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1900 Michigan Wolverines football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
1900 record7–2–1 (3–2 Big Ten)
Head coachLangdon Lea (1st season)
CaptainNeil Snow
Home stadiumRegents Field
Seasons
← 1899
1901 →
1900 Big 9 football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Minnesota § 3 0 1     10 0 2
Iowa § 2 0 1     7 0 1
Wisconsin 2 1 0     8 1 0
Michigan 3 2 0     7 2 1
Northwestern 2 1 2     7 2 3
Chicago 2 3 1     9 5 1
Indiana 1 2 1     4 2 2
Illinois 1 3 2     7 3 2
Purdue 0 4 0     4 4 0
§ – Conference co-champions

The 1900 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1900 college football season. The team's head coach was the four-time All-American from Princeton and future College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Langdon Lea. The team opened the season with six wins, but went 1–2–1 in the final four games for an overall record of 7–2–1. Outscored its opponents by a season total of 117 to 55, Michigan won its first three games against Western Conference opponents, Purdue (11–6), Illinois (12–0), and Indiana (12–0), but then lost its final two conference games to Iowa (28–5) and Chicago (15–6). After the 1900 season, Michigan replaced Lea with a new coach from the Stanford University, Fielding H. Yost. Yost took over in 1901 and led the Wolverines to four consecutive undefeated seasons.

Schedule[]

Date Time Opponent Site Result Attendance
September 29, 1900* Hillsdale Regents FieldAnn Arbor, MI W 29–0    
October 6, 1900* Kalamazoo Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI W 11–0    
October 13, 1900* Case Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI W 24–6    
October 20, 1900† Purdue Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI W 11–6   2,500
October 27, 1900 vs. Illinois Marshall FieldChicago, IL W 12–0    
November 3, 1900 Indiana Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI W 12–0    
November 10, 1900 vs. Iowa Bennett ParkDetroit, MI L 28–5   5,000
November 17, 1900* Notre Dame Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI W 7–0    
November 24, 1900* Ohio State Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI T 0–0   3,000
November 29, 1900 at Chicago Marshall Field • Chicago, IL L 15–6    
*Non-Conference Game. Homecoming. All times are in Eastern Time.

Season summary[]

Michigan 29, Hillsdale 0[]

File:Henry R. Brown.jpg

Center Henry R. Brown from Chillicothe, Ohio

Michigan opened the 1900 season with three non-conference games, all played at Regents Field in Ann Arbor. The team won the three games by a combined score of 64 to 6. The first game was a 29–0 win over Hillsdale College. After the game, The New York Times reported that "Hillsdale was on the defensive throughout the game," and Coach Lea "was pleased with the showing made by the team."[1]

Michigan 11, Kalamazoo 0[]

The second game of the season was an 11–0 win over Kalamazoo College. On the opening kickoff, Everett Sweeley ran back the kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown behind the blocking of Neil Snow. Michigan's second touchdown was scored by Hugh White.[2]

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
Sweeley Right end Yes 1 0 0 5
White Right tackle Yes 1 0 0 5
Webber Right halfback Yes 0 1 0 1
Total -- -- 2 1 0 11

Michigan 24, Case 6[]

Michigan's third game was a 24-6 win over Case Scientific School from Cleveland. Case scored its only touchdown on a blocked kick that was recovered by a Case player in Michigan's endzone.[3]

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
Webber Left halfback Yes 1 2 0 7
Marks Right tackle Yes 1 0 0 5
Boggs Right tackle No 1 0 0 5
Begle Fullback No 1 0 0 5
Snow Right end Yes 0 1 0 1
Herrnstein Right halfback No 0 1 0 1
Total -- -- 4 4 0 24

Michigan 11, Purdue 6[]

Michigan opened its Western Conference schedule on October 20, 1900, with an 11 to 6 win over Purdue in Detroit.

