1910 Alabama Crimson Tide football team explained

Year:1910
Team:Alabama Crimson Tide
Sport:football
Conference:Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Short Conf:SIAA
Record:4–4
Conf Record:0–4
Head Coach:Guy Lowman
Hc Year:1st
Captain:O. G. Gresham
Stadium:The Quad
Birmingham Fairgrounds

The 1910 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1910 college football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 18th overall and 15th season as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team was led by head coach Guy Lowman, in his first year, and played their home games at the University of Alabama Quad in Tuscaloosa and the Birmingham Fairgrounds in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of four wins and four losses (4–4 overall, 0–4 in the SIAA).

After Alabama opened the season with shutouts over both Birmingham College and the Marion Military Institute, the Crimsons lost four consecutive games to SIAA opponents by a margin of 104–0. The squad rebounded with a 5–3 victory over Tulane at New Orleans and a 9–0 victory over Washington and Lee to finish the season with an overall record of 4–4.

Before the season

In March 1910, J. W. H. Pollard announced his resignation as head football coach and athletic director, and took the same positions at Washington and Lee University.[1] After several months of searching for a replacement, in August the University's Committee on Athletics hired Guy Lowman from the University of Missouri to serve as both head football coach and athletic director.[2] With his hiring, many expected him to successfully guide the football team through what was viewed as its toughest schedule in school history.[2]

The team reported for its first practice on September 10, and at that time six players returned with at least one season of experience with he Crimson and White.[3] At the start of practice, coach Lowman identified as the teams weakest positions being the linemen and backs.[3]

Schedule

[4]

Game summaries

Birmingham College

Alabama opened the season with this 25–0 victory over Birmingham College (now Birmingham–Southern College) at Tuscaloosa.[5] [6] After a scoreless first quarter where Birmingham unsuccessfully tries several trick plays, Alabama scored 22 second quarter points.[6] After a safety, the Crimsons scored their first touchdown of the season on an Adrian Van de Graaff run to take a 7–0 lead.[6] After a Lambert touchdown run, Van de Graaff scored his second touchdown of the game, and after a 20-yard Farley Moody field goal Alabama led 22–0 at halftime.[6] A second half Moody field goal made the final score 25–0.[6] The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Birmingham College to 1–0.[7]

Marion Military Institute

After a victory over Birmingham College to open the season, Alabama won its second game 26–0 against the Marion Military Institute at Tuscaloosa.[5] [8] In the game, Robert Bumgardner scored three touchdowns with Adrian Van de Graaff scoring the fourth on a 70-yard run in the victory.[5] The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against the Marion Military Institute to 2–0.[9]

Georgia

Against the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama lost its first game of the season 22–0 before 12,000 fans at Birmingham.[10] After a scoreless first quarter, Georgia scored second-quarter touchdowns on runs by W. F. McClelland and Robert MacWhorter to take an 11–0 halftime lead.[10] In the third quarter, the Bulldogs scored on a 25-yard MacWhorter run and in the fourth on a 75-yard J. F. Slater fumble returned for a touchdown to make the final score 22–0.[10] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Georgia to 3–3–3.[11]

Georgia Tech

See also: 1910 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. Against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Alabama lost its second game of the season 36–0 at Tuscaloosa.[5] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Georgia Tech to 1–3.[12]

Ole Miss

Against the Ole Miss Rebels, Alabama suffered its third loss of the season 16–0 at Greenville.[13] Fran Shields scored the only points of the first half on his touchdown run in the first quarter.[5] In the second half, Alonzo Lee scored on an 11-yard run and Steve Mitchell scored on a 10-yard run in the fourth to give the Rebels the 16–0 victory.[5] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Ole Miss to 4–2–1.[14]

Sewanee

See also: 1910 Sewanee Tigers football team. Against the Sewanee Tigers, Alabama lost its fourth consecutive game 30–0 at Birmingham.[15] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Sewanee to 1–6.[16]

Tulane

Against the Tulane Green Wave, Alabama ended their four-game losing streak after they defeated the Greenies 5–3 at New Orleans.[17] Alabama led 2–0 at halftime with their only points coming on a first quarter safety, which occurred after a Tulane player tried to return a missed Alabama field goal.[5] After Tulane took a 3–2 lead in the third, Farley Moody kicked a 20-yard, game-winning field goal for Alabama.[5] The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Tulane to 3–2–1.[18]

