Editor’s note: When the mighty men of Oregon took to the gridiron this year, it marked that 128th year of football history at the UO. Since its inception over a century ago, Oregon has battled in rain, in snow, in mud, and in the dark of night, making its way from obscurity to having a bold legacy, not only in the Pacific Northwest, but across the nation. As the 2021 team is headed to the Alamo Bowl, we look back at how it all started from the 1941 October edition of Old Oregon. According to Old Oregon historian C. E. Wagner, '01, Oregon's football history dates back to 1893 when a group of students attended a football game in Portland and decided to organize a team at the university. Although they set about the task in 1893, the first game was not played until March 24, 1894, which has caused considerable controversy as to which was the first team. Active in making early Oregon gridiron history was the author of this article, Wagner, who played on several of the early football teams as well as a hammer thrower on the track team. He used the terms UO and Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) in this article because the college did not become Oregon State College (OSC) and then Oregon State University (OSU) until many years later. The term Oregon was not officially used until 1899 per Wagner.
Dr. Clarence Keen, member of Oregon's first football team tells us that a number of students attended a Multnomah football game in Portland late in the season of 1893. This led to a determination on their part to organize a team at the university. They were not willing to wait until football season of 1894, but began in earnest immediately after the holidays.
The first game was played in an open field on the University campus, March 24, 1894, with Albany College.1 Oregon won by a score of 44 to 2. Richard H. Syring, '28, staff writer of the Oregon Journal, had an interesting story on this game in that paper a few years ago. L. T. Harris, '93, had an illustrated article on this game in April 1923 Old Oregon.
The first game having ended so successfully in the spring of 1894, practically the same team played the next fall. A picture of the 1894 fall team was published in February, 1924 Old Oregon. In this issue the editor asked for an explanation as to why the difference between this 1894 team and the first one. The difference is: there were in reality two teams, yet each an 1894 one. According to my records Oregon Agricultural College (OAC)2 beat UO in the fall of 1894 by score of 16 to 0.
The university's second football team, that of 1895, was pictured in November 1923 Old Oregon. According to my records this team beat OAC 42 to 0. We have no pictures of either the '96 or '97 teams for the reason none was taken to my knowledge. An effort was made to get a picture of the '96 team at the end of the season, but a few members refused to pose for a picture unless they were paid to do so. Not being able to get all of the real team, no picture was taken. We are able to reproduce, however, a picture of the 1896 squad.
In my opinion this was the greatest assemblage of football talent ever gathered at any Northwest school in the 19th century. However, they did not develop a strong team. They lacked two essential qualities, proper coaching and training, and team work. There was too much individual playing.
To illustrate the point, at the beginning of season I was center and remained such until I cut my hand on the machine shop band saw. Then A. P. Gilleland was persuaded to take my place. When my hand had sufficiently healed, I joined the second team. In the first game with OAC I was told to play right tackle in the second half.
Because signals had been changed, I did not know them (the huddle system was then unknown) and as a result I could not run interference and did not know when to make a hole in the line for a play through tackle. All I could do was to keep my opponent from breaking through and try to stop the OAC plays when they came through my side of the line. In spite of this I played the full half.
With proper coaching and real team work this team could have licked any team in the country. John Edmunson was one of our greatest guards, Ferd Herbold, a great tackle, Russell Coleman, one of our best ends, "Monk" Eastland and Oscar Stewart, great tackles, and Clarence Bishop a great halfback. This was Dick Smith's first year in football, in fact he never saw a football until he came to Oregon. He made fun of the first one he saw, but even with only his first years’ experience he was a star equaled by few.
Two games were played with OAC in '96. The first one was a practice game and was played on Kincaid Field3 at Eugene. I have forgotten the score, but UO won by less than a touchdown. The second game was played in Corvallis and again UO won. The official score is given as 8 to 4, but I remember it as 10 to 4.
Late in the season, UO was beaten by Multnomah4 on a frozen field in Portland. I have no record of the score. The team lined up as follows:
Center—A. P. Gilleland
Guards—John Edmunson and Dick Smith
Tackles—Fred Herbold, "Monk" Eastland, and Oscar Stewart
Ends—Russel Coleman and Clyde Bonney
Quarter—Ed McClanahan
Halfbacks—Fred Templeton and Clarence Bishop
Fullback—John Davidson
Coach—J. F. Frick
Manager—Lee Travis
Very few members of this great squad returned to school in 1897. Nothing was done about a football team until OAC began to inquire about the game to be played with them as per agreement. Joe Smith of Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club was hired to coach. Alfred Cleveland [was] appointed captain.
After a short season of training the game was played on Kincaid field. OAC had a strong team and won. The score recorded was 26 to 0, but I clearly remember that both sides scored. A diary which I kept gives the score as "28 to 6 or 8."
The 1897 team was as follows:
Center—A. P. Gilleland
Guards—Fred Wilson and Michael Barry
Tackles—Dick Smith and Ralph Brown
Ends—Fred Ziegler and Oscar Gorrell
Quarter—R. S. Bryson
Halfbacks—D. V. Kuykendall and Roy Knox
Fullback—Ed McClanahan
The fifth team, that of 1898, was the school's first well coached squad. Members had real team work in their plays. It was during the Spanish-American War.5 A picture of the team was published in June 1924 Old Oregon. Stars were Dick Smith, Clarence Bishop, and Fred Wilson.
The '98 team played four games that I know of and I think at least one other. With exception of Multnomah game, the season was successful. Portland University, then Methodist, in those days had some good football teams, but its 1898 team was not the equal of a high school squad. For some reason newspapers rated Portland high and expected them to beat UO.
In the game at Eugene, UO made the fatal mistake of running up a high score, 98 to 0 as I recall. When Multnomah heads heard of this, they became scared and sent all over the country for star players. UO expected to win, but took an awful beating. I do not recall the score, but the team was so disheartened that it disbanded, quit training and told OAC it could be champion of the state without a game.
OAC wouldn't have it that way and sent a delegation to Eugene to persuade Oregon to play as scheduled. The team reluctantly consented and beat OAC 38 to 0 at Corvallis.