Below is the first half of an article from almost exactly 125 years ago today, published in the New York Times of November 27th, 1885.
Wesleyan played twice at the Polo grounds during the 1885 season, beating the University of Pennsylvania team 25-18 on November 7th (see image from the Nov. 8 NY Times). Wesleyan would play at least a dozen more games at the Polo grounds over the next 20 years, almost always drawing many thousands of spectators.
Although Wesleyan fielded one of the nation's top football teams in the late 19th century, 1885 was not a good year for Middletown's college against either Yale or Princeton; Wesleyan had already lost two games that year to Yale, by the lopsided scores of 18-0 and 71-0, and as noted in the article below, Princeton pasted Wesleyan by an even greater margin. Wesleyan ended the season with a record of 3 wins and 4 losses.
The top college football program in 1885 was Princeton, with a record of 9 wins and no losses.
Football in 1885 seemed to resemble rugby as much as it resembled modern football. No forward passes were allowed, there were very few ritualistic stoppages of play and the same 11 men played both offense and defense. A touch down was worth 4 points, a field goal 5 points, and there were 2 extra points for kicking a goal after a touch down.
The photograph below is of the 1885 Wesleyan team, courtesy of Wesleyan University Library, Special Collections & Archives. The back of the photo says it was taken before the Yale game, in New York.
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A football match was played yesterday afternoon on the Polo Grounds between the Yale and Wesleyan teams. About 4,000 spectators were present and cheered the contestants in their efforts. A number of coaches decorated with the blue of Yale occupied the northern side of the ground. A fairly good assemblage of ladies was present in the grand stand, and a strong-lunged delegation of the ubiquitous Columbia College boys filled the air with enthusiasm and orthography. The opposing teams consisted of the following men:
Yale--Rushers--Wallace, Hamlin, Hare, Peters (Captain), Woodruff, Carter, Corwin. Quarterback--Beecher. Half backs--Watkinson and Bull. Fullback--Burke.
Wesleyan--Rushers--Hawkins, Gordon, Blaine (Captain), Wells, Pike, Fish, Hutchinson. Quarter back--Smith. Half backs--Clark and Manchester. Full back--Beattys.
The game was opened by Yale’s dribbling the ball to Beecher, the wiry little quarter back, who was all over the field during the game. He passed to Watkinson, and the ball was quickly run down near the Wesleyan goal. Wesleyan ran it back very quickly. Runs by Peters and Watkinson and kicking by the latter carried it back to Wesleyan’s ground. Again the Wesleyans, by short rushes and heavy tackling, forced the ball up the field. Then Bull got it and punted it well back. Then Beecher passed it to Watkinson, who made a big run. Another short run by Watkinson and one by Beecher enabled the latter to pass the ball to teh former, who kicked a goal from the field. Score, 5 to 0 for Yale. The ball was started again, but runs by the inevitable Beecher and Watkinson carried it to Wesleyan’s end, and Watkinson kicked another goal from the field. Score, 10 to 0 in Yale’s favor. Now Blaine made a run for Wesleyan, but Yale soon forced it back. Wesleyan sent it up the field and Watkinson kicked it back, when Beecher dodged through the Wesleyan rush line like a flash and made a touch down. Watkinson kicked the goal. Score, 16 to 0 for Yale.
Starting again, Pike made a good run for Wesleyan, but Yale worked the ball back in a few minutes, and Peters, butting through Wesleyan’s rushers like a bull, made a touch down from which the unfailing Watkinson kicked a goal. Score, 22 to 0 for Yale. A few minutes were left in the half, and nothing was accomplished when time was called. The second half opened with good runs by Beecher and Wallace for Yale, the latter making a touch down from which Watkinson failed to kick a goal. Score 26 to 0. Then Peters made a fair catch and being interfered with, Yale got a chance to try for a goal. Watkinson made the kick a little low, and the ball was finely stopped by Wesleyan’s centre rushers. In a few moments, however, Watkinson carried the ball through Wesleyan’s rush line, made a touch down, and kicked a goal from it. Score 32 to 0.
Again the ball was started and short runs by Wallace and a big one by Peters carried the ball well into Wesleyan’s ground, where Woodruff shot through with it and made another touch down for Yale. Watkinson again kicked a goal. Score, 38 to 0 in Yale’s favor. Away went the ball again, Beecher, Hamlin, and Watkinson making good runs, and then the old reliable Watkinson kicked another goal from the field. Score, 43 to 0 for Yale. When it was started again a bad pass by Wesleyan gave the ball to Beecher, who flew down the field and made another touch down. Watkinson came up smiling and kicked a goal. Score, 49 to 0 for Yale.
After a good run by Pike for Wesleyan Watkinson tried another field goal, but missed it. Soon afterward, however, Peters carried the ball through the Wesleyan’s line and touched it down. A goal was kicked by Watkinson. Score, 55 to 0 for Yale. Hardly was the ball started again before Beecher had made another touch down and Watkinson kicked a goal. A little unimportant play concluded the game, making the final score 61 to 0 in Yale’s favor. Princeton beat Wesleyan 76 to 0, but the Yale team did not play in its best form yesterday. The game was Yale’s last for this season.
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