THE BEGINNINGS OF ALABAMA FOOTBALL

(Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

CHAPTER TWO - THE STORIED RIDE OF THE CRIMSON TIDE

William G. Little was responsible for the beginning of Alabama football.  A student at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, he was working on later playing for Yale.  But because of his brother’s early death, he came back home to Livingston, Alabama to help his family.

From New Hampshire, he brought the kind of equipment used at that time for playing football and enrolled in the University of Alabama for the fall semester of 1892. This “Football Evangelist’s” repeated sermons to the student body were always wrapped around his theme of “Football is the game of the future.”

After enough men were interested to field a team, Little served as the team’s captain.  On Nov 11, 1892, Alabama played its first practice game on a Birmingham baseball field in Lakeview Park. Playing against what was considered the most qualified students in the Birmingham high schools, they won 56-0.   

While now unthinkable, they stayed overnight in Birmingham and on Nov. 12, 1892, played against the Birmingham Athletic Club (BAC). The moniker for Alabama was the Cadets. They also became known as the Varsity, the Capstones and the Crimson White.

The men of the BAC were older and possibly more experienced. Even with the 56-0 score confirming it wasn’t a hard win, some Alabama players had to at least not be at their best after playing the day before, which was not the case for the men of the BAC.

Touchdowns counted as four points and field goals were five. Captain Little was the only Cadet to score, with the Cadets holding their 4-0 lead until shortly before the game was to end. But during the last minutes, BAC’s J. P. Ross, who had played rugby in Ireland, kicked the ball 65 yards through the uprights. The Cadets lost 5-4.

But about a month later, the Cadets played the BAC again on Dec. 10, 1892, with Alabama winning 14-0. The final game of the 1892 season was played in Birmingham on Feb. 22, 1893. It was a game that turned out to be the first meeting of what eventually became known as the Iron Bowl, with Alabama favored to win. 

Playing for Alabama was Bibb Graves, who later served two terms as Governor. Also playing was Walter Will Bankhead, who later fathered the well-known NY stage actress from Jasper, Tallulah Bankhead, as well in becoming a future Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Special trains from Selma, Anniston and Montgomery played a big part in 5,000 people paying 25 cents admission to this game. Favored Alabama was dressed in red stockings and white uniforms with a large "UA" stitched onto their sweaters, but with no shoulder pads or helmets. 

Auburn won this first meeting 32-22, then handed Alabama another 18-0 loss in Montgomery on Nov 30, 1893.  No one at either game could have possibly given any thought to this game eventually becoming known as the Iron Bowl, and considered by many as the most intense rivalry in the nation.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?