125 Years! Part 2

As we continue our season-long celebration of 125 years of football at Grinnell College, I'm re-printing a note originally written by the University of Iowa Alumni Association.  It is a brief account of the 1889 game from their perspective:

1889 September 26 Professor Sampson sponsored a meeting to organize Iowa’s first varsity team. He was unanimously  elected both captain and coach of the first varsity eleven. October 6 The following invitation appeared in the Vidette-Reporter, Iowa’s student newspaper: “The SUI  team hereby challenges any college or other team in the state of Iowa to a game of football.”  Iowa College (now Grinnell) was the only team to rise to the challenge, but they did so, according  to a Grinnell paper, “with considerable fear and trembling!” November 16 “HERE COME THE YELLOW CANARIES!” Iowa met Iowa College in Grinnell for the first championship football game to be played west of  the Mississippi.  A boastful Iowa team, confident of victory, had dressed for the occasion. Wearing canvas pants and SUI jackets with Old Gold ribbons on the shoulders—uniforms that  team members had secured on credit from Max Mayer’s Iowa City clothing store—the men were greeted by shouts of “Here come the Yellow Canaries!” and “Ain’t they sweet?” The Iowa College Pioneers showed no such uniformity in their dress that day. They wore bicycling trousers, bib overalls, gym jerseys, and even shorts, but the ragtag team played aggressive football, compiling 24 points against the scoreless Hawkeyes. Edwin Sabin, 1900BA, who suited up to play Grinnell in 1889, later remembered the game. “My own immediate opponent was gentlemanly but firm,” he said. “We butted heads and shoulders in fashion amicable, with no damage done.” But, even then, football could be a rough game. Rule 13 of the 1889 handbook ordered that “no  tripping, hacking, pushing, or retaining with the hands, striking with the fists, or unnecessary roughness  shall be allowed. Projecting nail and iron plates on shoes are prohibited.” A week after the Hawkeyes returned to Iowa City from their first intercollegiate football game, the Vidette-Reporter explained Iowa’s loss this way: “The home players have an immense advantage  over their opponents, for the encouraging shouts and hurrahs of friends must necessarily inspire  them to an almost reckless audacity. “Again, our worthy Grinnell opponents were larger and heavier men, and played a better team  game. Weight, activity, and headwork play an important part in a football game. “Furthermore, there was some misunderstanding between the opposing teams as to the rules,  which worked against the SUI players.” Iowa students were loyal to their team! Copyright © 2009, University of Iowa Alumni Association Team names, logos, and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. No logos, photographs, videos, or graphics on this site may be reproduced without written permission.