World Series of Football (1902)
Encyclopedia
The World Series of Football was a series of football
games played indoors at New York's Madison Square Garden
in 1902 and 1903. It originally comprised five teams, four from New York state and one from New Jersey
. While none of the teams were really considered the best in the country, historians refer to the affair as a "World Series." However it was hardly a series in the sense of two strong teams playing each other over several games. In fact no team played another more than once and the team pairings were considered odd, too. Under the 1902 system, the anticipated second-place team was automatically swept into the championship game without even playing a down while the expected first place finisher had to fight its way through the brackets, effectively creating a cross between a traditional tournament and a "gauntlet-style" tournament for the first place team.
The series is best remembered for showcasing the first indoor professional football game in 1902.
and hockey
were not yet major sports in New York, so O'Rourke decided to play host a series of indoor football games. He decided to invite several professional and college teams to the Gardens for the series. Tom O'Rourke envisioned a series of games, showcasing the best in college and pro teams, eventually leading to one climactic game, crowning the "champion of the world."
, Philadelphia Phillies
and Philadelphia Athletics
, along with the first National Football League
, had all disbanded. The Watertown Red and Blacks
, who were the top team in New York state at the time (and one of the few teams of the era that still exists today) also refused the series, and for reasons not fully known, the best team in the nascent Ohio League
, the Akron East Ends
, were not invited. This left four teams to compete in the tournament, the Syracuse Athletic Club, the Knickerbocker Athletic Club
, the Warslow Athletic Club
and the Orange Athletic Club. O'Rourke did finally get a fifth team to join the series when some players from the Phillies and Athletics got together and formed was called the "New York
" team. In calling them the "New York" team, O'Rourke expected to give his patrons the pleasure of watching a "home team" win. The team was made up of eight Phillies and 4 Athletics that included A's coach Charles "Blondy" Wallace
and Phillies coach Ben Roller
.
and Hawley Pierce
from the Carlisle Indian School, and Bill Warner
and his brother Glenn
. The team was put together by Frank "Buck" O'Neill
who conducted daily practices in preparation for the series.
Syracuse defeated "New York" in what has been called the first indoor pro football game. The final score of the game was recorded as 6-0, but in reality it was 5-0, since touchdowns only counted for five points in 1902 and Pop Warner missed the extra point. Warner later suffered a head injury and was replace by Blondy Wallace from the "New York" team, later in the series. The Knickerbockers then defeated Warlow the very next night 11-6. Syracuse then defeated the Knickerbockers 36-0 on New Year's Eve. The finale on New Year's night against Orange resulted in another 36-0 win, and the series championship, for Syracuse.
match. The end result would be fifteen football games during a span of six days at the Garden. The 1903 attendees included Oreos Athletic Club
from Asbury Park, New Jersey
; the returning-champions, the Orange Athletic Club; and the Franklin Athletic Club
from Pennsylvania
. The Watertown Red and Black, which refused entry into the tournament in 1902, put up $2000 in prize money ($1,250 for first place, $750 for second). Blondy Wallace also returned to the series, this time as a member of the Franklin team.
defeated Knickerbocker Athletic Club 6-0. For that nights' second game, the Watertown Red and Black defeated the Oero Athletic Club by a score of 5-0. The game's only score came on a controversial touchdown
call, by the referee, in the second half of the game. Fighting and rioting soon broke out between the Oreos and Watertown fans, before being contained by the New York Police Department. In other games: the Franklin defeated Orange 12-0, on December 15, Orange defeated the Oreos, 22-0 on December 18 and Watertown defeated Orange, 11-0, on December 19.
Franklin and Waterbury became the two top teams for the 1903 series. Waterbury narrowly won the opening game against Oreo by a score of 6-0. While Franklin came out the victor against Orange 16-0, amid various calls of rough play and fighting. Two nights later, Franklin and Watertown were featured in the championship game. Many Watertown fans bet between $100 to $500 a clip on their team. However when Franklin won the game 12-0. With that win Franklin's betters brought home over $4,000 in winnings. According to Dr. Harry March's
, often inaccurate book Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs
, Frank Hinkey
was a referee at the event. March states that the officials during the series "were dressed in full evening dress, from top hats down to white gloves and patent leather shoes." During the last play of the series in a game between Franklin and the Watertown , the Franklin players, knew that they had the game in hand. As a result, the Franklin backfield agreed to purposely run over the clean and sharply dressed Hinkley in jest, knocking him into the dirt. Hinkley took the incident in good-nature and Franklin's management agreed to pay his cleaning bill.
from the Syracuse Athletic Club is on diplay at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. Meanwhile, the Orange Athletic Club would go on to evolve into the Orange Tornadoes (and later Newark Tornadoes) of the National Football League
in 1929 and 1930. The team later folded as the Orlando Panthers of the Continental Football League
in 1971. Meanwhile the Watertown Red & Black still exists today as members of the semi-pro
Empire Football League.