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
White Left tackle Yes 1 0 0 5
Woodard Right halfback No 1 0 0 5
Sweeley Fulback Yes 0 1 0 1
Total -- -- 2 1 0 11

Michigan 12, Illinois 0[]

Michigan won its second Western Conference game against Illinois on October 27, 1900 on Marshall Field in Chicago. Michigan won 12 to 0 on touchdowns by Hugh White and Woodard. The New York Times wrote of the game: "In a game replete with kicking and hard line bucking the University of Michigan football eleven defeated Illinois University on Marshall Field this afternoon by a score of 12 to 0. Both touch-downs were scored in the first half. The first resulted from constant hammering at the Illinois line, which carried the ball from the forty-five-yard line across the goal. The other came soon after, but in this the line bucking was relieved by a brilliant run of twenty-five yards byWoodard, who took Herrnstein's place and tore through Illinois left tackle for that distance."[4]

Michigan 12, Indiana 0[]

File:Neil Snow.jpg

Michigan's All-American end and 1900 team captain, Neil Snow from Detroit

Michigan won its third consecutive Western Conference game against Indiana at Regents Field on November 3. The Wolverines won the game by a score of 12 to 0. The New York Times reported that "Indiana kept the score down by repeated punting when she had the ball."[5]

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
Woodward Right halfback Yes 1 0 0 5
Redden Left end Yes 1 0 0 5
Sweeley Fulback Yes 0 2 0 2
Total -- -- 2 2 0 12

Iowa 28, Michigan 5[]

Michigan faced Iowa on November 11 at Bennett Park in Detroit. Iowa beat the Wolverines 28 to 5, and The New York Times reported that the "men in the old gold sweaters from Iowa completely outplayed and outclassed the Michigan men."[6] Michigan's only points came on a place kick (field goals were worth five points under 1900 rules) by Everett Sweeley from the thirty-five yard line just before the end of the second half.[6] Eby and Edson each scored two touchdowns for Iowa.[6]

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
Sweeley Fulback Yes 0 0 1 5
Total -- -- 0 0 1 5

Michigan 7, Notre Dame 0[]

Michigan defeated Notre Dame on November 17 at Regents Field in Ann Arbor by a score of 7 to 0. The Wolverines scored two points on a safety when Notre Dame's kicker missed the ball on an attempted punt from behind the goal line. Michigan scored its only touchdown on a series of "hard line bucks" after two minutes of play.[7]

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
Redner Left halfback Yes 1 0 0 5
Total -- -- 1 0 0 5[8]

Michigan 0, Ohio State 0[]

File:Hugh White.jpg

Tackle Hugh White from Lapeer, Michigan

Michigan faced Ohio State on November 24 at Regents Field, and the teams played to a scoreless tie. According to a newspaper account of the game, the two teams "struggled for two twenty-five minute halves on a slippery field this afternoon and neither side could score." In the second half, with the wind in Michigan's favor, "Sweeley's kicking gave Michigan an advantage, and the play was entirely in Ohio's territory." Michigan twice drove to Ohio State's 15-yard line by tandem plays and line-bucking, but the Ohio State defense rallied each time to stop the Wolverines. Sweeley and Neil Snow were the stars of the game for Michigan.[9]

Chicago 15, Michigan 6[]

Michigan concluded the 1900 season with its traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Chicago against the Chicago Maroons. The Wolverines lost by a score of 15 to 6. The great football player, Pudge Heffelfinger, served as referee at the game. Michigan scored first, recovering a fumble well into Chicago's territory and then using the "old Princeton tandem formation" to carry the ball straight down field. Michigan's touchdown was scored by tackle Hugh White. However, Perkins of Chicago responded with three touchdowns, and the Maroons won the game.[10]

Player Position Starter Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Points
White Left tackle Yes 1 0 0 5
Sweeley Fulback Yes 0 1 0 1
Total -- -- 1 1 0 6

Players[]

Varsity letter winners[]