Washington and Lee

Against the Washington and Lee Generals, Alabama closed their season with a 9–0 victory at Birmingham.[19] After a scoreless first half, Alabama took a 9–0 lead in the second half after three successful Farley Moody field goals.[5] The victory also marked the return of former Alabama head coach J. W. H. Pollard, who resigned his position with the Crimsons to take the head coaching position with the Generals in the spring of 1910.[20] The victory is Alabama's only all-time matchup against Washington and Lee.[21]

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Robert H. BumgardnerBessemer, AlabamaEnd
Louis Malone FinlayPollard, AlabamaTackle
Charles West GreerMarion, AlabamaBack
Victor John HeardCamp Hill, AlabamaBack
Vigil Willis HeardCamp Hill, AlabamaBack
Thomas ManningTalladega, AlabamaCenter
William Hoadley MerrillEufaula, AlabamaGuard
Emory Bush PeeblesVienna, AlabamaQuarterback
Harold Mustin PowellBirmingham, AlabamaTackle
James Alfred ScottThomasville, AlabamaEnd
Patrick Kyle ShirleyWetumpka, Alabama
Everett WilkinsonPrattville, AlabamaBack/Kicker
[22]

Coaching staff

1 Springfield (1905)
F. G. Stickney Assistant coach 1 Alabama (1903)
Reference:[23]

References

General

Specific

Notes and References

  1. News: Washington and Lee gets new director . NewsBank: America's Historical Newspapers . . March 10, 1910 . E3.
  2. News: Lowman is new coach . NewsBank: America's Historical Newspapers . . August 4, 1910 . 9.
  3. News: Varsity squad reports . NewsBank: America's Historical Newspapers . . September 11, 1910 . 14.
  4. Web site: 1910 Alabama football archive . RollTide.com . University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics . February 17, 2021 .
  5. 1910 Season Recap
  6. News: Varsity wins first game of season by 25 to 0 score . 1 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . October 1, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  7. Web site: Alabama vs Birmingham College (AL) . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023105833/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=337 . 2011-10-23 . dead .
  8. News: Marion team to be entertained . 8 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . October 8, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  9. Web site: Alabama vs Marion Military Institute (AL) . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131216010858/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=1874 . 2013-12-16 . dead .
  10. News: Alabama is defeated by Georgia heavyweights . 1 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . October 15, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  11. Web site: Alabama vs Georgia . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131216010856/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=1265 . December 16, 2013 .
  12. Web site: Alabama vs Georgia Tech . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023092823/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=1273 . 2011-10-23 . dead .
  13. News: Varsity returns after hard fight . 4 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . November 7, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  14. Web site: Alabama vs Mississippi . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023092848/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=2039 . October 23, 2011 .
  15. News: Varsity returns save and sound . 1 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . November 14, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  16. Web site: Alabama vs Sewanee (TN) . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023094000/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=2947 . 2011-10-23 . dead .
  17. News: Team returns in blaze of glory . 1 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . November 21, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  18. Web site: Alabama vs Tulane (LA) . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131227093118/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=3267 . 2013-12-27 . dead .
  19. News: Glorious victory closes the season for Alabama . 1 . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . Google News . November 25, 1910 . February 28, 2012.
  20. News: Washington and Lee will play Alabama . A8A . https://archive.today/20120718224259/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ajc_historic/access/543729462.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+17,+1910&author=&pub=The+Atlanta+Constitution+(1881-2001)&desc=WASHINGTON+AND+LEE+WILL+PLAY+ALABAMA&pqatl=google . dead . July 18, 2012 . The Atlanta Constitution . April 17, 1910 . February 27, 2012.
  21. Web site: Alabama vs Washington & Lee (VA) . College Football Data Warehouse . February 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023105838/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/alabama/opponents_records.php?teamid=3423 . 2011-10-23 . dead .
  22. Book: 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book . 2011 . All-Time Tide Football Lettermen . University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . 127–141.
  23. Book: 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book . 2011 . All-Time Assistant Coaches . University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office . Tuscaloosa, Alabama . 142–143.