Joe Curtis
Encyclopedia
Joseph S. "Big Joe" Curtis was an American football
player and coach. While playing for the University of Michigan
, he was selected as a first-team All-Western tackle
three consecutive years from 1904–1906 and as an All-American in 1904 and 1905. In his four seasons as the starting left tackle for the Michigan Wolverines, the team compiled a record of 37–2–1, won two National Championships and outscored opponents by a combined total of 1,699 to 60. Curtis later served as the head football coach at Tulane University
from 1907–1908 and at the School of Mines
in Golden, Colorado
in 1909.
, Curtis played three years of high school football in Colorado. He enrolled at the University of Michigan
in 1903 to play football for Fielding H. Yost's famous "Point-a-Minute" football teams. He played tackle
for the Michigan Wolverines
from 1903–1906.
Although Eastern football writer Walter Camp
picked Curtis as a second-team All-American in 1904, at least one All-American selector also chose Curtis as a first-team All-American. In announcing the selection, that writer said: "Hogan of Yale is the best tackle of the year. Next to him is Curtis of Michigan, a wonder on defense and almost as strong in tearing up interference as the blue captain. There can be little doubt of the ability of this pair to make the real 'All-America.'"
2–0 on Thanksgiving Day. Curtis's individual scoring totals in 1905 included the following:
In the season's final game at Chicago, Curtis was disqualified early in the game on grounds of unnecessary roughness. Early in the game, Chicago quarterback Walter Eckersall
, considered the best player in the West, dropped back for a punt from Chicago's 40-yard line, and Curtis broke through and threw Eckersall to the frozen ground as he tried to block the kick. Eckersall lay on the ground knocked out for two minutes following the blow. The referee ruled that Curtis had swung an upper cut at Eckersall's jaw and ruled Curtis out of the game. A newspaper account of the incident reported that, after Eckersall had gotten the punt safely away, Curtis, who had broken through, "came down on the little maroon like a whirlwind, knocking him down." Without Curtis in the lineup, Michigan lost its first game since 1900, losing to Chicago by a score of 2 to 0. After the game, Yost observed, "Michigan's chances were materially lessened when Curtis went out." The ruling ejecting Curtis from the Chicago game became a source of controversy. Eckersall himself spoke in defense of Curtis:
Two weeks after the Chicago game, the Michigan football players unanimously elected Curtis as captain of the 1906 football team. The players noted that Curtis was given the honor both due to his ability as a player and "the desire of the team to evidence their belief that the ruling out of Curtis from the Chicago game on Thanksgiving day for alleged unnecessary roughness in play was entirely unjustified." The selection of Curtis was reported to be "peculiarly pleasing to Ann Arbor's students ... because they think that his disqualification in the Chicago match was a great injustice and mistake."
After the 1905 season, Walter Camp
named Curtis as a second-team All-American for the second consecutive year. In selecting Curtis, Camp noted:
In the first four games of the 1906 football season, Curtis started two games at left end and two games at left tackle. Michigan won those four games by a combined score of 72 to 13.
The fifth and final game of the short 1906 season pitted Michigan against Pennsylvania. One week before the Penn game, Curtis suffered a badly broken leg during a practice game. He had been running with the ball when he was tackled by a member of the scrub team, and "his leg was heard to snap." Due to the seriousness of the injury, Curtis was hospitalized for several weeks and did not play in the Penn game.
In Curtis's four years at Michigan, the football team lost only two games — the 1905 Chicago game from which Curtis was ejected for unnecessary roughness and the 1906 Penn game in which Curtis could not play due to his broken leg.
Based on the games played before the injury, Curtis was selected as a first-team All-Western player in 1906 by the Chicago Tribune, Inter-Ocean, and Chicago Chronicle.
After four years starting at the tackle position for Michigan, Curtis had "earned a reputation as the greatest tackle that ever played football in the west."
