1903 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1903 Minnesota Golden Gophers football 1903-minnesota-teamphoto.jpg 280px Western Conference Western 14–0–1 3–0–1 Henry L. Williams 4th Eddie Rogers Northrop Field Western Conference co-champion The 1903 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1903 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Henry L. Williams, the Golden Gophers compiled a 14–0–1 record (3–0–1 against Western Conference opponents), shut out 13 of their 15 opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 656 to 12.1903 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football November 1, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/minnesota/1903-schedule.html The team finished the season in a tie with Michigan for the Western Conference co-championship. When Minnesota and Michigan met, the teams played to a tie in a game that gave rise the Little Brown Jug trophy. The Little Brown Jug - Minnesota vs. Michigan University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&SPSID=39876&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=271620 2007-12-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20110709132552/http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=271620&SPID=3280&SPSID=39876 2011-07-09 dead Papas Jr. Al Gopher Sketchbook Nodin Press Minneapolis, Minnesota 1990 16 Four Minnesota players were recognized on the 1903 College Football All-America Team. Quarterback Sigmund Harris received first-team honors from Fielding H. Yost and third-team honors from Walter Camp. Tackle Fred Schacht received first-team honors from Caspar Whitney and second-team honors from Camp and Yost. Center Moses Strathern received second-team honors from Camp. And, end Eddie Rogers received third-team honors from Camp.Walter Camp Names All American Team The Trenton Times 1903-12-10The Sportsman's View Point Caspar Whitney Outing January 1904 477 http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_43/outXLIII04/outXLIII04q.pdf 2015-07-17 2017-08-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20170822100902/http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/Outing/Volume_43/outXLIII04/outXLIII04q.pdf deadPicked Football Teams Grand Traverse Herald 1903-12-03 (Yost) In addition, nine Gophers were honored on the 1903 All-Western college football team: quarterback Sigmund Harris (BM-1, CIO-2, CRH, FL-1, MJ-2, WC); halfbacks James B. Irsfield (BMA, CIO-2, CT, FL-1, MJ-2, WC) and Otto Nelson Davies (BM-2); fullback Earl Current (BM-2); end Edward L. Rogers (BMA, BM-1, CIO-2, FL-1, MJ-1, WC); tackle Fred Schacht (BMA, BM-1, CIO-1, CRH, CT, FL-1, MJ-1, WC); guards Walton Willard Thorp (BM-1, CIO-2, CT, MJ-1) and John B. Warren (BM-2, MJ-2); and center Moses Strathern (BMA, BM-1, CIO-1, CRH, FL-1, MJ-1, WC).All-Western Team Picked By Critics Billy Mac The St. Paul Globe December 1, 1903 5 (BMA)Five Gophers On All-Western Team The St. Paul Globe Billy Mac November 29, 1903 15 http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1903-11-29/ed-1/seq-15/#date1=1901&sort=relevance&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&index=0&words=ALL+all+ALL-WESTERN+all-Western+football+FOOTBALL+Western+WESTERN&proxdistance=5&date2=1904&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=all-western&andtext=football&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3 (BM)Schacht Picked By All Chicago Papers The Saint Paul Globe November 30, 1903 5 (CIO, CRH, CT)Lowenthal Picks An All-Western Eleven The St. Paul Globe November 29, 1903 14 http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1903-11-29/ed-1/seq-14/#date1=1901&sort=relevance&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&index=2&words=ALL+all+ALL-WESTERN+all-Western+football+Western+WESTERN&proxdistance=5&date2=1904&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=all-western&andtext=football&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3 (FL)All-Western Team The Minneapolis Journal November 28, 1903 8 (MJ)Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide 1904 American Sports Publishing Company 1904 33 https://books.google.com/books?id=3gs7AQAAMAAJ (WC) Schedule September 19 w y Minneapolis Central High Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 21–6 3,000 September 19 w y Saint Paul Central High School Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 36–0 3,000 September 23 w y Minneapolis East High Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 37–0 September 26 w y 1903 Carleton Carleton Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 29–0 September 30 w y 1903 Macalester Macs Macalester Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 112–0 October 3 w y 1903 Grinnell Pioneers Grinnell Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 39–0 October 7 w y 1903 Hamline Pipers Hamline Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 65–0 October 10 w y Iowa State Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 