| Year: | 1897 |
| Team: | Georgia Tech |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Record: | 1–1–0 |
| Head Coach: | J. B. Wood |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Captain: | Walter West |
| Stadium: | Brisbine Park |
The 1897 Georgia Tech football team represented the Georgia School of Technology during the 1897 college football season. The team was called the Techs throughout the season.[1] After fielding no team in 1895, the 1896 Georgia Tech team played well and finished with a record of 2–2–1. Georgia Tech had much optimism heading into the 1897 season; however, all Georgia football teams agreed to disband on November 3.
J. B. Wood returned to coach the team for his second season.[2] Allgood Holmes was elected as the team's manager. The team had a training table installed in the basement of the newly built Knowles Dormitory on campus, which also featured a gym and hot and cold baths. Tech also scheduled weekly practices with the Fort McPherson team.[1]
Practices began on September 29 with over fifty players trying out for the team.[2] With so many players, Wood was able to form a second team to give the varsity team a regular group to compete against.[1] Georgia Tech held practice games against the Atlanta YMCA on October 5 (6-6), 6 (0-8), 7 (4-0), and 8 (unknown score) at Brisbine Park, which Georgia Tech had leased for the season.[3] [4] [5] Another practice game was played against the local College Park team, winning by 18-0.[6] Wood said of the team before the season: "We regard the outlook as being unusually good. The boys are now getting down to hard work, and we feel confident we will win. The material is mostly raw, but we are fast overcoming this difficulty with hard training. There is no reason why we should not carry off our full share of the honors this season, if the boys will work."[7]
After compiling a record of 1-1-0, Georgia Tech's season came to an abrupt end following the death of Georgia player Von Gammon in a football game on October 30. Gammon had been considering playing at Tech prior to the season.[1] On November 1, the Atlanta City Council announced that it would be a misdemeanor to play football within the city limits. Georgia Tech had a match scheduled against Mercer for November 6, but the teams decided to cancel the game.[8] Georgia Tech's Athletic Association disbanded the team on November 3 pursuant to an agreement reached in a meeting of managers of schools in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee the night before.[9] Football was almost outlawed completely in Georgia by legislative action, but the final bill was vetoed by Governor William Atkinson.
Georgia Tech also planned games against Alabama (set for October 23), Auburn, Clemson, and Sewanee, plus a second game against Georgia (set for November 30); however, these plans never materialized.[2]
Georgia Tech's first game of the season came against Georgia in Athens, the second ever match between the schools. Georgia Tech won their previous meeting in 1893. The teams only played twenty-five minute halves.
The first half was played very tough. Georgia Tech won the toss and punted it away, but Georgia fumbled on its first possession. The two sides went back and forth for several drives until Georgia Tech's Hart picked up a blocked punt and took off for the goal, but Georgia's Tichenor made a saving tackle. Tech did not threaten the endzone again. On their next possession, Georgia moved the ball thirty-five yards and scored the first touchdown of the game. On its next possession, Georgia was able to take the ball all the way to the Techs' fifteen-yard line, but it missed an attempt at kicking a goal. However, Tech's next punt was blocked, setting up a second Georgia touchdown. The half ended with Georgia leading 10 to 0.
The second half turned into a rout. Georgia Tech's defense grew tired and they were unable to stop Georgia's rush, first going through the center and then around the ends. Georgia was able to score three touchdowns in the second half and Georgia Tech failed to score. The game ended as a 28-0 victory for Georgia.[2]
This was the fifth meeting between the schools with Georgia Tech holding a 2-1-1 series lead, though all of the games were decided by a touchdown or less. Tech's coach, J. B. Wood, joined the team at halfback to the protests of Mercer, who claimed that he was practically a professional. After some discussion, Wood was granted permission to play. The Techs were the stronger and larger team, but Mercer played well and maintained composure. Georgia Tech won the game 20-0.
The Techs remained in Macon overnight. Following the game, the Tech and Mercer players learned of the death of Von Gammon during the Georgia-Virginia match. Gammon was well known and liked among the players. The players feared that his death would cause football to be shut down for the season, if not longer as the Georgia legislature had been debating a prohibition of football in Georgia for the past year.[10] A second game against Mercer scheduled for November 6 was cancelled and the team disbanded for the season on November 3.
| Left End | L. R. Hart | Wilson | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left Tackle | J. B. Wood | L. R. Hart | |
| Left Guard | Leigh | Leigh | |
| Center | Walter West (C) | Walter West (C) | |
| Right Guard | Joe Pelham | Joe Pelham | |
| Right Tackle | Newman | Newman | |
| Right End | J. L. Jones | J. L. Jones | |
| Quarterback | Hardin Jones | Hardin Jones | |
| Left Halfback | J. C. Crawford | J. C. Crawford | |
| Right Halfback | Palmour | J. B. Wood | |
| Fullback | Freyer | Freyer | |
| Substitutes | |||