Historiography and the Emergence of Intercollegiate Football in

Historiography and the Emergence of Intercollegiate Football in the 19 th Century Alar Lipping, Ph. D. Northern Kentucky University

Four Critical Elements • Contest • Rivalry (Sense of Tradition) • Institutionalization • Entertainment

Contest and Rivalry (Inter-class) • The Extracurriculum: A sense of freedom • In 1820’s Harvard Freshman vs. Sophomore: event contested on the first Monday of every new school year became known as “Bloody Monday”. The contest was called football.

Contest But Lacking Rivalry (Inter-college) • Princeton – Rutgers, November 6, 1869 (Association Rules) • Columbia – Rutgers, November 12, 1870 (Association Rules) • Yale- Columbia, November 16, 1872 (Association Rules) • Harvard – Mc. Gill, May 14, 1874 (Harvard Rules) • Harvard – Mc. Gill, October 23, 1874 (Rugby Rules)

continuation • Harvard – Tufts, June 4, 1875 (Rugby Rules) • Harvard – Yale, November 13, 1875 (Concessionary Rules)

Rutgers - The Birthplace of Intercollegiate Football The First Intercollegiate Game - November 6, 1869 or The first soccer game in the world between two universities? Oxford and Cambridge did not play until 1872.

Rutgers Team 1869

Dartmouth 1871 Rules

Oldest Programs: 1872 Columbia versus Yale The 1873 Eton-Yale program (henceforth known as the second oldest program) is below. Eton is the English team from Eton College in the United Kingdom. This game was played on December 6 th, 1873 at Hamilton Park in New Haven.

Harvard Versus Mc. Gill 1874

Harvard vs Columbia]. December 7, 1878

New rules for the game were formalized when a group of representatives from Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, and Yale met on November 23, 1876 at the "Massasoit Convention. " Among them was Walter Camp—a Yale alumnus and coach. Known as "Father of American Football, " Camp is credited with some of the most significant changes in the evolution of the American football game including the introduction of the line of scrimmage in 1880, and down-and-distance rules in 1882

Institutionalization • Reorganization of the Intercollegiate Football Association (Originally formed in 1873) • Princeton calls a meeting at Springfield, Mass. On November 23, 1876. Results in a new Intercollegiate Football Association with Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia as charter members. Yale did not join but agreed to adopt the Rugby game. Yale wanted to play with a side of 11 players as opposed to the 15 players that were adopted by the Intercollegiate Football Association. • Codification of Rugby rules.

continuation • Thanksgiving Day Championship Game: Yale versus Princeton, Hoboken, New Jersey in 1876. Yale freshman Walter Camp starred in the game. • Game moved to the Polo Grounds • Walter Camp: Americanizes the Rugby rules. – 11 players – Static line of scrimmage – Use of downs (gain five yards in three tries) – Revision of the scoring system

Most Influential Leaders in America During the Late 19 th Century Camp

Roosevelt