1869 New Jersey vs. Rutgers football game
Encyclopedia
The 1869 New Jersey vs. Rutgers football game was a college football
game between the (now the Princeton Tigers
) and the played on November 6, 1869. It is considered to be the first American football
game ever played.
Rutgers won the game by a score of 6–4
at Rutgers University) in New Brunswick, New Jersey
. Because the game was played at a Rutgers' field, it was also played under Rutgers' rules. The rules could be said to be a mixture of rugby and soccer, in which two teams of 25 players attempted to score by kicking the ball into the opposing team's goal, but throwing or carrying the ball was not allowed. (see Gameplay section below for how the game transpired) Rutgers won the game by a score of 6 "runs" to Princeton's 4.
William J. Leggett, later a distinguished clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church
, was the Rutgers captain; William Gunmere
, who later became chief justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, captained the Princeton squad. The game was played in front of approximately 100 spectators. Reportedly, the players from Rutgers wore scarlet-colored turban
s and handkerchief
s to distinguish them as a team from the Princeton players, which was the reason that they later adopted the mascot, the Scarlet Knights
.
scored one time (a "goal"), it counted as the end of the game, and the team with the most goals after play was completed was considered the winner. The game was played under a combination of rugbylike and soccerlike rules, and the ball could be moved only by kicking or hitting it with feet, hands, head or sides.
As the first of the 10 games began, two players from each of the teams positioned themselves near the opponent's goal. This was presumably because the participants were hoping to easily score when the ball reached their territory on the field of play. On each team, there were eleven so-called "fielders" who were assigned to defend their own territorial area. There were 12 participants on each team that they named "bulldogs" who were the ones playing in the other team's territory.
Rutgers was the first to score a goal, as participants named S.G. Gano and G.R. Dixon successfully kicked the ball across the Princeton goal, allowing the Scarlet Knight
s to take the early lead in the contest. At some point early in the contest, the flying "wedge
" play was first used as the team with the ball
formed what is considered a wall-like formation, allowing them to charge at the defenders. This flying wedge tactic was successful early on for Rutgers because of their perceived size disadvantage
over Princeton. However, Princeton countered the tactic with a participant named J.E. Michael, but apparently better known by his nickname of "Big Mike". Big Mike had broken up the Rutgers flying wedge play during the fourth "game", and Princeton took advantage at that moment as they were able to tie the overall score at 2-2.
A Rutgers player named Madison Ball used his quickness and the way in which he kicked the ball (with the heel
of his foot
), to again take the lead in the contest. When the ball would enter Rutgers territory, Madison would get in front of it and use a heel kick to prevent Princeton from scoring. Ball was able to successfully use that play to set up Dixon to score another goal which gave Rutgers a 4-2 "games" lead. Rutgers then allowed Princeton to score a goal as one of their players, whose identity is not known, had kicked a ball towards their own goal. It was blocked by a Rutgers player, but Princeton soon was able to take advantage to cut the lead down to 4-3. Princeton scored on their next possession when they used a flying wedge
play of their own led by Big Mike as they were able to march down the field to score to tie the game at 4-4.
Rutgers captain John W. Leggett (who was the one who had suggested rules be adopted from the London Football Association
which was agreed upon by Princeton team captain William Gunmere
) had a strategy for his team at this point. He suggested that the Rutgers team keep the ball low on the ground to counter the much taller
players on Princeton's team. This strategy appeared to work as Rutgers easily scored the final two goals of the contest to win the first intercollegiate football game ever played by the score of 6-4.
Princeton had more size which would normally be an advantage on a field with 50 total players, but the Tigers had trouble kicking the ball as a team which is something Rutgers did very well. After the game, an eye witness named John W. Herbert said that he thought Rutgers was the smaller team, but that they had more speed than Princeton.
, immediately after Rutgers won the first game ever played, Princeton's players were literally run out of town by the winning Rutgers students. The Princeton students reportedly jumped in their carriage
s and quickly made the 20-mile trip back to their campus.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game between the (now the Princeton Tigers
Princeton Tigers
The Princeton Tigers are the athletic teams of Princeton University. The school sponsors 31 varsity sports. The school has won several NCAA national championships, including one in men's fencing, six in men's lacrosse, three in women's lacrosse, and eight in men's golf...
) and the played on November 6, 1869. It is considered to be the first American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game ever played.
Rutgers won the game by a score of 6–4
Game and game rules
The game took place on November 6, 1869 at College Field (now the site of the College Avenue GymnasiumCollege Avenue Gymnasium
The College Avenue Gymnasium is an athletic facility on the campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.It is the second gymnasium built on the site. The first was built in 1892 on the site of College Field, the former RU football field...
at Rutgers University) in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. Because the game was played at a Rutgers' field, it was also played under Rutgers' rules. The rules could be said to be a mixture of rugby and soccer, in which two teams of 25 players attempted to score by kicking the ball into the opposing team's goal, but throwing or carrying the ball was not allowed. (see Gameplay section below for how the game transpired) Rutgers won the game by a score of 6 "runs" to Princeton's 4.
William J. Leggett, later a distinguished clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
, was the Rutgers captain; William Gunmere
William Stryker Gummere
William Stryker Gummere was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Gummere was captain of the Princeton football team that met Rutgers in 1869 in the first intercollegiate football game played in America....