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...
games played indoors at New York's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1890)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the second by that name, and the second to be located at 26th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan...
in 1902 and 1903. It originally comprised five teams, four from New York state and one from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. While none of the teams were really considered the best in the country, historians refer to the affair as a "World Series." However it was hardly a series in the sense of two strong teams playing each other over several games. In fact no team played another more than once and the team pairings were considered odd, too. Under the 1902 system, the anticipated second-place team was automatically swept into the championship game without even playing a down while the expected first place finisher had to fight its way through the brackets, effectively creating a cross between a traditional tournament and a "gauntlet-style" tournament for the first place team.
The series is best remembered for showcasing the first indoor professional football game in 1902.
Origins
The league was the idea of Tom O'Rourke, who was the manager of the Gardens at the time. 'O'Rourke needed an event to draw people to the Gardens in late December, which was a slow time of the year for sporting events. BasketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
were not yet major sports in New York, so O'Rourke decided to play host a series of indoor football games. He decided to invite several professional and college teams to the Gardens for the series. Tom O'Rourke envisioned a series of games, showcasing the best in college and pro teams, eventually leading to one climactic game, crowning the "champion of the world."
Finding teams
However O'Rourke had a tough time finding teams to play in the tournament. The colleges refused due to increased pressured from the Amateur Athletic Association to stop particiapting in professional games. Also the Pittsburgh StarsPittsburgh Stars
The Pittsburgh Stars were a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League. This league has no connection with the National Football League of today. The whole "league" was a curious mixture...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies (NFL)
The Philadelphia Phillies were a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League. This league has no connection with the National Football League of today. The whole league was a curious...
and Philadelphia Athletics
Philadelphia Athletics (NFL)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League. This league has no connection with the National Football League of today. The whole "league" was a curious...
, along with the first National Football League
National Football League (1902)
The National Football League was the first attempt at forming a national professional football league in 1902. The league has no ties with the modern National Football League. In fact the league was only composed of teams from Pennsylvania, which was hardly "national". Two of the teams were based...
, had all disbanded. The Watertown Red and Blacks
Watertown Red & Black
The Watertown Red & Black is a semi-professional American football team based in Watertown, New York. Founded in 1896, the team is the oldest semi-pro football team in the United States...
, who were the top team in New York state at the time (and one of the few teams of the era that still exists today) also refused the series, and for reasons not fully known, the best team in the nascent Ohio League
Ohio League
The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1903 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship . As the name implied, its teams were based in Ohio...
, the Akron East Ends
Akron East Ends
The Akron East Ends are a defunct amateur American Football team that played in the Ohio League, a forerunner to the National Football League. They played in Akron, Ohio, from 1894 until at least 1904. Its primary rivals were the amateur Canton Athletic Association , the Shelby Blues, and later the...
, were not invited. This left four teams to compete in the tournament, the Syracuse Athletic Club, the Knickerbocker Athletic Club
Knickerbocker Athletic Club football team
The Knickerbocker Athletic Club was an early amateur and later professional football team based in New York City from around 1897 until 1902. The team is best known for participating in the 1902 World Series of Football. During the event, the Knickerbockers defeated the Warslow Athletic Club from...
, the Warslow Athletic Club
Warslow Athletic Club
Warslow Athletic Club were an early amateur, and later professional, American football team. The club, based on Long Island, is best remembered for playing in the 1902 World Series of Football, played at Madison Square Garden...
and the Orange Athletic Club. O'Rourke did finally get a fifth team to join the series when some players from the Phillies and Athletics got together and formed was called the "New York
New York (World Series of Football)
"New York" was a term given to a professional football team formed by promoter Tom O'Rouke for the World Series of Football in 1902. The event was held in New York City at Madison Square Garden...
