1888 Yale Bulldogs football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1888 Yale Bulldogs football Yale1888.jpg 285 Independent 13–0 Walter Camp 1st William Herbert Corbin Yale Field National champion The 1888 Yale Bulldogs football team represented Yale University in the 1888 college football season. In its first season under head coach Walter Camp, the team compiled a 13–0 record, did not allow a single point, and outscored opponents by a total of 698 to 0. The team has been retrospectively named as the national champion by the Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. Davis.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2015/FBS.pdf National Poll Rankings National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2015 NCAA Division I Football Records NCAA 107 January 4, 2016 PDF Yale's point total was the largest ever made by a Yale team. The team scored 126 touchdowns and kicked 69 goals from touchdown and eight goals from the field. Ten of the starting 11 players on the 1888 Yale team went on to accept positions coaching other teams.L.H. Baker, "Early American College Football Through 1888," in Walter R. Okeson (ed.), The Official NCAA Football Guide 1941. New York: A.S. Barnes & Co. 1941; p. 15. Head coach Walter Camp and five players — Corbin, Pudge Heffelfinger, McClung, Amos Alonzo Stagg, and George Washington Woodruff — were subsequently inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Schedule September 29 w 1888 Wesleyan Methodists Wesleyan Yale Field New Haven, CT 76–0 October 6 w Rutgers Yale Field New Haven, CT 65–0 50 October 13 3:05 p.m. w y Penn University Athletic Grounds Philadelphia, PA 34–0 1,000 Yale Wins At Foot-ball.—The University of Pennsylvania Eleven Defeated by a Score of 34 to 0 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-times/199627725/ The Times Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 14, 1888 2 June 15, 2026 Newspapers.com October 16 w y Wesleyan Middletown, CT 46–0 October 19 w y Amherst Amherst, MA 39–0 October 20 w y Williams Williamstown, MA 30–0 October 24 w y Boston Tech Ward Street Grounds Hartford, CT 68–0 Football.—Yale Defeats Boston "Tech" https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant/199897158/ Hartford Courant Hartford, Connecticut October 25, 1888 5 June 19, 2026 Newspapers.com October 27 w Stevens Yale Field New Haven, CT 69–0 November 3 3:30 p.m. w Penn Yale Field New Haven, CT 58–0 3,000 The University Defeated.—Yale Wins at Foot-ball by a Score of 58 to 0 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-times/199663069/ The Times Philadelphia, Pennsylvania November 4, 1888 3 June 15, 2026 Newspapers.com Big Kicking By College Boys. Yale Whitewashes The University Of Pennsylvania Team https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune/199663256/ New-York Tribune New York, New York November 4, 1888 5 June 15, 2026 Newspapers.com November 6 w Crescent Athletic Club Washington Park Brooklyn, NY 28–0 November 10 w Amherst Yale Field New Haven, CT 70–0 November 17 w Wesleyan Yale Field New Haven, CT 105–0 November 24 w y Princeton Polo Grounds New York, NY rivalry 10–0 10,000–20,000 1888 Yale Bulldogs Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football February 10, 2020 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/yale/1888-schedule.html Game summaries Wesleyan (first game) On September 29, 1888, Yale opened its season with a 76–0 victory over 1888 Wesleyan Methodists Wesleyan on the Yale field in New Haven, Connecticut. The starters for Yale were William Herbert Corbin (centre and captain), Brooks (right guard), Pudge Heffelfinger (left guard), William Rhodes (right tackle), Charles O. Gill (left tackle), William Wurtenburg (quarterback), Samuel B. Morison (back), B. Morrison (back), Robinson (right end), Townsend (left end), and Herbert McBride (fullback).Yale Victor at Football The New York Times September 30, 1888 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44022014/yale_victor_at_football/ Newspapers.com Rutgers On October 6, 1888, Yale defeated Rutgers, 65–0, on Yale Field in New Haven. Due to rain, only 50 spectators attended the game. The game consisted of 35 minutes of playing time. Team captain William Herbert Corbin had his knee "thrown out of joint" during the game.Yale Notes New Haven Daily Morning Journal and Courier October 8, 1888 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44023396/yale_notes/ Newspapers.com Yale's starters