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

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Upper Left-Three Generations. Upper Right-Tennis with Paul and Lonnie. Lower Left-Mr. and Mrs. Stagg. Lower Right-On l lis 68th Birthday. football reached a low-water mark in the next year, but by 1911 the team that was destined to win the 1913 championship began to develop. Paul Des glardien, an All-American center, and a pair of mighty tackles, Spike Shull and Goettler, both killed in action in the war, were the bulwarks of that great undefeated team of 1913. 1-o Dolly Gray, a great side-stepper at left half, Captain Nels Norgren, a splendid punter, powerful plunger, and spectacular defensive player at right half, and Snitz Pierce, a hard hitting back, Stagg added the wily Pete Russell, quarter-back deluxe, to complete as great a backfield as ever wore the Maroon jerseys. The year 1913 was also noted as the one in which the great west stand of the new Stagg field was com- pleted. lhe stand was dedicated on Qctober 4, the ceremonies being attended by a large group of notables. The chances of retaining the Big 1-en championship in 1914 seemed fairly good, but Coach Stagg's hopes were shattered when Pete Russell injured his shoulder early in the lllinois game and was invalided for the remainder of the season. lhe1915 eleven, captained by Russell, played well and won a hard foughtgame from Wisconsin,14-13, but lost to both Minnesota and lllinois. The World War brought disaster to Chicago football activities in 1916, when Maroon prospects reached the lowest ebb since the discouraging 1910 season. It again crushed all hopes for a championship in 1917, but Stagg was proud of his team of that year, for with only three veterans in the lineup, it held the powerful lllini to a scoreless tie. Big 'len football was suspended in 1918 by a Conference faculty order, for if the game was to be played at all, it would have to be by army teams immune to the usual eligibility rules, inasmuch as all students were members of the Student Army Training Corps. The boys came marching home in all their glory in 1919 to produce a team that went down in defeat before only the powerful teams of lllinois and Wisconsin, The 1920 team was weak on offense but proved to be one of the best defensive teams ever coached by Stagg. But Stagg achieved his greatest measure of success between 1921 and 1924 when his teams lost only two conference games and tied four. ln 1921 a defeat suffered at the hands of Chia State by the close margin of 7 to O cost the Maroons the champion- ship, while a O to O tie withWisconsin in 1922 brought the same bitter result. ln the latter season john Thomas starred in the ill-fated Princeton game which Chicago lost 21 to 18. ln 1923 lllinois won a bitterly contested game from the Maroons 7 to O to again nose Chicago out of the championship. l-lard and strenuous work was finally rewarded in 1924, however, when the Staggmen finished the season the undisputed champs of the Big len in spite of the fact that Qhio was tied 3 to 3, Wisconsin O to O, and lllinois 21 to 21. Stagg considered the 1924 Illinois contest the most thrilling game ever played on Stagg Field. Red Grange, at the height of his power, was thundering his way to everlasting fame over the gridirons of the Big len and Zuppke and his supporters came to Chicago confidently singing the praises of the wearer of the 77i. When the lllini took the field, however, they found that the Qld Man had developed a poisonous - 3 1

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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

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counter-irritant for the galloping ghost in the person of one Tive- , ALL mi LOWEST RW 'N THE HISTORY or FJ T V T yards' McCarthy. Before Grange could get started, McCarthy l bucked his way to the lllinois goal line to be immediately follow-ed 4 i, by Marks who scored Chicago s second touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. During the first quarter, the lllini held 1 T the ball for only one play, a punt from behind their own goal. tl' l is But the great Curange could not be stopped forever, and almost I single handed he tied the score, only to have the Maroons forge 'T' relentlessly ahead to their third touchdown. lt required onelof CJrange's greatest efforts, a spectacular 80 yard run, to give lllinois its third touchdown and a tie score. from T924 until the end of his career at the University, Stagg was handicapped by a lack of good material. Nevertheless he went his way, devising new plays and evolving revolutionary formations and developing teams that, although not potential champions, were hard fighters who deserved the loyal support of the student body and the alumni. lndividual stars such as Rouse, l.ampe, McCarthy, Pondelik, Dickson, Pyott, john and l-lenry Thomas, Strohmeier, Crisler, l-lartong, McGuire, Knudson, Van Nice, and l-lorwitz appeared from time to time, but single indi- viduals could not carry the whole load and victories were few Cuurtesy The Chicago Tribune and CleTeCll:S numerous' It was during these years that Stagg demonstrated more convincingly than ever before that he was building something more worthwhile than mere athletic teams-that he was making men. Even in years when he had championship football teams, Stagg did not neglect other sports. l-lis trackmen won championships and broke records with monotonous regularity and other sports were developed as Fully as the facilities of the University per- mitted. Throughout his entire career at the University, Stagg maintained the highest standards of amateur sport, and made athletic competition at Chicago synonomous with clean play and upright standards of living. l-lis inspiring ideals were admirably displayed in a recent address made to the Notre Dame football team in which he said, Ult is wonderful to win championships. But that isn,t everything. l ask my squad at Chicago just what l am asking you: What do you get out of football that will stand by you in life? lfyou get character, manhood, and backbone along with your football laurels, we honor youf' Throughout his entire career at the University, Coach Stagg was actively engaged in promoting the welfare of American youth. l-le has been a sincere and active Crusader for prohibition and for the sup- pression of vice of all sorts. l-lis services to the boys of Chicagoland, especially through the Boy Scouts and other groups of organized youths, are too numerous to mention. l-lis inauguration of projects such as the national interscholastic track and basketball tournaments have been major factors in developing interest in athletics among youths of preparatory school age. ' lvlr. Stagg has been ably backed in all of his undertakings by his most staunch admirer, Mrs. A. A. Stagg. The famous coach met Stella Robertson in 1894 when she was a student in the University. The two were instantly attracted to each other and were married within a comparatively short time. A more happy couple cannot be imagined. Three attentive children, Amos Alonzo, jr., Ruth Stagg Lamen, and Paul, comprise a family that has lived a simple and ordered life. The Stagg home has always been noted for its genuine friend- liness and hospitality and both Mr. and Mrs. Stagg have given generously of their time to their friends and to any University organizations which came to them for assistance. It was with genuine regret that Mr. Stagg's host of friends and admirers were forced to bid him farewell when he left the University to take up his duties as athletic director of the College of the Pacific. ln Cali- fornia he is starting again as he did in Chicago in 7892. Again he has become a builder as he attempts to lay the foundations for the future greatness ofa small college. It is safe to say that no one doubts that he will succeed at this new task. And though his work at Chicago is done, this University can never forget, can never cease to pay tribute to footballls greatest coach and one of the most famous of her sons, AMGS ALONZO STAGG. 32