46–0 October 17 w Iowa Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN rivalry 75–0 6,000 Hawkeyes Meet a Most Decisive and Crushing Defeate: Minnesota, 75; Iowa, Nothing The Sunday Tribune Minneapolis October 18, 1903 1, 18 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-hawkeyes-meet-a-most-decisi/172087961/ Newspapers.com October 24 w y 1903 Beloit Buccaneers Beloit Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN 46–0 October 31 t Michigan Northrop Field Minneapolis, MN Little Brown Jug 6–6 20,000–30,000 November 2 w y y North Dakota Agricultural Fargo, ND 11–0 Minnesota Second Wins https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115104756/star-tribune/ The Minneapolis Tribune Minneapolis, Minnesota November 3, 1903 2 December 24, 2022 Newspapers.com November 7 w y y 1903 Lawrence Vikings Lawrence Appleton, WI 46–0 November 14 w y Illinois Champaign, IL 32–0 November 26 w y Wisconsin Randall Field Madison, WI rivalry 17–0 < 3,500 Mac Billy The St. Paul Globe Saint Paul, Minnesota November 27, 1903 Gophers Land Championship https://www.newspapers.com/article/170289848/ 1, 5 Newspapers.com Game summaries Michigan The eighth game of the season matched Minnesota against Michigan in a game played at Northrop Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The New York Times reported that the match, "one of the most desperate football games seen in the West in years," was witnessed by "fully 30,000 spectators."Michigan 6; Minnesota 6 The New York Times November 1, 1903 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1903/11/01/102028302.pdf The game ended in a 6–6 tie, the first time in the Yost era that Michigan had not achieved a victory. During the first half, Minnesota outgained Michigan 155 yards to 60 yards. The Michigan defense held, and the first half ended in a scoreless tie. With 15 minutes remaining in the game, Michigan sustained a 65-yard drive culminating with a touchdown by right tackle Joe Maddock. On the drive that followed, the Michigan line was "unable to sustain Schacht's fierce line smashes," and Minnesota tied the game with a touchdown run by its fullback, Boeckmann, and Rogers kicked the point after touchdown. Although approximately two minutes remained in the game, Minnesota fans surged onto the field, and the game had to be ended early. The Detroit Free Press described the scene as follows:"Time was not up by a few minutes, but the crowd surged onto the field and time was called, as it would have been impossible to have cleared the gridiron in time to resume play before daylight had faded entirely away."Score Was 6 to 6, and There Were Two Minutes Left to Play Detroit Free Press November 1, 1903 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764464872.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+01%2C+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&desc=Score+Was+6+to+6%2C+and+There+Were+Two+Minutes+Left+to+Play.&pqatl=google https://archive.today/20130131182525/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764464872.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+01,+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&desc=Score+Was+6+to+6,+and+There+Were+Two+Minutes+Left+to+Play.&pqatl=google dead January 31, 2013 When the Michigan team returned to Ann Arbor on November 1, the players were greeted by a crowd of 5,000 singing and yelling at the depot. The crowd attached ropes to a bus and towed the team to campus while continuing with organized songs and yells. At a rally near the law building, Willie Heston told the crowd that the Minnesota players were "the roughest lot of sluggers I ever went up against."Big Reception at Ann Arbor: Returning Michigan Football Team Met By Crowd; Players Tell of the Slugging Done by Gophers; Chances Are That Minnesota May Be Dropped Detroit Free Press November 2, 1903 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764460372.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+2%2C+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=8&desc=BIG+RECEPTION+AT+ANN+ARBOR https://archive.today/20130201035250/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764460372.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+2,+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=8&desc=BIG+RECEPTION+AT+ANN+ARBOR dead February 1, 2013 Heston's right eye was nearly swollen shut, and his nose bore "marks of terrific smashes." Joe Maddock added, "I don't know how many times I was hit and kicked, but I think I got at least twenty blows on the back of my neck." The Michigan Alumnus complained about "the unsportsmanlike spirit" manifested by some Minnesota players and opined that the Minnesota fans who surged onto the field had responded to "an impulse which does more credit to their enthusiasm than their love of fair play."The Minnesota Game The Michigan Alumnus November 1903 87–88 https://books.google.com/books?id=1h3iAAAAMAAJ The Detroit Free Press condemned "the muckerish tactics of the crowd and the pugilistic efforts of the Gophers."No Doubt of Rough Usage: More Stories of Minnesota's Fighting Tactics; Gopher Players Instructed to 'Kill Off' Heston Detroit Free Press November 3, 1903 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764369942.