Chicago Athletic Association Football team
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Athletic Association was an American football
team, based in Chicago, Illinois. The club itself had been organized in 1890, and in 1892 it formed a football team. The team was built around veterans of Chicago's University Club football team.
were still years away from being respective, and Amos Alonzo Stagg
would not form the University of Chicago
's program until 1892.
Chicago society therefore needed a team to represent the city in annual Thanksgiving Day
games, and from 1888 to 1891 they created the University Club team and had it compete against either Michigan
or Cornell
each year. The University Club team was made up of recent college graduates, whose families were from Chicago but who were products of east coast football programs.
In 1892 the Chicago A. A. football team not only took over the primer football role of the University Club team. It built an program of playing a season-long schedule of university and club teams. That team included at least eight names from the 1891 University Club team, and added the great Yale
star Pudge Heffelfinger to the line-up. The 1893 team featured Heffelfinger, Yale halfback
, Laurie Bliss
, and five players from the University Club.
In 1893 at the Chicago's World Fair
, the Chicago A. A. played one of the very first night football games against West Point
(the earliest being on September 28, 1892 between Mansfield State Normal
and Wyoming Seminary
). Chicago won the game 14-0. The game lasted only 40 minutes, compared to the normal 90 minutes.
dropped out of Northwestern to play with the Chicago Athletic Association. Alvin Culver
, who graduated that same year did the same. Knowlton Ames
, a former All-American from Princeton, also played on the team in 1892. Sport Donnelly also played with the Chicago Athletic Association in 1892. In a game against the New York Cresants, the Cresants refused to take field unless Donnelly was barred from the Chicago lineup because of some alleged rough tactics he used the year before. Chicago benched Donnelly, and his absence resulted in a tie. Donnelly then became enraged and refused to rejoin the team in Chicago. Pudge Heffelfinger, who was also playing for Chicago, joined Donnelly in the walk-out. After this game he was once again recruited by the Allegheny Athletic Association
, to play for them. A few weeks later, Donnelly and Heffelfinger were professional players with that team. However by 1896, Donnelly was once again with Chicago as a coach.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team, based in Chicago, Illinois. The club itself had been organized in 1890, and in 1892 it formed a football team. The team was built around veterans of Chicago's University Club football team.
History
The University Club football team was the first-rate team produced by the city, because Illinois and NorthwesternNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
were still years away from being respective, and Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
would not form the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
's program until 1892.
Chicago society therefore needed a team to represent the city in annual Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
games, and from 1888 to 1891 they created the University Club team and had it compete against either Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
or Cornell
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
each year. The University Club team was made up of recent college graduates, whose families were from Chicago but who were products of east coast football programs.
In 1892 the Chicago A. A. football team not only took over the primer football role of the University Club team. It built an program of playing a season-long schedule of university and club teams. That team included at least eight names from the 1891 University Club team, and added the great Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
star Pudge Heffelfinger to the line-up. The 1893 team featured Heffelfinger, Yale halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
, Laurie Bliss
Laurie Bliss
-External links:...
, and five players from the University Club.
In 1893 at the Chicago's World Fair
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
, the Chicago A. A. played one of the very first night football games against West Point
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
(the earliest being on September 28, 1892 between Mansfield State Normal
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is one of the fourteen state universities that are part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher...
and Wyoming Seminary
Wyoming Seminary
Wyoming Seminary, founded in 1844 and currently led by President Kip P. Nygren, is a private college preparatory school located in the Wyoming Valley of Northeastern Pennsylvania, in Kingston and Forty Fort It is near the Susquehanna River and the city of Wilkes-Barre...
). Chicago won the game 14-0. The game lasted only 40 minutes, compared to the normal 90 minutes.
Notable players
In 1894, Jesse Van DoozerJesse Van Doozer
-External links:...
dropped out of Northwestern to play with the Chicago Athletic Association. Alvin Culver
Alvin H. Culver
Alvin H. Culver was an American football player and coach. He served as the third head football coach at Northwestern University, coaching two seasons from 1895 to 1896 and compiling a record of 12–6–2. This ranks him 13th at Northwestern in total wins and third at Northwestern in...
, who graduated that same year did the same. Knowlton Ames
Knowlton Ames
Knowlton Lyman "Snake" Ames was an American football player and coach. He scored 730 points for Princeton from 1886 to 1889, including 62 touchdowns. The achievement of scoring 730 points is an unofficial college football career record, although only records set since the NCAA began keeping...
, a former All-American from Princeton, also played on the team in 1892. Sport Donnelly also played with the Chicago Athletic Association in 1892. In a game against the New York Cresants, the Cresants refused to take field unless Donnelly was barred from the Chicago lineup because of some alleged rough tactics he used the year before. Chicago benched Donnelly, and his absence resulted in a tie. Donnelly then became enraged and refused to rejoin the team in Chicago. Pudge Heffelfinger, who was also playing for Chicago, joined Donnelly in the walk-out. After this game he was once again recruited by the Allegheny Athletic Association
Allegheny Athletic Association
The Allegheny Athletic Association was an athletic club that fielded the first ever professional American football player and later the first fully professional football team. The organization was founded in 1890 as a regional athletic club in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which is today the North...
, to play for them. A few weeks later, Donnelly and Heffelfinger were professional players with that team. However by 1896, Donnelly was once again with Chicago as a coach.