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I randomly stumbled across this story earlier tonight and was amazed by it. On October 7, 1916 in Atlanta Georgia a football game took place between Cumberland College and Georgia Tech. A little back story to the game is required first though. The two schools did not like each other, and in the spring of 1915 Cumberland pummeled Tech (than the Engineers, now the Yellow Jackets) in a baseball game 22-0. Tech’s coach (who was not only the baseball coach, but the football and basketball head coach as well),was furious and suspected Cumberland had pro players on their team and wanted revenge. Here’s where it gets interesting, Cumberland, who played schools like LSU, Auburn South Carolina, etc. in football back then had decided to disband its football program prior to the 1916 season. Georgia Tech’s coach, still furious about the beating his baseball team took a few months earlier, refused to let Cumberland get out of the game. He insisted they play the game, or pay Georgia Tech a whopping $3000 fine (a ridiculous amount fo money in 1916) for canceling the game.
Since Cumberland had already decided to disband its football team, there were no players. Cumberland student baseball manager George Allen, who had also been the football manager, was given the task of rounding up a team to go down to Atlanta to play the Engineers in what would be the Bulldogs only football game of the season. He was able to get a team of 14 men together for the game. When the game kicked off, Georgia Tech scored on it’s first play, Cumberland fumbled and Georgia Tech returned it for a touchdown…it only got worse for Cumberland from there. By the end of the first quarter Georgia Tech was up 63-0. By half they were beating the Cumberland Bulldogs 126-0. At halftime Georgia Tech’s coach was quoted as saying:
“We’re ahead, but you just can’t tell what those Cumberland players have up their sleeves. They may spring a surprise. Be alert, men.”
Georgia Tech did show some mercy though, as they decided to cut the second half down to 15:00 minutes total. Still even with the shortened clock the Engineers put up another 96 points before the game was over. The final score read Georgia Tech 222, Cumberland 0.
Amazingly Georgia Tech never gained a first down-they scored on every set of downs they had. Georgia tech forced 15 turnovers, and in a age when no one through the ball, 6 of them came from interceptions. Georgia Tech’s Engineers ran the ball for a mind numbing 978 yards, and never through a single pass. The Engineers would finish the season 8-0-1, the Bulldogs 0-1. The best thing about this whole story is, Georgia Tech’s vengeful coach was none other than John Heisman-yes that John Heisman.
(Source: The New York Times)
Mr. Glass. I write.
