1899 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team
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| 1899 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| Record | 3–2 |
| Head coach |
|
| Captain | Fred Walters |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Montana Agricultural | – | 3 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona Normal | – | 3 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico A&M | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah Agricultural | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | – | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington | – | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah | – | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Jose State | – | 6 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nevada State | – | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon Agricultural | – | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon | – | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington Agricultural | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Montana | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USC | – | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stanford | – | 2 | – | 5 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyoming | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pacific (CA) | – | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1899 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team represented Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University) as an independent during the 1899 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Hiland Orlando Stickney, the Aggies compiled a 3–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 76 to 60. The Aggies lost to Oregon, 38–0.[1] Fred Walters was the team captain.[2]
Football in 1899[edit]
American football in 1899 remained a variant of rugby, played with a virtually identical ball and sharing a fundamental prohibition of use of the forward pass to advance the ball.[3] The game was played on a field 110 yards long and 53-1/3 yards wide, marked off with white lines parallel to the goal lines every five yards.[4]
The game was played by teams of 11 players, of which typically 7 "rushers" played at the line of scrimmage, with four "backs" behind them.[5] These were a quarterback immediately behind the line, two halfbacks stationed a couple yards behind him, and a fullback or "goal tend," who in a defensive posture stood a dozen or so yards behind the halfbacks.[5] Duration of the game was 70 minutes, divided into two 35-minute halves, which could be shortened by mutual consent,[6] with play regulated by three officials.[7]
Teams were allowed three downs to either advance the ball 5 yards or retreat towards their own goal 20 yards via running or lateral pass, otherwise being forced to surrender the ball to the defenders at the last spot.[8] All tackles had to be made above the knees.[9] A pair of light sticks with a 5-yard length of stout cord or chain were used to measure the line-of-gain for a new first down.[7] As with the modern game, teams typically did not turn over the ball on downs, since "if the prospects of completing the five-yard gain appear small, it is so manifestly politic to kick the ball as far as possible down the field..."[10]
A dropkick or place-held field goal over the 10-foot crossbar and through the goalposts mounted at the goal line counted 5 points, as did a touchdown.[10] Safeties counted as 2 points, as they do today.[11]
The possibility of an extra (6th) point followed each touchdown, with the scoring team given the option of a place-kick from any point on the field parallel to where the touchdown crossed the goal line; or a "punt out," in which the scoring team punted the ball from the end zone to a fair-catching teammate, which (if successfully executed) would provide the spot for a drop kick for the extra point.[12] The extra-point placekick was executed with the holder elevating the ball slightly above the ground as the defenders lined up at the goal line. The play began when the ball was touched to the ground, with a mad rush ensuing to block the kick.[12]
Players played both offense and defense without substitution; those being replaced due to exhaustion or injury were forbidden from returning for the duration to the game.[9] Coaching from the sideline was expressly prohibited.[9]
Game summaries[edit]
Game 1: Willamette University[edit]
In one of what one observer called "one of the prettiest and liveliest games ever witnessed on the gridiron," the OAC Aggies defeated the Willamette Bearcats in a "practice game" by a score of 10–0.[13] The game was 45 minutes long, with two unequal halves — 20 minutes before intermission and 25 minutes after.[13]
The Aggies scored one touchdown in the first half but missed the conversion, taking a 5–0 lead to halftime.[13] A second OAC touchdown was added near the end of the game, although again the extra point attempt failed.[13] According to a report in a friendly Salem newspaper, "throughout the game the Salem players had no problem piercing the line of the opposing team almost at will, but a number of fumbles at critical stages of the game were costly and prevented the team from scoring."[13]
Schedule[edit]
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 4 | Willamette | Corvallis, OR | W 10–0 | [14] |
| November 11 | Albany College (OR) | Corvallis, OR | W 47–0 | [15] |
| November 18 | Multnomah Athletic Club | Corvallis, OR | L 0–5 | [16] |
| November 25 | Chemawa Indian School | Corvallis, OR | W 18–17 | [17] |
| November 30 | at Oregon | L 0–38 | [18][19] |
References[edit]
- ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Oregon State University. pp. 148–149. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
- ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 186.
- ^ "Football Rules," in Walter Camp (ed.), Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, 1899. New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1899; p. 187.
- ^ Walter Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," in Walter Camp (ed.), Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, 1899. New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1899; p. 5.
- ^ a b Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 9.
- ^ "Football Rules," p. 181.
- ^ a b "Football Rules," p. 173.
- ^ Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 11.
- ^ a b c "Football Rules," p. 193.
- ^ a b Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 13.
- ^ "Football Rules," pp. 192.
- ^ a b "Football Rules," pp. 190–191.
- ^ a b c d e "With the Kickers: The WU Team Defeated by the Agriculturalists," [Salem, OR] Oregon Statesman, Nov. 5, 1899, p. 5.
- ^ "With The Kickers". Oregon Statesman. Salem, Oregon. November 5, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved August 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ "Forty-Even To Zero". The Union Gazette. Corvallis, Oregon. November 17, 1899. p. 3. Retrieved August 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Multnomah Wins". Oregon Statesman. Salem, Oregon. November 19, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved August 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "The Chemwa Game". The Union Gazette. Corvallis, Oregon. December 1, 1899. p. 3. Retrieved August 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "The football game". Daily Eugene Guard. (Oregon). November 29, 1899. p. 1.
- ^ "Thanksgiving Day". Daily Eugene Guard. (Oregon). November 30, 1899. p. 1.
Further reading[edit]
- Walter Camp (ed.), Foot Ball Rules as Recommended to the University Athletic Club by the Rules Committee. New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1899.