, who later became chief justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, captained the Princeton squad. The game was played in front of approximately 100 spectators. Reportedly, the players from Rutgers wore scarlet-colored turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
s and handkerchief
Handkerchief
A handkerchief , also called a handkercher or hanky, is a form of a kerchief, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric that can be carried in the pocket or purse, and which is intended for personal hygiene purposes such as wiping one's hands or face, or blowing one's nose...
s to distinguish them as a team from the Princeton players, which was the reason that they later adopted the mascot, the Scarlet Knights
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey...
.
Gameplay
The teams played 10 "games" against each other. When a teamTeam
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
scored one time (a "goal"), it counted as the end of the game, and the team with the most goals after play was completed was considered the winner. The game was played under a combination of rugbylike and soccerlike rules, and the ball could be moved only by kicking or hitting it with feet, hands, head or sides.
As the first of the 10 games began, two players from each of the teams positioned themselves near the opponent's goal. This was presumably because the participants were hoping to easily score when the ball reached their territory on the field of play. On each team, there were eleven so-called "fielders" who were assigned to defend their own territorial area. There were 12 participants on each team that they named "bulldogs" who were the ones playing in the other team's territory.
Rutgers was the first to score a goal, as participants named S.G. Gano and G.R. Dixon successfully kicked the ball across the Princeton goal, allowing the Scarlet Knight
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey...
s to take the early lead in the contest. At some point early in the contest, the flying "wedge
Wedge
Wedge may refer to:Mathematics:* Triangular prism, a parallel triangle wedge* Wedge , a polyhedral solid defined by two triangles and three trapezoid faces* Wedge product, a mathematical term, named for the ∧ operator symbol used...
" play was first used as the team with the ball
Ball
A ball is a round, usually spherical but sometimes ovoid, object with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling...
formed what is considered a wall-like formation, allowing them to charge at the defenders. This flying wedge tactic was successful early on for Rutgers because of their perceived size disadvantage
Disadvantage
In policy debate, a disadvantage is an argument that a team brings up against a policy action that is being considered.-Structure:...
over Princeton. However, Princeton countered the tactic with a participant named J.E. Michael, but apparently better known by his nickname of "Big Mike". Big Mike had broken up the Rutgers flying wedge play during the fourth "game", and Princeton took advantage at that moment as they were able to tie the overall score at 2-2.
A Rutgers player named Madison Ball used his quickness and the way in which he kicked the ball (with the heel
Heel
In human anatomy, the heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.- Human anatomy :...
of his foot
Foot
The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...
), to again take the lead in the contest. When the ball would enter Rutgers territory, Madison would get in front of it and use a heel kick to prevent Princeton from scoring. Ball was able to successfully use that play to set up Dixon to score another goal which gave Rutgers a 4-2 "games" lead. Rutgers then allowed Princeton to score a goal as one of their players, whose identity is not known, had kicked a ball towards their own goal. It was blocked by a Rutgers player, but Princeton soon was able to take advantage to cut the lead down to 4-3. Princeton scored on their next possession when they used a flying wedge
Flying wedge
A flying wedge is a configuration created from a body moving forward in a triangular formation. This V-shaped arrangement began as a successful military strategy in ancient times when infantry units would move forward in wedge formations to smash through an enemy's lines...
play of their own led by Big Mike as they were able to march down the field to score to tie the game at 4-4.
Rutgers captain John W. Leggett (who was the one who had suggested rules be adopted from the London Football Association
London Football Association
The London Football Association is the regional Football Association for Greater London. The London FA was established in 1882 and is affiliated to The Football Association...
which was agreed upon by Princeton team captain William Gunmere
William Stryker Gummere
William Stryker Gummere was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Gummere was captain of the Princeton football team that met Rutgers in 1869 in the first intercollegiate football game played in America....
) had a strategy for his team at this point. He suggested that the Rutgers team keep the ball low on the ground to counter the much taller
Height
Height is the measurement of vertical distance, but has two meanings in common use. It can either indicate how "tall" something is, or how "high up" it is. For example "The height of the building is 50 m" or "The height of the airplane is 10,000 m"...
players on Princeton's team. This strategy appeared to work as Rutgers easily scored the final two goals of the contest to win the first intercollegiate football game ever played by the score of 6-4.
Princeton had more size which would normally be an advantage on a field with 50 total players, but the Tigers had trouble kicking the ball as a team which is something Rutgers did very well. After the game, an eye witness named John W. Herbert said that he thought Rutgers was the smaller team, but that they had more speed than Princeton.
After the game
In what might be considered a beginning to college football rivalriesSports rivalry
A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
, immediately after Rutgers won the first game ever played, Princeton's players were literally run out of town by the winning Rutgers students. The Princeton students reportedly jumped in their carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s and quickly made the 20-mile trip back to their campus.
See also
- 1869 college football season1869 college football seasonThe 1869 college football season was the first season of intercollegiate football. It is considered the inaugural college football season, and consisted of only two total games, both of which occurred between the and ; The first was played on November 6 at Rutgers' campus, and the second was...
- List of historically significant college football games