American Football Database
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1899 Columbia Lions football
Conference Independent
1899 record 9–3
Head coach George Sanford (1st year)
Seasons
« 1898 1900 »

The 1899 Columbia Lions football team was an American football team that represented Columbia University as an independent during the 1899 college football season. In its first season under head coach George Sanford, the team compiled a 9–3 record and outscored opponents by a total of 224 to 91, including eight shutouts.[1][2] The 1899 season marked Columbia's return to the sport after not participating in intercollegiate football from 1892 to 1898.[2] Robert R. Wilson was the 1899 team captain.[2]

On October 28, 1899, Columbia defeated Yale, 5–0. The result was described by The New York Times as "one of the most disastrous defeats Yale has ever experienced in her athletic history."[3] Columbia's freshman back Harold Weekes scored the game's only points on a long touchdown run in the middle of the second half.[3]

Three Columbia received honors on the 1899 All-America team: center Jack Wright (Walter Camp second team; New York Sun first team);[4][5] Weekes (Walter Camp second team);[4] and back Bill Morley (Outing Magazine second team).[6]

Coach Sanford was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The team played its home games at Manhattan Field in New York City.

Schedule[]

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at WaltonMargaretville, NYW 30–6[7]
September 30at RutgersNew Brunswick, NJW 26–0
October 7at Union (NY)Schenectady, NYW 21–0
October 14PrincetonNew York, NYL 0–11
October 18NYUNew York, NYW 40–0
October 21AmherstNew York, NYW 18–0
October 28Yale
  • Manhattan Field
  • New York, NY
W 5–05,000[3]
November 1at [[{{{school}}}|Stevens]]Hoboken, NJW 46–0
November 7CornellNew York, NYL 0–29
November 11at Army
W 16–0
November 18DartmouthNew York, NYW 22–0
November 30CarlisleNew York, NYL 0–45

References[]

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