" team. In calling them the "New York" team, O'Rourke expected to give his patrons the pleasure of watching a "home team" win. The team was made up of eight Phillies and 4 Athletics that included A's coach Charles "Blondy" Wallace
Blondy Wallace
Charles Edgar "Blondy" Wallace was an early professional football player. He was a 240-pound, former Walter Camp second-team All-American tackle from the University of Pennsylvania. He also played two years at Peddie Institute, in New Jersey, winning state championships in 1896 and 1897...
and Phillies coach Ben Roller
Ben Roller
Dr. Benjamin Franklin Roller was a physician, a professional wrestler and a football player. He played football for the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, Philadelphia Athletic Club and was later a player-coach with the Philadelphia Phillies of the first National Football League. Also in 1902, he played...
.
The field
Madison Square Garden had to be redone to accommodate the teams. The wooden flooring of the arena was removed and replaced by a earthen surface. During the event, the goal lines were only 70 yards apart and the playing field was only 35 yards wide. The earthen surface also became sticky as the game progressed and made for some tough maneuvering, while the stands were right up to the playing field and proved to be a physical hazard. The kicking game was also drastically affected. In a game on a normal field, the team with the longest punts had the advantage. However the Gardens proved to be a dream for a weak punter, due to the field size. Also the arena wall was right on the edge of the field, presenting a serious hazard for any sideline plays. One player reportedly knocked himself out of the tournament by running into the wall on the opening kickoff.O'Rouke's planned schedule
The tournament was scheduled to last three nights starting on December 29 and ending on New Years Eve. O'Rourke scheduled his tournament by considering the expected strengths of the teams. On opening night, he scheduled the "New York" team against Syracuse. By defeating Syracuse, the "New York" team, O'Rouke hoped, would then defeat the team that would probably bring the fewest fans into the Garden. Then on the second night the Knickerbockers and Warlow would play to determined which team would be beaten by the "New York" team in the series third game. O'Rourke anticipated the this game as having the best attendance of the tourney. Finally the fourth game, by holding out the Orange Athletic Club until the end, he predicted a New York versus New Jersey match-up in which New Jersey would lose a close game to one of the three New York teams.Outcome
However, O'Rourke didn't realize how seriously the Syracuse team took the tournament. Prior to the start of the series, Syracuse signed three running backs from Watertown, along with BemusBemus Pierce
Bemus Pierce was a Native American football guard in the 1890s and 1900s. He played for the great Carlisle Indian School teams from 1894-1898 and later played professional football for the championship teams from the Homestead Library & Athletic Club of 1900 and 1901. He also played for the...
and Hawley Pierce
Hawley Pierce
Hawley Pierce was an early professional football player for the Philadelphia Athletics of the first National Football League and later for the Syracuse Athletic Club during the 1902 and 1903 World Series of Football. In 1901, he began his professional career playing on the 1901 Homestead Library &...
from the Carlisle Indian School, and Bill Warner
Bill Warner
William J. "Bill" Warner was an American football player and coach. Warner graduated from Cornell University in 1903 and was a member of the Sphinx Head Society...
and his brother Glenn
Glenn Scobey Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...
. The team was put together by Frank "Buck" O'Neill
Frank "Buck" O'Neill
Frank J. "Buck" O'Neill was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Colgate University , Syracuse University , and Columbia University , compiling a career college football coaching record of 81–41–8...
who conducted daily practices in preparation for the series.
Syracuse defeated "New York" in what has been called the first indoor pro football game. The final score of the game was recorded as 6-0, but in reality it was 5-0, since touchdowns only counted for five points in 1902 and Pop Warner missed the extra point. Warner later suffered a head injury and was replace by Blondy Wallace from the "New York" team, later in the series. The Knickerbockers then defeated Warlow the very next night 11-6. Syracuse then defeated the Knickerbockers 36-0 on New Year's Eve. The finale on New Year's night against Orange resulted in another 36-0 win, and the series championship, for Syracuse.
