alabama and head coach at LSU, wooch Fielder, halfback for Georgia Tech, later an influential veteran of the Second World War. He also played baseball and was later Georgia baseball coach, bob Lang, guard for Georgia Tech, the first guard selected for the Heisman era All-Era Tech football team. Walter Neville, fullback for Georgia, made All-Southern in his first year on the varsity, david Paddock, quarterback for Georgia, the only player in school history to have a petition circulated by the student body requesting that he play for the Bulldogs. Baby Taylor, guard for Auburn, unanimous selection, weighing just under 200 pounds, Taylor would be a small player today, but he was then considered quite large, worth three ordinary men. Miss Virginia Gilmer, an Auburn fan of some 13 years of age once told Taylor that “if she were a boy and as big as he and had any sense at all she would be an all-southern tackle. ”Third-team Camp All-American Charlie Thompson, end for Georgia, captain-elect but ruled ineligible for next year. Bully Van de Graaff, tackle for Alabama, unanimous selection and he was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era. Alabamas first All-American, and brother of the inventor of the Van de Graaff generator which produces high voltages, Bully Van de Graaff, Baby Taylor, and Rabbit Curry were unanimous selections
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1917 College Football All-Southern Team
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Georgia Tech won the SIAA and the souths first national championship. Walker Carpenter and Everett Strupper were the first two players from the Deep South selected first-team All-American, the composite All-Southern eleven formed by the selection of 7 coaches and sporting writers included, Alf Adams, end for Vanderbilt. Adams was also a star and later a prominent attorney. Bonner is selected at guard for various all-time Auburn teams, walker Carpenter, tackle and captain for Georgia Tech championship team. He and Strupper were the first two players from the Deep South selected first-team All-American, ducote is often considered Auburns greatest player of its early years. He also kicked and later coached, bill Fincher, tackle for Georgia Tech, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was also a great as a placekicker. Buck Flowers, halfback for Davidson, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and he was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era. He was just 17 years old when the season started, joe Guyon, back for Georgia Tech, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. He was unanimously selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era, albert Hill, quarterback for Georgia Tech, received the most carries on Techs championship team and was the nations high scorer. Pup Phillips, center for Georgia Tech and he was later involved in politics and attempted to pass a resolution to re-establish the Auburn–Alabama rivalry. Everett Strupper, halfback for Georgia Tech, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972 and he was deaf and produced the most yards for Techs championship team. The seven were Dick Jemison, John Heisman, Morgan Blake, Fred Bodeker, George Watkins, Fred Digby, DJ = selected by Dick Jemison, sporting editor for the Atlanta Constitution. MB = selected by Morgan Blake, sporting editor for the Atlanta Georgian, FD = selected by Fred Digby, sporting editor for the New Orleans Item. ZN = selected by Zipp Newman, assistant sporting editor for the Birmingham News, HB = selected by Happy Barnes of Tulane University, in the New Orleans Item. H = selected by John Heisman, coach of Georgia Institute of Technology, FB = selected by Fred Bodeker of the Birmingham Age-Herald. NT = selected by the Nashville Tennessean, CM = selected by Country Morris, assistant coach at Clemson College. HW = selected by former Sewanee player Henry Watkins, GT = selected by the Technique, Georgia Techs student newspaper
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1919 College Football All-Southern Team
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Even though Centre went undefeated, there were questions over professionalism. The composite eleven posted by H. J. Stegeman, coach at the University of Georgia, for Spaldings Football Guide included, Alf Adams, end for Vanderbilt, also a basketball star, pete Bonner, guard for Auburn, selected for various all-time Auburn teams. Josh Cody, tackle for Vanderbilt, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970 and he was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era. Later a prominent football coach at many institutions, bum Day, center for Georgia, in 1918 as a player for Georgia Tech was the first Southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp. Buck Flowers, halfback for Georgia Tech, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and he was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era. Judy Harlan, fullback for Georgia Tech, came into his own upon returning to Tech for the 1919 season, mullie Lenoir, halfback for Alabama, later coach of the Bluefield Rams. Bo McMillin, quarterback for Centre, the second Southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp, artie Pew, tackle for Georgia, member of teams which over two years did not lose to a single southern opponent. Pew was also a basketball player
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1921 College Football All-Southern Team
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This was the last year before many schools left the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association for the Southern Conference. Centre posted the SIAAs best record and upset Harvard 6–0, Georgia Tech was also undefeated in conference play, as were Georgia and Vanderbilt, the latter two posting one tie against the other. Vanderbilt was the one to remain undefeated overall, and were selected as a national champion retroactively by selector Clyde Berryman. He later coached high school football, Sam Murray, who played later for Georgia Tech as a substitute fullback, was asked about a certain strong runner in the 1930s, Hes good. But if I were playing again, I would have one wish – never to see bearing down upon me a more fearsome picture of power than Judy Harlan blocking for Red Barron. Noah Caton, center for Auburn, died just a year due to complications from an appendicitis operation. Not a single point was scored all year through Georgias line, in 1918, as a player for Georgia Tech, Day was the first Southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp. Goat Hale, quarterback for Mississippi College, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Got the nickname Goat