File:Bruce Shorts.jpg

Tackle Bruce Shorts from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

File:Everett Sweeley.jpg

Fullback Everett Sweeley from Sioux City, Iowa

File:Curtis Redden.jpg

End Curtis Redden from Rossville, Illinois

File:Boss Weeks.jpg

Quarterback Boss Weeks from Allegan, Michigan

The following 12 players received varsity "M" letters for their participation on the 1900 football team:[11][12]

Reserves[]

  • Charles F. Bliss, Durham, Maine – guard
  • Frank Kinney Boggs, Cheboygan, Michigan – started 2 games at right tackle, 1 game at left tackle
  • Arthur D. Brookfield, Englewood, Illinois – guard
  • Henry J. Brown, Chillicothe, Ohio – started 3 games at center
  • George Burns, Fremont, Michigan – guard
  • Harry S. Durant, Chicago, Illinois – started 1 game at left tackle
  • Philip P. Farnham, Brighton, Michigan – end
  • Herbert Spencer Graver, Chicago, Illinois – halfback
  • Albert E. Herrnstein, Chillicothe, Ohio – started 1 game at left halfback
  • William H. Herrnstein, Chillicothe, Ohio – fullback
  • Harvey Wellman Hincks, Manistee, Michigan – halfback
  • Joseph C. Horgan, Victor, Colorado – tackle
  • Edwin McGinnis, Englewood, Illinois – started 8 games at quarterback
  • Max (or Albert) Neal, Indiana, Pennsylvania – started 1 game at left end
  • Samuel J. Sackett, Ann Arbor, Michigan – halfback
  • Benjamin Harrison Southworth, Reading, Michigan – center
  • Norman Sterry, Los Angeles, California – tackle
  • William T. Walker, Toledo, Ohio – started 1 game at left tackle
  • Edward Everett Webber, Austin, Illinois – started 3 games at left halfback, 1 game at right halfback
  • Milo T. White, Fremont, Michigan – fullback
  • Ebin Wilson, Lapeer, Michigan – started 7 games at center
  • Daniel W. Woodard, Clinton, Michigan – started 4 games at right halfback

Others[]

  • Lee Barkenbus, Kalamazoo, Michigan – started 3 games at left guard

Awards and honors[]

Coaching and training staff[]

References[]

  1. "Michigan 29; Hillsdale 0". The New York Times. 1900-09-30.
  2. "The Kalamazoo Game". Michigan Alumnus. Nov. 1900. pp. 68–69. http://books.google.com/books?id=zWxDn-2YVNkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
  3. "The Case Game". Michigan Alumnus. Nov. 1900. pp. 69–70. http://books.google.com/books?id=zWxDn-2YVNkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
  4. "Michigan 12; Illinois 0". The New York Times. 1900-10-28.
  5. "Michigan Beats Indiana". The New York Times. 1900-11-04.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Iowa 28; Michigan 5". The New York Times. 1900-11-12.
  7. "A Close Game at Ann Arbor". The New York Times. 1900-11-18.
  8. Michigan also scored two points on a safety charged to Notre Dame fullback Salmon.
  9. "EVEN BREAK AT ANN ARBOR: Michigan and Ohio Struggle Hard Without Scoring". Nebraska State Journal. 1900-11-25.
  10. "ENDS SEASON WELL: CHICAGO TRIUMPHS AFTER A SERIES OF DEFEATS; TOO STRONG FOR MICHIGAN; FIND WEAK SPOT EARLY AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT". Nebraska State Journal. 1900-11-29.
  11. "The Football "M"". The Michigan Alumnus. January 1901. p. 151. http://books.google.com/books?id=zWxDn-2YVNkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=shorts&f=false.
  12. Player information and reserve status is taken from the 1901 Michiganensian. Information about home towns is taken from the 1900 team roster
  13. Harry Kent Crafts was the son of Clayton Crafts, the speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. He attended Northwestern University law school after graduating from Michigan in 1901. He became a lawyer in Chicago. He was married to Verna Louise Harris, June 18, 1903, at Ann Arbor. He was employed for 20 years as the assistant general counsel for Armour & Company. He died December 16, 1939. See obituary.

External links[]

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