were Robinson, William Rhodes, Bert Hanson, Corbin (centre), Pudge Heffelfinger, Charles O. Gill, Townsend, William Wurtenburg (quarterback), Samuel B. Morison (halfback), B. Morrison (halfback), Herbert McBride (fullback).Yale Wins As Usual The Boston Globe October 7, 1888 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44023266/yale_wins_as_usual/ Newspapers.com Penn (first game) On October 13, 1888, starting at 3:05 p.m., Yale defeated Penn, 34–0, before a crowd of less than 1,000 at the 37th and Spruce Street grounds in Philadelphia. Yale's starting lineup in the game consisted of Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace (rusher), Charles O. Gill (rusher), Pudge Heffelfinger (rusher), William Herbert Corbin (rusher), Gordon B. Pike (rusher), William Rhodes (rusher), Samuel B. Morison (rusher), Clifford B. Twombly (quarterback), William P. Graves (halfback), William Wurtenburg (halfback), and Herbert McBride (fullback). Wesleyan (second game) On Tuesday, October 16, 1888, Yale played its second game against Wesleyan, prevailing by a 46–0 at Wesleyan's home field in Middletown, Connecticut. Yale's starting lineup was Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace (rusher), Bert Hanson (rusher), Pudge Heffelfinger (rusher), William Herbert Corbin (centre and captain), Gordon S. Pike (rusher), William Rhodes (rusher), McClintock (rusher), Clifford B. Twombly (quarterback), William Wurtenburg (halfback), Lee McClung (halfback), Herbert McBride (fullback).Midddletown: Yale-Wesleyan Practice Game The Hartford Daily Courant October 17, 1888 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44023805/midddletown_yalewesleyan_practice_game/ Newspapers.com Amherst (first game) On Friday, October 19, 1888, starting at 3:20 p.m., Yale defeated Amherst, 39–0, on Amherst's home grounds in Amherst, Massachusetts.Rah! Rah! Rah! Yale! Kickers from Elm City Find Worthy Opponents at Amherst The Boston Daily Globe October 20, 1888 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44024425/rah_rah_rah_yale_kickers_from_elm/ Newspapers.com Williams On October 20, 1888, Yale defeated Williams, 30–0, on Williams' home field in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Yale's 30 points was the lowest score by a Yale team against any opponent other than a Harvard or Princeton team. Yale's starting lineup was Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace (rush line), Bert Hanson (rush line), Pudge Heffelfinger (rush line), William Herbert Corbin (rush line), Gordon Pike (centre), William Rhodes, Morrison, William Wurtenburg (quarterback), William P. Graves (halfback), Herbert McBride (halfback), and William T. Bull (fullback).Yale, 30; Williams, 0: Elm City Kickers Play a Spiritless Game The Boston Globe October 21, 1888 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44024868/yale_30_williams_0_elm_city_kickers/ Newspapers.com Stevens On October 27, 1888, Yale defeated Stevens, 69–0. The game was played in drizzling rain at Yale Field in New Haven. Yale scored 44 of its points in the last inning.Yale, 69; Stevens, 0 The Boston Globe September 28, 1888 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44032087/yale_69_stevens_0/ Newspapers.com Crescent Athletic Club On Tuesday, November 6, 1888, in a game starting at 11:15 a.m., Yale defeated the Crescent Athletic Club, 28–0, before a crowd of nearly 1,600 at Washington Park in Brooklyn. Yale's starting lineup was Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace (rusher), Charles O. Gill (rusher), Ashbel Barney Newell (rusher), William Herbert Corbin (rusher), Brewster (rusher), Pudge Heffelfinger (rusher), Amos Alonzo Stagg (rusher), William Wurtenburg (quarterback), Lee McClung (halfback), Perry W. Harvey (halfback), and Herbert McBride (fullback).Election Day Sports: Paper Chases, Football Matches, Baseball and Athletics The Brooklyn Citizen November 7, 1888 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44018923/election_day_sports_paper_chases/ Newspapers.com Wesleyan (third game) On November 17, 1888, Yale defeated 1888 Wesleyan Methodists Wesleyan, 105–0, at Yale Field in New Haven, Connecticut. Yale's tally of 105 points was its highest of the season and was the total of eight touchdowns (32 points), 11 goals (66 points), one goal from field (five points), and one safety (two points). Charles O. Gill was credited with the best play of the game, running three quarters of the field with Amos Alonzo Stagg