Curtis graduated from the University of Michigan as part of the engineering school's Class of 1907.
in 1907 and 1908. Shortly after being hired at Tulane, Curtis proposed an international football game with Tulane playing against the University of Havana
in Havana, Cuba. Some called it a stunt. After consecutive winless seasons in 1905 and 1906, Curtis coached Tulane to a 3–2 record in 1907. In 1908, he led the Tulane team to a 7–1 season — the best record in the school's history to that time — including wins over the Texas Longhorns
, the Ole Miss Rebels
, Centre College Praying Colonels
, Washington Bears
and the Baylor Bears
. In 1909, Curtis retired as Tulane's coach and announced plans to enter business in his home state of Colorado.
in Golden, Colorado
. In November 1909, a Colorado Springs newspaper reported that Curtis had injected "more ginger" into the school's playbook and had "planned a number of new and spectacular formations." At the end of the 1909 season, Curtis resigned as football coach at the School of Mines, declining an offer to make him a member of the faculty and director of athletics will full charge of the gymnasium and all athletic programs. Curtis announced that his sole reason for declining the offer was his desire to go into business.
After retiring from coaching, Curtis lived in Denver and was called upon to referee important inter-collegiate football games.
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...
player and coach. While playing for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, he was selected as a first-team All-Western tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
three consecutive years from 1904–1906 and as an All-American in 1904 and 1905. In his four seasons as the starting left tackle for the Michigan Wolverines, the team compiled a record of 37–2–1, won two National Championships and outscored opponents by a combined total of 1,699 to 60. Curtis later served as the head football coach at Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
from 1907–1908 and at the School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a small public teaching and research university devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. Located in Golden, Colorado, CSM was ranked 29th, in America among national...
in Golden, Colorado
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
in 1909.
Football player
A native of Pueblo, ColoradoPueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
, Curtis played three years of high school football in Colorado. He enrolled at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1903 to play football for Fielding H. Yost's famous "Point-a-Minute" football teams. He played tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
for the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
from 1903–1906.
1903 season
As a freshman in 1903, Curtis was selected by Coach Yost to play on the varsity football team. He started all twelve games at left tackle for the Michigan team that finished the season with a record of 11–0–1, outscored opponents 565–6, and has been retrospectively declared National Champions.1904 season
In 1904, Curtis started all ten games at left tackle for the Michigan football team that compiled a 10–0 record, outscored opponents 567–22, and has been retrospectively declared National Champions. At the end of the 1904 season, Curtis was selected as a first-team All-Western tackle by the Chicago Daily News, Chicago Journal, Chicago Post and Chicago News. The Chicago Tribune also selected Curtis for its 1904 All-Western team and noted: "Curtis of Michigan has been the star tackle of the year. Weighing 230 pounds, strong, active, he has outplayed every opponent. Seldom has he been 'boxed in' by end of tackle plays, and in getting down the field under punts he has often preceded his ends. On the offense he has developed into one of the best ground gainers on Yost's eleven, and has been most effective in disposing of his opponents when his team has had possession of the ball."Although Eastern football writer Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
picked Curtis as a second-team All-American in 1904, at least one All-American selector also chose Curtis as a first-team All-American. In announcing the selection, that writer said: "Hogan of Yale is the best tackle of the year. Next to him is Curtis of Michigan, a wonder on defense and almost as strong in tearing up interference as the blue captain. There can be little doubt of the ability of this pair to make the real 'All-America.'"
1905 season
Curtis was considered one of the best defensive players in the West, but he was also a leading ball-carrier and kicker for Michigan on offense. In 1905, he started all 13 games at left tackle and was one of the leading scorers for a team that compiled a record of 12–1 and outscored its opponents 495–0 in the first 12 games before losing to the ChicagoChicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
2–0 on Thanksgiving Day. Curtis's individual scoring totals in 1905 included the following:
- In a 44–0 win over Kalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo College, also known as K College or simply K, is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the college is among the 100 oldest in the country. Today, it produces more Peace Corps volunteers per capita than any other U.S...
