1906 Florida football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1906 Florida football Independent 5–3 Jack Forsythe 1st Minnesota shift Thomas Guy Hancock The Ballpark none The 1906 Florida football team was the first intercollegeate football squad fielded by the University of Florida, which was established in 1905 and opened its new Gainesville campus for the 1906–1907 academic year.Carlson 2007 7–11Horne 2012 105 Florida was a member of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) but was not yet affiliated with an athletic conference. The university had not yet constructed on-campus sports facilities, so until 1911, its football and baseball teams played and practiced at a municipal park near downtown Gainesville known simply as The Ballpark. The University of Florida did not adopt the "Gators" nickname for its sports teams until 1911, so early football squads were usually called simply "the Orange and Blue." The 1906 squad was nicknamed "Pee Wee's Boys" in honor of their player-coach, 24-year old Jack "Pee Wee" Forsythe.McEwen 1974 43 Forsythe had played for two years at Clemson under coach John Heisman and then transferred to Florida State College in Tallahassee, where he was a player-coach for one season before the school became Florida Female College and ended its football program after the 1904 seasonClemson Tigers Football, All-Time Starters, https://archive.today/20120318054447/http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/clem-m-footbl-alltimlineup.html 1896–1905. Retrieved September 10, 2010.2008 Clemson Football Media Guide, Former Head Coaches https://web.archive.org/web/20121112141050/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/clem/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/08_mg_161-176.pdf 2012-11-12 , Clemson Athletic Department, Clemson, South Carolina, p. 170 (2008). Retrieved September 10, 2010. The 1906 Florida squad played an eight-game schedule - five contests against amateur athletic clubs and three against nearby private colleges, with three games played in Gainesville. The team finished the program's inaugural season with a 5–3 record. 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143532/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf 2015-12-08 , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015. Background History of the University of Florida 1904 University of Florida Blue and White football team 1904 East Florida Seminary football team Predecessor programs thumb|260px|alt=Football team photo outside a building; some players are standing, and others are sitting on the steps.|The 1899 FAC team, the first football team from any of UF's predecessor institutions The modern University of Florida was created in 1905 when the Buckman Act consolidated four smaller state-supported institutions to create a university for men in Gainesville. Two of those predecessor schools - the East Florida Seminary in Gainesville and Florida Agricultural College (FAC) in Lake City - organized football programs and played a limited slate of games. FAC had adopted the name "University of Florida" in 1903, and in 1904, the school had attempted to jumpstart its football program by scheduling an ambitious slate against southern powers such as Auburn and Georgia. The attempt was not successful, as the "Blue and White" went 0–5. Both the East Florida Seminary and Florida Agricultural College ceased to exist after the 1904–05 school year.McEwen 1974 34 Cancelled 1905 season 1905 was a year of transition. While construction had begun on the "University of the State of Florida" campus in Gainesville, the facilities would take some time to complete, so the new school was temporarily housed at the existing FAC Lake City campus during the 1905–06 academic year.Armstrong Orland K. The life and work of Dr. A.A. Murphree 1928 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 41 http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00055592/00001/citation 20 April 2019 en Nevertheless, the school attempted to field a football team in the autumn of 1905. C. A. Holton was hired as the school's football coach, William M. Rowlett was named team captain, and the school scheduled a few games against nearby colleges and clubs. However, due to a variety of problems, the squad was only able to complete one half of one game on the season.McEwen 1974 39 Several games were cancelled due to a large number of players being declared ineligible by university president Andrew Sledd, who was determined to establish the school's academic credentials, and a potential state championship with Stetson never materialized due to disputes over location. Florida finally took the field for their last scheduled game, a contest against the Landon Institute of Jacksonville in which Florida held a 6–0 lead at halftime. It was