acting "as a sort of bodyguard in the race for six points." Yale's starting lineup was Stagg (rusher), John A. Hartwell (rusher), George Washington Woodruff (rusher), Ashbel Barney Newell (center rush), Pudge Heffelfinger (rusher), Gill (rusher), Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace (rusher), William Wurtenburg (quarterback), Lee McClung (halfback), Herbert McBride (halfback), and William T. Bull (fullback).Yale's Noble Effort: Wesleyan Football Team Crushingly Defeated New Haven Daily Morning Journal and Courier November 19, 1888 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44015730/yales_noble_effort_wesleyan_football/ Newspapers.com Princeton On November 24, 1888, Yale defeated Princeton, 10–0, at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan. Both teams were undefeated prior to the game which was billed as a contest for the intercollegiate football championship. The attendance was variously placed at 10,000 to 20,000 with The New York Times estimated the crowd at a little less than 15,000, evenly split between Princeton and Yale partisans. Yale's 10 points were scored on two goals kicked from the field by Yale's fullback William T. Bull. As the game ended, a "mob" of Yale supporters ran onto the field and carried the victorious players off on their shoulders. The starting lineup for Yale consisted of Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace (rusher), Charles O. Gill (rusher), George Washington Woodruff (centre rush), William Herbert Corbin (rusher), William Rhodes (rusher), Pudge Heffelfinger (rusher), and Amos Alonzo Stagg (rusher), William Wurtenburg (quarterback), Lee McClung (halfback), William P. Graves (halfback), and Bull (fullback).'Twas A Physical Cyclone: Yale Wins The Great Foot-Ball Match The New York Times November 25, 1888 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16481370/twas_a_physical_cyclone_yale_wins_the/ Newspapers.comRah! Rah! Rah! Yale! Let the Blue Ribbon Wave; Orange and Black and Sackcloth and Ashes New York Tribune November 25, 1888 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44014459/rah_rah_rah_yale_let_the_blue/ Newspapers.com Roster The 1888 season was a transitional season where linemen were still generally referred to generically as "rushers" or the "rush line", but were at other times referred to by reference to specific positions in the line. Where available from game accounts, both designations are included below. Players awarded varsity letters for the 1888 season are denoted with a (Y).https://archive.org/details/yale1964/page/n21/mode/2up Yale Football Media Guide Yale Lettermen 1872–1963 41–48 1964 November 26, 2024 Internet Archive Charles T. Brookshttps://archive.org/details/yale1964/page/n21/mode/2up?q=brooks Yale Football Media Guide Yale Lettermen 1872–1963 41 1964 November 26, 2024 Internet Archive - right guard (Y) William T. Bull - fullback (Y) William Herbert Corbin - rusher/centre and captain (Y) Charles O. Gill - rusher/left tackle (Y) William P. Graves - halfback (Y) John A. Hartwell - rusher (Y) Bert Hanson - rusher Perry W. Harvey - halfback (Y) William W. "Pudge" Heffelfinger - rusher/left guard (Y) Charles S. King - (Y) Herbert McBride - halfback/fullback (Y) McClintock - rusher Lee McClung - halfback Samuel B. Morison - rusher/back (Y) B. Morrison - back Ashbel Barney Newell - centre rush (Y) Gordon B. Pike - rusher/centre (Y) Gifford Pinchot - (Y) William Rhodes - rusher/right tackle (Y) Robinson - right end Amos Alonzo Stagg - rusher (Y) John B. Townsendhttps://archive.org/details/yale1964/page/n23/mode/2up?q=robinson Yale Football Media Guide Yale Lettermen 1872–1963 47 1964 November 26, 2024 Internet Archive - left end Clifford Twombly - quarterback Frederic W. "Kid" Wallace - rusher (Y) George Washington Woodruff - rusher (Y) William Wurtenburg - quarterback/halfback (Y) Scoring The team scored 126 touchdowns, the distribution of which was:https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cleveland-leader-yales-championship/159830746/ Yale's Championship Record The Cleveland Leader 3 December 1, 1888 November 26, 2024 newspapers.com Wurtenburg 20 McClung 16 Gill 14 Wallace 11 McBride 11 Graves 10 Heffelfinger 8 Corbin 6 Hartwell 5 Newell 5 Rhodes 4 Morrison 4 Moyle 3 Stagg 3 Pinchot 2 Harvey 2 Pike 1 Townsend 1 References Yale Category:Yale Bulldogs football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:College football undefeated seasons Yale Bulldogs football