Plans
O'Rourke planned another series for 1903. This year he planned for a round robin tournament of the top football clubs in the area, a high school all-star game, bicycle races, and a Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
match. The end result would be fifteen football games during a span of six days at the Garden. The 1903 attendees included Oreos Athletic Club
Oreos Athletic Club
The Oreos Athletic Club or Ashbury Oreos were an early professional American football team, established in 1903, and based in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The team is best remembered for playing in the 1903 World Series of Football at Madison Square Garden. During the Series, the Oreos played against...
from Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
; the returning-champions, the Orange Athletic Club; and the Franklin Athletic Club
Franklin Athletic Club
The Franklin Athletic Club was an early professional football team based in Franklin, Pennsylvania. It was considered the top team in professional football in 1903, by becoming the becoming the US Football Champions and winning the 1903 World Series of Football, held after the 1903 season, at New...
from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The Watertown Red and Black, which refused entry into the tournament in 1902, put up $2000 in prize money ($1,250 for first place, $750 for second). Blondy Wallace also returned to the series, this time as a member of the Franklin team.
The field
The playing surface of the Gardens for the 1903 series was still 70 yards. However the surface itself was also improved upon. Dirt was trucked into the Gardens and steamrolled into a more natural surface.Results
On December 14, 1903, the Olympic Athletic ClubNew York Olympic Athletic Club football team
The New York Olympic Athletic Club football team was an early semi-professional football team based in New York City. The team was founded by club owner, Roderick McMahon and is best remembered for playing in the 1903 World Series of Football. During the series, the Olympic A.C...
defeated Knickerbocker Athletic Club 6-0. For that nights' second game, the Watertown Red and Black defeated the Oero Athletic Club by a score of 5-0. The game's only score came on a controversial touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
call, by the referee, in the second half of the game. Fighting and rioting soon broke out between the Oreos and Watertown fans, before being contained by the New York Police Department. In other games: the Franklin defeated Orange 12-0, on December 15, Orange defeated the Oreos, 22-0 on December 18 and Watertown defeated Orange, 11-0, on December 19.
Franklin and Waterbury became the two top teams for the 1903 series. Waterbury narrowly won the opening game against Oreo by a score of 6-0. While Franklin came out the victor against Orange 16-0, amid various calls of rough play and fighting. Two nights later, Franklin and Watertown were featured in the championship game. Many Watertown fans bet between $100 to $500 a clip on their team. However when Franklin won the game 12-0. With that win Franklin's betters brought home over $4,000 in winnings. According to Dr. Harry March's
Harry March
Harry Addison March was an early football historian and promoter, as well as a medical doctor. He also helped organize the National Football League and well as the second American Football League. March is also credited with convincing Tim Mara to purchase an NFL franchise for New York City, which...
, often inaccurate book Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs
Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs
Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs, published in 1934, is a novel by Dr. Harry March that was the first ever attempt to write a history of professional American football. March had served in several executive offices with the New York Giants of the National Football League in the late 1920s and was a...
, Frank Hinkey
Frank Hinkey
Frank Augustus Hinkey was an American football player. He was notable for being one of only three college football players in history to be named a four-time All-America. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.Born in Tonawanda, New York, he attended DeVeaux College and...
was a referee at the event. March states that the officials during the series "were dressed in full evening dress, from top hats down to white gloves and patent leather shoes." During the last play of the series in a game between Franklin and the Watertown , the Franklin players, knew that they had the game in hand. As a result, the Franklin backfield agreed to purposely run over the clean and sharply dressed Hinkley in jest, knocking him into the dirt. Hinkley took the incident in good-nature and Franklin's management agreed to pay his cleaning bill.
End of the series
O'Rourke, after the 1903 series, cancelled the event. He was largely disappointed by the lack attendance at the series. The largest crowd over six days was only 2,500 fans, which was for a high school football game. Today the uniform worn from Harry MasonHarry Mason (American football)
Harry Mason was a professional American football player during the early 1900s. He played for the Syracuse Athletic Club during the round-robin tournament later called the 1902 World Series of Football, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Prior to playing for Syracuse, Mason played...
from the Syracuse Athletic Club is on diplay at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. Meanwhile, the Orange Athletic Club would go on to evolve into the Orange Tornadoes (and later Newark Tornadoes) of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in 1929 and 1930. The team later folded as the Orlando Panthers of the Continental Football League
Continental Football League
The Continental Football League was a professional minor American football league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to become the major force in professional football outside of the...
in 1971. Meanwhile the Watertown Red & Black still exists today as members of the semi-pro
Semi-pro
Semi-pro may refer to:* a semi-professional athlete* Semi-Pro, a 2008 sports comedy starring Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, and Andre Benjamin...
Empire Football League.