University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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The year T894 also saw the completion of the new combined gymnasium and field house. Stagg tried the experiment of leaving the south 50 feet of the Q50 feet of floor space with a dirt floor to permit shot putting, pole vaulting, and high jumping practice. OF the numerous baseball stars developed by Coach Stagg, Nichols, the captain of the 'I894 team was probably the most outstanding. During all of his playing years, he was the Babe Ruth of Conference baseball. l-le was a first-rate pitcher, an unusual hitter, and a brilliant fielder. Twenty-five years after his graduation, Nichols, now in business in New York, returned with his old team mates to play the 'I9Q'l varsity at com- mencement time. l-le lived upto his reputation when he opened the game by blasting the first ball pitched for a mighty home run. The 'I898 football team was distinguished for a number of reasons, the most amusing of which was the fact that it was Chicago's first completely smooth-shaven sauad. The season itself, however, was but mere preparation for the great things to come in 1899, the year in which Chicago came into its first championship. ln that season Chicago played a twenty game schedule, winning sixteen, losing two, and tieing both the lndiana and pennsylvania contests. Between the fourth and fourteenth of Qctober the team played Notre Dame, lowa, Dixon College, and Cornell. Later in the season Brown was defeated, Northwestern was swamped 76 to 0, Minnesota bowed Q9 to 0, and Wisconsin lost 'I7 to O in a post-season game. Stagg tells of many interesting things that happened in ,99. l-le had a guard that season, l-lerb Ahlswede, now of l.ong Beach, California, who broke a leg in practice two days before a game but played through the contest without realizing his injury. At Ahlswedefs tearful pleading that he be allowed to play in the game, Doc Raycroft worked most of the night before to devise and get made in time a boot and pad that would permit him to play. A shoemaker and blacksmith finally succeeded in constructing a sole leather extension on his shoe, braced with an iron which went under his instep and up the leg almost to the knee. Stagg declares that this is the only case of which he knows where a player started and played through a game with a broken leg. A newcomer to the 'I899 squad was a slight tow-headed lad, weighing only 145 pounds, who at once attracted Stagg's eye as a fierce tackler. l'lis name was ,limmy Sheldon and he eventually captained the 'l90'l and T902 teams. l-le was assistant coach in 1903 and 'l904, and later went to lndiana where he coached for nine years. ln that same year, the Stagg coached track team won the Western lntercollegiate Championship, and this led to the promotion of a trip to the Qlympic games at Paris in 'l900. Stagg was forced to borrow S2500 at the bank to finance the expedition, President l-larper and T. W. Goodspeed indorsing the note. Five men made the trip: Charley Burroughs, an excellent sprinter, Bill Maloney, a quarter and half miler of great ability, his brother Fred, a fine hurdler, l-larvey l.ord, a quarter-miler, and l-lenry Slack, a Q90 and 440 yard runner, Walter Eckersall, who walked onto the Chicago football stage in 'l903, brought with him a new era in Maroon football. l'le was a local boy, having gotten his prep school experience at l-lyde Park l-ligh School. l-le captained the teams that defeated the New York high school champions, Brooklyn Polytechnic, 'l05 to 0 and 59 to 0 in successive years. It was not until 'l905, however, that Chicago won its second con- ference title. Strangely enough, eight ofthe eleven warriors that brought Chicago its second championship were Chicago boys, while the other three members of the team hailed from lowa, This T905 team, probably one of the greatest ever to wear the UC , boasted of such famous players as Bezdek, Catlin, Detray, Parry, Bert Gale, Dan Boone, Bubbles I-till, Art Badenoch, Babe Meigs, Fred Walker, Clarence Walker, and last, 29

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Fair Rooters ofthe Nineties Practice in 7907 football was not the only game played that first fall. It preceded tennis by only a few days, and by the last of Qctober the first tennis tournament was held. This was followed by indoor games in the gymnasium during the winter, two tournaments being held to decide the University championship. As there were no courts on the auadrangles the players were forced to do their playing wherever they could hang a net. four courts were begun by the authorities, however, and the Tennis Association was organized in june 7893, to maintain and manage them. ln December of 7892 the temporary gymnasium was finished and enthu- siastic baslcetball candidates began to appear. ln April the first traclt team got together, although there had been tracl4 practices and small meets on the new traclc of the temporary gymnasium. As spring of 7893 rolled around it was only natural that the boys should eagerly await the opening of the baseball season, especially when they had a famous college pitcher as their coach. Stagg says that he did his best to develop a student pitcher for his first baseball team, but the only candidate proved to be so wild in the opening game against Denison University, that Stagg, who had been catching, reversed positions and was obliged to pitch for the remainder of that season. The nine was organized in April and played fourteen games, ten against first-ranl4ing colleges. OF these ten games, Chicago won seven. ln his years at Chicago, Stagg has noticed a diminishing interest in baseball among students as other sports have come in competition with it. Every five years since 7970, however, baseball has boomed in prospect of the quin- auennial trip to