1903 M-Chicago Football Video
I stumbled on this Library of Congress video of Michigan playing Chicago in 1903. I'd seen photos and short clips, but never full video of a game during this time. It is remarkable how different the game was. In fact, it doesn't seem like it would be that much fun to watch. Michigan won the game (a rivalry at the time) 28-0 to finish the season 11-0-1. I thought others might find it interesting as well.
https://www.loc.gov/item/mp73006300/
August 26th, 2016 at 3:54 PM ^
You have to check out the possible concussion protocol at the 1:40 mark.
Also, the Bentley says this is 1904. 1903 was in Chicago.
http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/fbchi04.htm
August 26th, 2016 at 5:40 PM ^
I was just going to post about this. Slap the guy til he wakes up & staggers away.
Which team is Michigan, solids or vests?
August 26th, 2016 at 5:53 PM ^
August 26th, 2016 at 3:52 PM ^
This is fantastic - thanks for posting.
Looks like a pretty good crowd; didn't think college football drew that much back then.
August 26th, 2016 at 3:57 PM ^
This is amazing...upvote for you sir!
August 26th, 2016 at 4:03 PM ^
I'm pretty sure that dude beign carried off at 56 seconds is done for the year.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:09 PM ^
I wonder if prohibiting "illegal motion before the snap" is what slowed down the point a minute offences of those days.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:46 PM ^
Actually, what seems to have stopped the "point-a-minute" era is the fact that they went from 5 yards for a first down to 10. Before 1905, teams had 3 downs to get 5 yards. From 1906-1911, it was 3 downs to get 10 yards. It wasn't until 1912 that they settled on the 4 downs / 10 yards that you see today. Football from 1906-1911 was extremely low scoring (as I am sure you can imagine).
The rules committee in 1906 created a neutral zone that still exists today--before then, the line of scrimmage went through the center of the ball and offense and defense could line up nose to nose. They thought that the neutral zone would offset the extra 5 yards, but it really didn't work out tthe way they hoped.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:05 PM ^
@dcblue92: I was trying to get to 100 MGOBLOG points so I could post this very same Library of Congress video as my first post. I'm glad you are able to share it with everyone.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:14 PM ^
You got my upvote. Goodluck getting to 100 just post a lot of vanilla but positive responses.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:53 PM ^
Sorry to steal your thunder! I just got to 100 points myself, despite being on the site for like 8 years.
August 26th, 2016 at 10:04 PM ^
Your lurking is world class!
August 26th, 2016 at 4:14 PM ^
thanks for posting it. I've always wondered what games looked like back then. Pretty tough game, just lining up and banging against each other all day with very little padding on a dirt field. Also did you notice the high tempo offense, could've been Oregon of today..
August 26th, 2016 at 4:28 PM ^
call him "Hurry Up" Yost for nothing.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:50 PM ^
Yost absolutely ran a "hurry up" offense--it was Michigan's trademark then the way it is now for Oregon or Indiana.
To show how little has changed in 110+ years, there are multiple instances of Yost complaining to opposing coaches, newspapers, officials, and the conference office about other teams faking injuries in order to slow down his offense.
August 26th, 2016 at 4:25 PM ^
So football back then was 90% QB sneaks and A-gap dives? I'm slightly surprised it lasted long enough to be popular.
August 26th, 2016 at 5:09 PM ^
August 26th, 2016 at 4:30 PM ^
Looked like a decent crowd.
August 26th, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^
Smith Brothers Cough Drop sign on the scoreboard....
August 26th, 2016 at 4:32 PM ^
It was a very rough game back then. A lot of the "innovations" that have happened since then such as the forward pass were done to make the game safer, not for competition or asthetic/entertainment reasons.
It's actually similar to where we are now. The very survival of the game was in doubt due to serious injuries. It had to adapt to address that and survive.
The same thing will happen again. The game will look very different 100 years from now if it is still going to be around.
August 26th, 2016 at 9:54 PM ^
football but they wont wear padding or helmets, they cant touch the football with their hands, the ball will be round... wait we may be onto something here.
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August 26th, 2016 at 4:37 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
August 26th, 2016 at 6:55 PM ^
August 26th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^
obviously polluting smokestack in the background. Wonder where that was ? Did the power station exist then accross from Alice Lloyd ?
August 26th, 2016 at 8:29 PM ^
to equal "michology"s point total