, Curtis scored three touchdowns. - In a 36–0 win over CaseCase Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
, Curtis scored two touchdowns and kicked a "goal from touchdown." - In a 23–0 win over Ohio NorthernOhio Northern UniversityOhio Northern University is a private, United Methodist Church-affiliated university located in the United States in Ada, Ohio, founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871. ONU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. ONU is a sister...
, Curtis scored two touchdowns and three goals from touchdown. - In an 18–0 win over VanderbiltVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, Curtis scored a touchdown and "did yeoman service in advancing the ball, by both hurdling and straight smashing." - In a 31–0 win over NebraskaNebraska Cornhuskers footballThe Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, Curtis scored a touchdown. - In a 70–0 win over Albion CollegeAlbion CollegeAlbion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
, Curtis scored a touchdown and ten goals from touchdown. - In a 48–0 win over DrakeDrake UniversityDrake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
, Curtis scored seven goals from touchdown. - In a 40–0 win over Ohio StateOhio State Buckeyes footballThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, Curtis scored a touchdown and a goal from touchdown. - In a 75–0 win over Oberlin CollegeOberlin CollegeOberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
, Curtis scored four touchdowns and two goals from touchdown.
In the season's final game at Chicago, Curtis was disqualified early in the game on grounds of unnecessary roughness. Early in the game, Chicago quarterback Walter Eckersall
Walter Eckersall
Walter "Eckie" Eckersall was an American football player, official, and sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.-Early life:...
, considered the best player in the West, dropped back for a punt from Chicago's 40-yard line, and Curtis broke through and threw Eckersall to the frozen ground as he tried to block the kick. Eckersall lay on the ground knocked out for two minutes following the blow. The referee ruled that Curtis had swung an upper cut at Eckersall's jaw and ruled Curtis out of the game. A newspaper account of the incident reported that, after Eckersall had gotten the punt safely away, Curtis, who had broken through, "came down on the little maroon like a whirlwind, knocking him down." Without Curtis in the lineup, Michigan lost its first game since 1900, losing to Chicago by a score of 2 to 0. After the game, Yost observed, "Michigan's chances were materially lessened when Curtis went out." The ruling ejecting Curtis from the Chicago game became a source of controversy. Eckersall himself spoke in defense of Curtis:
"I will never believe that Curtis intended to rough it with me in that unfortunate incident in the Michigan game. He was doing his best to block the punt, but could not stop in time to keep from running me down. I have known Curtis for several years, and he is a gentleman and one of the best sportsmen I have ever met. I feel that he has been unjustly censured for the play in which I was injured and for which he was ruled out of the game."
Two weeks after the Chicago game, the Michigan football players unanimously elected Curtis as captain of the 1906 football team. The players noted that Curtis was given the honor both due to his ability as a player and "the desire of the team to evidence their belief that the ruling out of Curtis from the Chicago game on Thanksgiving day for alleged unnecessary roughness in play was entirely unjustified." The selection of Curtis was reported to be "peculiarly pleasing to Ann Arbor's students ... because they think that his disqualification in the Chicago match was a great injustice and mistake."
After the 1905 season, Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
named Curtis as a second-team All-American for the second consecutive year. In selecting Curtis, Camp noted:
"Curtis, of Michigan, mentioned in these columns last year, is a type of man the east has not seen, but he would be something of a revelation. He is heavier than any of the standard eastern tackles, but so quick on his feet ... Curtis is also good on defense. ... He is a good plunger and works well with a heavy back field."