japan. - ln those days bicycle races were a recognized part of intercollegiate competition, and in january, 7893, the University Cycling Club was organized. ln the years which followed some champion cyclists were developed who rode their way to fame Hfor the glory of the U. of Cf' Stagg started his 7893 football season with the majority of his 7899 men baclc for worlc, but with little in the way of new material. l-le himself ceased to play in that year. The 7893 team was better than its predecessor, but Chicago could not yet be considered as strong competition. The high school conditioning games were dropped that year and the team played l.alce Forest, Northwestern three times, Michigan twice, Purdue, Qberlin, Armour Institute and Notre Dame. The Big Three of the East had bossed football since 7876, but by 7894 the other colleges of the country began to revolt. ln the Middlewest the president of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, lllinois, Chicago, Northwestern and Purdue met at the suggestion of President Smart of Purdue and the first steps were talten in the organization of what is now the Big len Conference. This committee adopted a set of rules, but they were not uniformly enforced and a year later, aroused by criticism of Minnesota by Caspar Whitney in l-larper's Weelcly, Professor McMillan sent out an invitation to the same colleges to confer again on 8 february 7896. This time the conference idea was accepted, and the trail was blazed which has been followed by seventy or eighty other regional athletic conferences. lowa and lndiana were admitted to the Conference in 7899, and finally Chia State in 7972 to malte it the Big len. Every year since 7895 representatives of Big Ten Schools have met to modify and enlarge the conference rules, to the great benefit of the game. The fresh- man rule, the three-year playing limitation, and the abolition ofthe training table were among the reforms first adopted by the Conference. Stagg remembers 7894 as the busiest of all his football seasons. l-lis team that year played ei hteen regular games and four postseason games, three of which were in California. Chicago was the first Eastern team to appear on the Pacific coast. Clarence l-lerschberger, the first exceptional baclc and punter to appear at Chicago, and the first western player named on Camps All-American team,played his first season on the 7894 team. l-le was not able to play in 7895 because of parental objection, but his parents lifted their prohibition, and he was baclt and starred in '96, '97, and '98. 28

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The 7979 Squad Grouped Around the Famous Runabout. but undoubtedly the most outstanding oi all, the great lfckersall. ln that memorable season occurred the famous Q to 0 victory over Michigan. lndiana was the only team to cross the Maroon end line. Coach Stagg, always a picture ol perfect health, sutleregl his First physical breakdown in 7903, alter he had irritated the sciatic nerve while knocking up Flies to his baseball squad all one afternoon. l-lis illness drove him to Colorado that summer, but despite the vacation and rest he continued to sutfer through all of 7905, 7906 and 7907. Alter a long absence the sciatic attack returned in 7970, Forcing him to coach his football squad from a motorcycle side car. Another recurrence in 7979 led some of the admiring alumni to present him with an electric automobile, from which he coached that year's team. It was this same runabout which he continued to drive until he left Chicago in 7932. ln spite of his serious physical disability the Qld Man can proudly boast that he has never missed a Chicago Football game, except for one time when he trav- eled to Milwaukee to get a line on the Wisconsin attack. The 7906 revolution in Football, which came about asa result otdrastic changes in the rules, definitely handicapped the game tor some seasons following. The sport could be said to be on probation, this attitude even being retlected in the size ot the squads. Qnly seventeen to twenty men reported to Stagg for loot- ball in 7906, 7907, and 7908, not enough for two full teams. Yet two important factors turned dismal pros- pects into spectacular results, For Chicago was barely nosed out oi the championship in 7906, and won it in 7907 and 7908. The lorward pass, which gave rise to a bewildering aerial attack, and two brilliant open Field runners turned the trick. ln addition to the inimitable Eckersall who was playing his last season forthe Maroons, there was a new Walter added to the team in 7906. This was Walter Stetlen, who proved to be the Equal of his sensational tgalig-mate in we arts out dodging and running. Stagg ranks Eckersall and Stetlen as t e greatest pair o open- ie runners e ever ad. Eckersall was gone in 7907, but Stetten admirably Filled his place at quarter, and his generalship, sup- ported by lddings and Worthwine in the backtield and Page and Bill l-lewitt at ends to snatch down his passes, landed Chicago at the top of the heap in that and the following season. After Stettens last game Stagg said of him: ln twenty-Five years as coach and player, l have never seen his like as a dodger in point of cleverness and resourcetulness, supported by splendid speed. ln running from quarterback position, l never have seen anyone who could even approximate his ability. l-le dodges with equal Facility either way. l-le is clever and accurate in forward passing. l-le is sale and deadly in his tackling. l-le is unusually strong in catching! and returningdpunts. lie is a good punter and drop kicker, and above all he is an inspiring eaaer an an unsurpasse genera. Thengraduation of such a truly remarkable player as Steifen naturally left a gaping hole in the 7909 team which was Farther widened when the last remnants ot the 7908 squad graduated in Mlune 7909. Chicago 30