Ode to Pre-War Football Cardboard

[revmoran]

Although the forward pass had been used earlier, it was only legalized by rule changes in 1906. The idea was to encourage a more wide open game which, hopefully, would be a safer game.

The 1906 Spalding’s Guide set forth new Rule 14:

(a) A player may throw, pass, or bat the ball in any direction except toward his opponents’ goal. penalty – Loss of 5 yards.
EXCEPTION- (1) One forward pass shall be allowed to each scrimmage, provided each such pass be made by a player who was behind the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play, and provided the ball, after being passed foward, does not touch the ground before being touched by a player of either side.
PENALTY—(1) If a forward pass be made by a player who was not behind the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play, the ball shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made. If the ball, after being passed forward, touches the ground before being touched by a player of either side, it shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—(2) The pass may not be touched by a player who was on the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play except by either of the two men playing on the ends of the line.
PENALTY—(2) If a forward pass is unlawfully touched by a player who was on the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play, it shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—(3) A forward pass over the line of scrimmage within the space of 5 yards on each side of the center shall Be unlawful.
PENALTY—(3) If the ball is passed over the line of scrimmage within the space of 5 yards on each side of the center, it shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—{If) A forward pass by the side which does not put the ball in play in a
scrimmage shall be unlawful.
PENALTY—(4) If a forward pass is made by the side which did not put the ball in play in a scrimmage, the ball shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—(5) A forward pass which crosses the goal line on the fly or bound without touching a player of either side, shall be declared a touchback for the defenders of the goal.

To properly enforce this rule required a true gridiron with lines both parallel and perpendicular to the Goal lines. This post card of Yale’s football field illustrates how the field was laid-out back in 1907.

[smotan_02]

Originally Posted by revmoran

Although the forward pass had been used earlier, it was only legalized by rule changes in 1906. The idea was to encourage a more wide open game which, hopefully, would be a safer game.

The 1906 Spalding’s Guide set forth new Rule 14:

(a) A player may throw, pass, or bat the ball in any direction except toward his opponents’ goal. penalty – Loss of 5 yards.
EXCEPTION- (1) One forward pass shall be allowed to each scrimmage, provided each such pass be made by a player who was behind the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play, and provided the ball, after being passed foward, does not touch the ground before being touched by a player of either side.
PENALTY—(1) If a forward pass be made by a player who was not behind the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play, the ball shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made. If the ball, after being passed forward, touches the ground before being touched by a player of either side, it shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—(2) The pass may not be touched by a player who was on the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play except by either of the two men playing on the ends of the line.
PENALTY—(2) If a forward pass is unlawfully touched by a player who was on the line of scrimmage when the ball was put in play, it shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—(3) A forward pass over the line of scrimmage within the space of 5 yards on each side of the center shall Be unlawful.
PENALTY—(3) If the ball is passed over the line of scrimmage within the space of 5 yards on each side of the center, it shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—{If) A forward pass by the side which does not put the ball in play in a
scrimmage shall be unlawful.
PENALTY—(4) If a forward pass is made by the side which did not put the ball in play in a scrimmage, the ball shall go to the opponents on the spot where the pass was made.
EXCEPTION—(5) A forward pass which crosses the goal line on the fly or bound without touching a player of either side, shall be declared a touchback for the defenders of the goal.

To properly enforce this rule required a true gridiron with lines both parallel and perpendicular to the Goal lines. This post card of Yale’s football field illustrates how the field was laid-out back in 1907.

Thanks guys. Great knowledge. Pulled out one of my old books after read this and found this as well. The book is "The Big Game", 1947

Edit to add: You could argue that the forward pass was attributed to Theodore (he hated Teddy) Roosevelt:
But in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt aimed to clean-up the sport (football) rather than abolish it. “Roosevelt didn’t intend to eliminate the occasional broken nose or fractured arm,” writes biographer H. W. Brands, “but the head and neck injuries that were literally killing dozens of players every year were hardly improving the physical or moral health of the nation.” So Roosevelt held a White House conference with leading football figures to get the game “played on a thoroughly clean basis.”

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[revmoran]

There is an interesting article on this highlighting the role of Pop Warner and Carlisle on the Smithsonian website

For the 1907 season, Warner created a new offense dubbed “the Carlisle formation,” an early evolution of the single wing. A player could run, pass or kick without the defense divining intent from the formation. The forward pass was just the kind of “trick” the old stalwarts avoided but Warner loved, and one he soon found his players loved as well. “Once they started practicing it, Warner pretty much couldn’t stop them,” says Sally Jenkins, author of The Real All Americans, a book about Carlisle’s football legacy. “How the Indians did take to it!” Warner remembered, according to Jenkins’ book. “Light on their feet as professional dancers, and every one amazingly skillful with his hands, the redskins pirouetted in and out until the receiver was well down the field, and then they shot the ball like a bullet.”

Carlisle opened the 1907 season with a 40-0 triumph over Lebanon Valley, then ran off five more victories by a total score of 148-11 before traveling to the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field (still used today) to meet undefeated and un-scored upon Pennsylvania before 22,800 fans in Philadelphia.

On the second play of the game, Carlisle’s Pete Hauser, who lined up at fullback, launched a long pass that William Gardner caught on the dead run and carried short of the goal, setting up the game’s first touchdown. The Indians completed 8 of 16 passes, including one thrown by a player relatively new to the varsity squad named Jim Thorpe. The sub-headline to the New York Times account of the game read: “Forward Pass, Perfectly Employed, Used for Ground Gaining More Than Any Other Style of Play.” The story reported that “forward passes, end runs behind compact interference from direct passes, delayed passes and punting were the Indians’ principal offensive tactics.”

[cfhofer]

The forward pass is a fun topic to discuss. It became legal after the 1905 season. However the first team to build their offense around the forward pass was the 1906 St. Louis University team, coached by Eddie Cochems. The 1906 squad was undefeated 11–0, led the nation in scoring, and outscored opponents by a combined score of 407 to 11. The open game didn't catch on in the east until 1914, with Notre Dame and Yale (under Frank Hinkey).

In 1952, Dorais himself tried to set the record straight telling the United Press that "Eddie Cochems of the St. Louis University team of 1906 deserves the full credit." Certainly Cochems considered himself the 'Father of the forward pass'. See the attached signed note below.

[revmoran]

Of course, Mark has the signed document!

[jefferyepayne]

Nice item, Mark!

jeff

[cfhofer]

Thanks guys. Speaking of football firsts - When was the huddle first utilized? I've read some reports that in 1894 Paul Hubbard of Gallaudet College, a Washington DC based college for the deaf, created the 'huddle' to prevent opposing teams from seeing their signs. Another report states Univ of Penn created the huddle in 1894 to aid Alfred E Bull, their star center, who was deaf.

I found the photo posted below tossed between the pages of a prominent Yale football player's scrapbook, who played end for the Bulldogs from 1892-94. I didn't think much of it at first but could this be the earliest photo of a football 'huddle'? I can't identify any of the players but coach Mike Murphy is in the center.

Any thoughts?