When Was the First Football Game Played in the United States?
Corbin Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey, was the site of the first football game played in the United States. Rutgers and Princeton battled each other on Nov. 6, 1869.
Other People Are Reading
-
At Stake
-
Princeton and Rutgers are 20 miles apart. Both schools fought to keep possession of an old Revolutionary War cannon. Both schools stole it from each other until Princeton students sunk the cannon in several feet of cement on its campus and claimed the cannon as its own. Rutgers wanted the cannon, so it challenged Princeton to a football game to decide which school would keep the cannon. The presidents of both schools protested that students were placing too much emphasis on football, but those objections fell on deaf ears, and the game was set.
The Site
-
At 3 p.m., approximately 100 spectators gathered at Corbin Field to watch Rutgers battle Princeton. The fans sat on a low wooden fence to watch the game.
-
First Play of The Game
-
The Rutgers players formed a wall around the ball. They used short kicks and dribbles to advance the ball toward the Princeton goal. This strategy took Princeton by surprise. S.G. Gano passed the ball to G.R. Dixon, and Dixon scored the first goal for Rutgers. Rutgers' style of play later became known as the famous "Flying Wedge."
"Big Mike"
-
Rutgers tried to repeat this flying wedge, but Princeton had an answer. His name was J.E. Michael. His Princeton mates call him "Big Mike." "Big Mike" became a human battering ram and charged full steam into the Rutgers "Flying Wedge." "Big Mike" busted apart the wedge, stopping the Rutgers attack dead in its tracks.
Humorous Play of The Game
-
A Rutgers player started to kick the ball into his own goal, but a Princeton player blocked it. Princeton took advantage and scored. This event shook up the Rutgers team, and Princeton scored again to tie the score at four goals each.
The Turning Point
-
Princeton had taller players, and Rutgers captain William Leggett told his players to keep the ball close to the ground. This strategy worked. Rutgers scored the final two goals of the game to beat Princeton 6-4.
-