in high school when he battered through the line, scoring a touchdown, Judy Harlan, fullback for Georgia Tech, a senior captain and third-team All-American. Bo McMillin, quarterback for Centre College, unanimous selection, inaugural inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and he led Centre over defending national champion Harvard 6–0 in what is widely considered one of the greatest upsets in college football history. In 1919, he was the second player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp. Owen Reynolds, end for Georgia, played for the New York Giants in their season of 1925. He was also the teams kicker as well as a basketball player, Red Roberts, end for Centre, this year the fifth southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp. Roberts was a selection for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869–1919 era. Later coached the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets, albert Staton, tackle for Georgia Tech, the starting end on the all-time Heisman era team. Puss Whelchel, guard for Georgia, captain-elect and third-team All-American, bo McMillin was the only unanimous choice for the composite selection. Caton and Staton were picked out of the due to having the most votes at multiple positions. Each of the composite eleven selected were presented with gold football badges, D = selected by Mike Donahue, coach at Auburn University
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1920 College Football All-Southern Team
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Georgia and Georgia Tech both had claims to the SIAA championship. He later coached high school football, noah Caton, center for Auburn, died just two years later due to complications from an appendicitis operation. Bum Day, center for Georgia, in 1918 as a player for Georgia Tech was the first Southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp, buck Flowers, halfback for Georgia Tech, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. He was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869–1919 era, bo McMillin, quarterback for Centre, the second Southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. Artie Pew, tackle for Georgia, member of teams which over two years did not lose to a single southern opponent, Pew was also a basketball player. Owen Reynolds, end for Georgia, played for the New York Giants in the season of 1925. John Staton, end for Georgia Tech, later a Coca-Cola executive, riggs Stephenson, fullback for Alabama, later played professional baseball for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs. Bill Fincher received the most votes with 26, owen Reynolds, Georgia John Staton, Georgia Tech Terry Snoddy, Centre Georgie Ratterman, Georgia Tech Al Clemens, Alabama John Shirey, Auburn Dicky White, Tulane M. C. FA = selected by Frank Anderson, coach at Oglethorpe University, CM = selected by Charley Moran, coach at Centre College. Scott, coach at the University of Alabama, S = selected by H. J. Stegeman, coach at University of Georgia. JD = selected by James DeHart, assistant coach at University of Georgia, D = selected by Mike Donahue, coach at Auburn University. MB = selected by Morgan Blake, sports editor for the Atlanta Journal, BD = selected by Bruce Dudley, sports editor for the Louisville Herald. ED = selected by Ed Danforth, sports editor for the Atlanta Georgian, WGF = selected by W. G. Foster, sports editor for the Chattanooga Times, along with S. J. McAllister, coach and official. BH = selected by Blinkey Horn, sports editor for the Nashville Tennessean, SM = selected by Sam H. McMeekin of the Louisville Courier-Journal. ZN = selected by Zipp Newman, sports editor for the Birmingham News, KS = selected by the Knoxville Sentinel. HLL = selected by H. L. Lesbon of the Knoxville Journal, BAH = selected by the Birmingham Age-Herald. JLR = selected by J. L. Ray of the Nashville Banner, CR = selected by Charles Rinehart, sports editor for the Louisville Courier-Journal. CW = selected by Cliff Wheatley, sports editor for the Atlanta Constitution, HG = selected by Homer George
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1904 College Football All-Southern Team
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In Dan McGugin and Mike Donahues first year as head coach, Vanderbilt and Auburn shared the SIAA championship, challenging John Heismans eminence in the South. The composite eleven included, Jones Beene, end for Tennessee and he once coached the Chattanooga Mocs and was also the first coach of the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs. He was also a Rhodes Scholar, Brown was later a referee who often commented on the sport, picking the Constitutions All-Southern team in 1912. Lob Brown, tackle for Georgia Tech, some publications claim he was Techs first All-Southern player, while others claim Jesse Thrash. Dan McGugin once called him the Souths greatest athlete and Vanderbilts greatest halfback and he was captain-elect, and he has learned to run the ball wrote former coach Heisman. Humphrey Foy, fullback for Auburn, the schools lone selection in Mike Donahues first year. He was injured the year prior and he coached Vanderbilt basketball in 1903–1904 and 1908–1909. Henry D. Phillips, guard for Sewanee, unanimous selection, sportswriter Fuzzy Woodruff called him the greatest football player who ever sank cleated shoes into a chalk line south of the Mason-Dixon line. John Scarbrough, quarterback for Sewanee, unanimous selection, on the dedication of Harris Stadium, one writer noted The University of the South has numbered among its athletes some of the greatest. Anyone who played against giant Henry Phillips in 1901-1903 felt that he was nothing less than the best as guard, anyone who ever saw a punt from the foot of J. W. Scarbrough. Willard Steele, halfback for Cumberland, made All-Southern in his first year on the varsity and he was a physician who specialized in diseases of the eye, ear, nose, and throat. He was selected for the Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era, Henry D. Phillips and John Scarbrough were both unanimous selections. H = selected by John Heisman, coach at Georgia Institute of Technology and he had a first and second team. WRT = selected by W. R. Tichenor in the Atlanta News, GR = selected by Grantland Rice in the Atlanta Journal. NB = selected by former Tennessee player Nash Buckingham in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, WJE = selected by William J. Ewing in the Nashville American. JLD = selected by John de Saulles, EC = selected by Edwin Camp, in Illustrated Sporting News. WK = selected by Willis Keinholz, head coach at the North Carolina College of Agriculture, WSK = selected by W. S. Kimberly
