111 YEARS AGO -- Franklin’s Football Super Team Wins World Championship - December 1903 The idea for a team came about in the late 1890s from Dave Printz and his friends, many of whom had played baseball. They brought the idea to some of the community’s business leaders and oil promoters who put up money to sponsor the team. Joseph Sibley offered the Prospect Hill Stock Farm’s grassy field for team practice. Later this area became Miller – Sibley Field. To augment the local Franklin players, men came from colleges and pro circuits to make up the team. A special rail car ran from Franklin to Meadville on Sunday, Dec. 13th, where the local contingent met the train for New York. R. J. Shannon was among those attending from Franklin and sent back full reports to The Evening News. He reported: “Two games were scheduled every night and there was so much slugging that in several instances the police had to interfere.” The final game was against Watertown, NY. A preliminary game had been played earlier so the two top teams did not take the field until 10:25 p.m. The Franklin team scored two touchdowns ( Kirkoff) to put the locals on top, 12 – 0, preserving the team’s shutout record. Bets and wagers had been made and the Franklin boys came home with an estimated $4,000. While in NY thousands called to extend congratulations to Manager Dave Printz and the team. The Chamber of Commerce hosted a dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in their honor and they were treated to a tour of Tammany Hall. They were also the first to cross the $20 million Williamsburg Bridge spanning the East River which was ceremoniously opened amidst 35,000 flags. Not exactly the Super Bowl extravaganza of now .. but quite a show of support and honor was certainly bestowed upon them. Front row from left: B.D. Sutter (5’4”/ 150 lbs.) – right end; Paul Steinberg (5’ 10”/ 175 lbs.) – left half; Lynn D. Sweet ( 5’ 7” / 172 lbs.) – center; Jack Hayden (5’ 8” / 170 lbs.) – quarterback; H. A. “Bull” Davidson (5’ 10” / 220 lbs.) – fullback. Second row – (three men in middle area) W. J. McConnell – left guard; Dave Printz – manager, John Lang (5’ 10 ½” / 208 lbs.) – left tackle Back row – Clark A. Schrontz (6’ / 186 lbs.) – left end; W.P. McNulty (5’ 11 ½ “ / 203 lbs.) – left tackle; Arthur L. “Tige” Mc Farland – right guard; Herman Kirkoff ( 6’4” / 242 lbs.) – left guard; John A. “Teck” Matthews ( 5’ 11” / 197 lbs) – right half; Charles Edgar “Blondy” Wallace ( 6’ / 240 lbs.) – right tackle Chal Brennan – left half. Bill McConnell later became a mayor of Franklin and Brennan became a street commissioner.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 02:10:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015