discovered during the intermission that Landon's squad included professional players, and Florida's team refused to resume the game. The abortive 1905 season was described by Tom McEwen as "lame duck, confusing, and troubled." Besides player-coach Pee Wee Forsythe, no players who participated in the defunct football programs of Florida Agricultural College, the East Florida Seminary, or Florida State College are known to have also played for the University of Florida at Gainesville, and only tackle William Gibbs of the 1905 Lake City squad is known to have played on UF's first official team in 1906.McEwen 1974 36–37 Rule changes Florida's program was established at a time when the future of college football was in doubt. Reoccurring violence during games and the deaths of several players led to a growing movement to ban the sport in the early 1900s, as dangerous tactics such as the flying wedge, punching, kicking, piling-on, and other dangerous actions were permissible under the rules. The 1905 college football season was particularly brutal, with The Chicago Tribune referring to the campaign as a "death harvest" due to the 19 player deaths and 137 serious injuries incurred.n Union College halfback Harold Moore died of a cerebral hemorrhage after being kicked in the head while attempting to tackle an NYU runner.https://web.archive.org/web/20160303003452/http://muckrakerfarm.com/1905/11/football-years-death-harvest-record-shows-that-nineteen-football-players-have-been-killed-in-1905/ March 3, 2016 http://muckrakerfarm.com/1905/11/football-years-death-harvest-record-shows-that-nineteen-football-players-have-been-killed-in-1905/ Football Year's Death Harvest: Record Shows That Nineteen Football Players Have been Killed in 1905 November 26, 1905McEwen 1974 38 Under pressure from president Theodore Roosevelt, the precursor to the modern NCAA was formed to formulate a new set of rules for the 1906 season.Klein Christopher How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football https://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football history.com en These radical changes including the legalization of the forward pass, allowing the punting team to recover an on-side kick as a live ball, abolishing the dangerous flying wedge, creating a neutral zone between offense and defense, and doubling the first-down distance to 10 yards, to be gained in three downs.http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058130/1906-04-02/ed-1/seq-7/#words=RULESMADE Salt Lake Herald April 2, 1906 7 Football Rules Made At Last Owing to the new rules, Coach Forsythe employed the Minnesota shift, an offensive system that attempted to confuse the defense through misdirection rather than simply attempting to push ahead with brute force. Still, like most teams at the time, Florida relied on the running game and special teams to score points.https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015081216759?urlappend=%3Bseq=59 Tactics and Tacticians of the Gridiron 1914 Davis Parke H. St. Nicholas a Monthly Magazine for Boys and Girls 42 1 43 2027/mdp.39015081216759?urlappend=%3Bseq=59 869746166 Schedule October 13 w Gainesville Athletic Club The Ballpark Gainesville, FL 16–6 October 20 l y Mercer Central City Park Macon, GA 0–12 October 26 3:15 p. m. w Rollins The Ballpark Gainesville, FL 6–0 150 November 2 w Riverside Athletic Club The Ballpark Gainesville, FL 19–0 https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=5954189 J. H. Forsythe Foot Ball at the University The University News November 9, 1906 July 21, 2016 Newspapers.com November 4 l y Savannah Athletic Club Savannah, GA 2–27 November 11 l y Rollins Winter Park, FL 0–5 November 18? w y Athens Athletic Club Athens, GA 10–0 November 30? w y Riverside Athletic Club Jacksonville, FL 39–0 Game summaries Gainesville A. C. Gainesville A. C. at Florida Gainesville 0 6 Florida 11 5 October 13 The Ballpark • Gainesville, FL Sources: The University of Florida beat the Gainesville Athletic Club 16–6, the Gainesville team scoring on a fumble recovery in the second half.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5954319/the_university_news/ Football The University News October 19, 1906 4 Newspapers.com July 21, 2016 Mercer Florida at Mercer Florida 0 0 Mercer 6 6 October 20 Central City Park • Macon, GA Sources: In the second week of play, coach E. E. Tarr started Mercer's early winning streak over Florida with a 12–0 win.https://football.mercer.edu/historical-notes/ Mercer Football Historical Notes 2016-04-16 2016-04-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20160426232722/https://football.mercer.edu/historical-notes/ dead Florida played its first game in Macon. A fumble changed the momentum of the second half.