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+3%2C+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=3&desc=NO+DOUBT+OF+ROUGH+USAGE https://archive.today/20130131142957/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764369942.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+3,+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=3&desc=NO+DOUBT+OF+ROUGH+USAGE dead January 31, 2013 Several in attendance reported that Minnesota assistant coach Pudge Heffelfinger had been heard yelling from the sidelines, "Kill off Heston in the first ten minutes, or you'll lose." The crowd reportedly picked up the comment and responded with the yell, "Kill off Heston." The game's umpire, Henry Clark, was selected by Minnesota, and he came under heavy criticism from Michigan loyalists for failing to call Minnesota for its rough play. The Minnesota game generated gross gate receipts of $30,933.50. After deducting expenses, Michigan's share was $13,000.Gopher Game Nets $13,000: Michigan Share of Minnesota Gate Money; Yost Partially Excuses the Minnesota Roughing Detroit Free Press November 4, 1903 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764396012.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+04%2C+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&desc=GOPHER+GAME+NETS+%2413%2C000.&pqatl=google https://archive.today/20130419004136/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764396012.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+04,+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&desc=GOPHER+GAME+NETS+$13,000.&pqatl=google dead April 19, 2013 Yost defended his team's performance upon his return to Ann Arbor. Pulling a criss-crossed chart from his pocket, Yost walked through the progress of the game with reporters. Even though Minnesota outgained Michigan in the first half, Yost said:"Why, they never had the ball inside our 30-yard line but once during the first half, and it was just inside at that time. The goal was never in danger because our boys played a scientific defensive game and kept the ball in the air part of the time, where it belonged. We had good headwork as well as beef, and I do not think it is fair to Michigan to say that she was outplayed in the first half. The touchdown the Minnesota boys made was made after dark, when nobody could see the ball, and of course that prevented us from stopping them. Also, the field was crowned. I am confident, however, that we have the better team. That man Gooding and Heston played a wonderful game, and all the boys did, for that matter. I have no fault to find with anyone."Not Outplayed: Yost Says Gophers Had Nothing on Michigan Detroit Free Press November 3, 1903 https://secure.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764370172.html?FMT=AI&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+3%2C+1903&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&desc=NOT+OUTPLAYED.February 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Little Brown Jug right|thumb|200px|Replica of the Little Brown Jug on display in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2007. The real Jug is kept in storage. The 1903 game against Minnesota also gave rise to the tradition of the two teams playing for the Little Brown Jug. When the Michigan team arrived in Minneapolis, Yost reportedly instructed student manager Thomas B. Roberts to purchase a water jug. Roberts purchased a five-gallon jug for 30¢ from a local variety store. In the chaos that ensued when the Minnesota crowd rushed onto the field, the Wolverines left the jug behind. Thomas Roberts, writing in 1956, stated that the jug had served its purpose, so he intentionally left it sitting on the field. The next day, custodian Oscar Munson brought the jug to L. J. Cooke, head of the Minnesota athletics department. Cooke and Munson painted the jug brown and wrote on it, "Michigan Jug – Captured by Oscar, October 31, 1903." According to legend, Yost sent a letter asking for the jug to be returned, and Cooke wrote in response: "We have your little brown jug; if you want it, you'll have to win it." Yost returned with his team in 1909 to reclaim the jug, and the two teams have awarded the jug to the winner of their annual rivalry game.The Little Brown Jug – Minnesota vs. Michigan Golden Gopher Gridiron http://www.goldengophergridiron.com/page/show/331052-little-brown-jug 2015-07-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20150415035217/http://www.goldengophergridiron.com/page/show/331052-little-brown-jug 2015-04-15 dead References Minnesota Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football seasons Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Minnesota Golden Gophers football