1906 season
In 1906, Yost undertook what was referred to in the press as a "startling shift" in moving Curtis to the left end position. One sports writer referred to Curtis as a "mastodon," and noted that, although he "carries carries something like an eighth of a ton of beef and brawn whenever he moves," he also had "the speed of a quarter horse." Under the rules of the day, the five middle linemen were not permitted to drop back of the line scrimmage unless they were at least five yards behind the line when the ball was put in play. By placing Curtis at end, Yost explained that he would give Curtis the ability to play on the line or back off without having to be a full five feet behind the line. In this way, Curtis could be used both to receive the ball and open holes.In the first four games of the 1906 football season, Curtis started two games at left end and two games at left tackle. Michigan won those four games by a combined score of 72 to 13.
The fifth and final game of the short 1906 season pitted Michigan against Pennsylvania. One week before the Penn game, Curtis suffered a badly broken leg during a practice game. He had been running with the ball when he was tackled by a member of the scrub team, and "his leg was heard to snap." Due to the seriousness of the injury, Curtis was hospitalized for several weeks and did not play in the Penn game.
In Curtis's four years at Michigan, the football team lost only two games — the 1905 Chicago game from which Curtis was ejected for unnecessary roughness and the 1906 Penn game in which Curtis could not play due to his broken leg.
Based on the games played before the injury, Curtis was selected as a first-team All-Western player in 1906 by the Chicago Tribune, Inter-Ocean, and Chicago Chronicle.
After four years starting at the tackle position for Michigan, Curtis had "earned a reputation as the greatest tackle that ever played football in the west."
Curtis graduated from the University of Michigan as part of the engineering school's Class of 1907.
Tulane
After graduating from Michigan, Curtis served as the head football coach at TulaneTulane Green Wave football
The Tulane Green Wave football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents Tulane University in New Orleans. The team is a member of Conference USA and is led by interim head coach Mark Hutson, who took over on October 18, 2011, when fifth-year head coach Bob Toledo resigned...
in 1907 and 1908. Shortly after being hired at Tulane, Curtis proposed an international football game with Tulane playing against the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
in Havana, Cuba. Some called it a stunt. After consecutive winless seasons in 1905 and 1906, Curtis coached Tulane to a 3–2 record in 1907. In 1908, he led the Tulane team to a 7–1 season — the best record in the school's history to that time — including wins over the Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, the Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss Rebels
University of Mississippi sports teams, originally known as the "Mississippi Flood" , were re-named the Rebels in 1936 and compete in the twelve-member Southeastern Conference of the NCAA's Division I. The school's colors are cardinal red and navy blue , purposely chosen to mirror the school...
, Centre College Praying Colonels
Centre Praying Colonels football
The Centre Praying Colonels football team represents Centre College in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III competition as a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference . Despite the school's small size , the football team has historically had success and possesses a...
, Washington Bears
Washington Bears football
The Washington University in St. Louis football team represents Washington University in St. Louis in collegiate level football. The team competes in NCAA Division III....
and the Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
. In 1909, Curtis retired as Tulane's coach and announced plans to enter business in his home state of Colorado.
School of Mines
In September 1909, Curtis was hired to serve as the head football coach for the School of MinesColorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a small public teaching and research university devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. Located in Golden, Colorado, CSM was ranked 29th, in America among national...
in Golden, Colorado
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
. In November 1909, a Colorado Springs newspaper reported that Curtis had injected "more ginger" into the school's playbook and had "planned a number of new and spectacular formations." At the end of the 1909 season, Curtis resigned as football coach at the School of Mines, declining an offer to make him a member of the faculty and director of athletics will full charge of the gymnasium and all athletic programs. Curtis announced that his sole reason for declining the offer was his desire to go into business.
After retiring from coaching, Curtis lived in Denver and was called upon to referee important inter-collegiate football games.
See also
- Michigan Wolverines football All-AmericansMichigan Wolverines Football All-AmericansMichigan Wolverines football All-Americans are American football players who have been named as All-Americans while playing for the University of Michigan football team.-Overview:...
- 1904 College Football All-America Team1904 College Football All-America TeamThe 1904 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that chose College Football All-America Teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp.-Key:...
- 1905 College Football All-America Team1905 College Football All-America TeamThe 1905 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1905 college football season...