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5954215/the_university_news/ University on the Gridiron The University News January 5, 1907 1 Newspapers.com July 21, 2016 Mercer's Dickey ran 40 yards around right end for the touchdown.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5955316/the_atlanta_constitution/ October 21, 1906 1 Mercer Wins From Florida The Atlanta Constitution July 21, 2016 Newspapers.com thumb|left|120px|Roy Corbett in uniform The starting lineup was Clarke (left end), Neilson (left tackle), Earman (left guard), Barrs (center), Wissen (right guard), Rodder (right tackle), Graham (right end), Thompson (quarterback), Forsyth (left halfback), Corbett (right halfback), Hancock (fullback). Rollins Rollins at Florida Rollins 0 0 Florida 0 6 October 26 3:15 p. m. The Ballpark • Gainesville, FL 150 Sources: "Pee Wee's Boys" beat the Rollins Tars 6–0 in their first intercollegiate game played in Gainesville, Florida on October 26, 1906.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5954987/gainesville_daily_sun/ October 27, 1906 July 21, 2016 Newspapers.com University Defeated Rollins Gainesville Daily Sun The game was played on a baseball field just north of where Florida Field is today.McCarthy 2000 122 Mike Bynum The Greatest Moments of Florida Gators Football The game was scoreless in the first half,Carlson 2007 10 Florida getting the win late.http://www.gainesville.com/article/20060531/gators80/60601012 No. 95 - FLORIDA 6, ROLLINS 0 1906 Gainesville.com Roy Corbett ran 25 yards around left end for the game's only touchdown. Shands kicked goal.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5895224/the_university_news/ November 9, 1906 July 15, 2016 Newspapers.com The First Game With Rollins The University News Riverside A. C. Riverside A. C. at Florida Riverside 0 0 Florida 13 6 November 2 The Ballpark • Gainesville, FL Sources: Florida beat the Riverside Athletic Club of Jacksonville 19–0. Shands scored by catching a 15-yard forward pass. The goal was kicked by Forsythe, who was the star of the game. Hancock also scored a touchdown, and Gibbs snuffed out a trick play. Florida scored once more in the second half.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5954189/the_university_news/ November 9, 1906 July 21, 2016 Newspapers.com Foot Ball Game 2 The University News https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5955012/gainesville_daily_sun/ November 5, 1906 July 21, 2016 Newspapers.com University Victorious 7 Gainesville Daily Sun Savannah A. C. The Florida team suffered a defeat to the Savannah Athletic Club, 27–2.https://books.google.com/books?id=h9WiODeNtfAC A Guide to Historic Gainesville Steve Rajtar 1 January 2007 The History Press 9781596292178 Google Books Savannah outweighed Florida by some 30 pounds, and Florida was proud of giving Savannah a better game than Stetson. Rollins Florida at Rollins Rollins 0 5 Florida 0 0 November 11 Winter Park, FL Sources: Rollins won the second game, 5–0.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5955202/the_ocala_evening_star/ November 13, 1906 July 21, 2016 Newspapers.com [No title] 2 The Ocala Evening Star Again neither team scored until the final few minutes.McEwen 1974 41Sandspur, Vol. 13 No. 01, 1907 Donald Cheney scored Rollins' touchdown.https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2013/10/13/to-travel-forward-with-clarity-we-must-know-where-weve-been/ Florida history: To travel forward with clarity, we must know where we've been Coach Forsythe resigned to accept a position as player-coach with the Riverside team, and the team disbanded only to later reunite under interim coach and ROTC Lieutenant L. R. Ball.Carlson 2007 8 Athens A. C. Athens Athletic Club fell to Florida 10–0. Riverside A. C. Florida again beat Riverside Athletic Club 39–0. Players Florida Gators Player Position Gamesstarted High school Height Weight AgeAlbert Baars centerJ. B. Earman endPee Wee Forsythe endWilliam Gibbs tacklePat Graham endKent Johnson endAlf Neilsen tackleRalph Radar tackleC. Thompkins endR. M. Whidden guardRoy Corbett right halfbackThomas Guy Hancock fullbackJim Shands left halfbackT. C. Thompson quarterbackArthur AlbertsonA. C. BennettD. S. BryanH. B. CoeJames KirkGuy McCordCharles PulestonA. I. Roe McEwen 1974 40 Notes n References Bibliography Carlson Norm University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators Whitman Publishing, LLC Atlanta, Georgia 2007 Horne Larry E. Florida Gators IQ 978-1-4499-8947-7 2012 McCarthy Kevin M https://books.google.com/books?id=_Tk-IQepI6cC Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football Arcadia Publishing Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 2000 978-0-7385-0559-6 McEwen Tom The Gators: A Story of Florida Football The Strode Publishers Huntsville, Alabama 1974 0-87397-025-X Florida Category:Florida Gators football seasons Florida football