1916--Georgia Tech defeats Cumberland 222-0

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Anyone remember what the spread on this fiasco was?

OldmanTed?
Kermit?
Wil?

Thanks,
-Fish-
 

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The Story of The Game of the Century
by G. Frank Burns, Cumberland University Historian<!-- #EndEditable --><!-- #BeginEditable "Body" -->


[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The world immediately recognizes three sets of figures: 2001, December 7, and 222 to 0. The first is a movie, the second is a day that lives in infamy, and the third is indissolubly connected with Cumberland football, a veritable landmark of American sports. On October 7, 1916, Georgia Tech played Cumberland in Atlanta. Tech won 222 to 0, the worst walloping in the history of American college football. There was a worse defeat in prep school records but the 227 to 0 win by Dickinson over Haverford is suspect.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]From the beginning of football at Cumberland in 1894, an ambitious schedule had each season included Southern football powers: Sewanee, Vanderbilt, the University of Mississippi, Mississippi A. & M. (now Mississippi State), Alabama, Tulane, South Carolina, Louisiana State, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech. In 1902 Cumberland's 16 to 5 win over A. & M. attracted attention. In 1903 there was the 6-0 victory over Vanderbilt, the five-day road trip that on November 14, 16, and 18 furnished consecutive victories over Tulane, Louisiana State, and Alabama, and the post-season game with Clemson, arranged by Coach John Heisman for the championship of the South, which ended with the score 11 to 11. Cumberland was proclaimed the Southern champion.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Incidentally, John Heisman's Clemson team beat Georgia Tech 73 to 0 in 1903; the next season Heisman was coaching at Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The sport was dropped at Cumberland in 1906, resumed in 1912, dropped in 1915, and resumed briefly in 1916 when the memorable 222-0 game with Georgia Tech was played in Atlanta.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]There is no such thing as a true account of this game. There is a contemporary play-by-play record, without color, in the files of an Atlanta newspaper. But no matter who tells the story, the temptation to embroider is irresistible.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Errors abound. It is said that Cumberland's regular football players had left that fall to "go into the trenches." Obviously the U.S. had not entered World War I in October 1916. There were enough football players on campus even to have a scrub team which played three games. George Allen, Cumberland student manager who led the troops to Atlanta, in his book says the team that played Tech also played "four or five games." There is a newspaper account of the 100 to 0 loss to Sewanee; also contemporary newspaper reports of a game at Bowling Green - score not given, but it may have been 0-0. Cumberland also played either a town team from Hartsville or the Nashville Athletic Club. The newspaper article says: "There are two other games scheduled to be played in Lebanon."[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Were there ringers? It has been said that Allen "borrowed" some Vanderbilt players. This is not true, although he may have tried. The manager did recruit some of his Kappa Sigma brothers to go, and apparently one reporter for The Nashville Tennessean used a phony name and made the trip. However, the names of most of those listed are found in the university register. Robert Engler may have been the last survivor. A student in the College of Arts & Sciences, he became a nationally syndicated writer and attended college reunions regularly, receiving the Award of the Phoenix in 1976.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The players did not have to borrow uniforms from Castle Heights, as has been said; a photo of Gentry Dugat, made just before the Atlanta trip, shows him wearing the same kind of uniform Cumberland used in 1913-15. Dugat was the only Cumberland player to stay in the entire game. He later helped organize a 40-year reunion of the players of both teams in Atlanta.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Allen did not receive the nickname "Fullback" after this game. In the yearbook of 1915, he is called by this name. Another error is often repeated: Cumberland's longest gain was NOT a two-yard loss; there was one forward pass completed for a ten-yard gain. Unfortunately it was fourth and 22 at the time. The truth is bad enough. Neither team made a first down. Cumberland couldn't, and Tech scored every time it got the ball.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Quarterbacks Morris Gouger and Leon McDonald completed two passes out of eleven for fourteen yards. But Cumberland's total net yardage was minus 28. Except for touchdown runs, every play in the game was run by the Cumberland team.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The second half was cut short, by fifteen minutes.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]One story that is true concerns a Cumberland fumble late in the game. It rolled toward B. F. "Bird' Paty, later a prominent attorney. The fumbler shouted, "Pick it up!" Paty replied, "Pick it up yourself, you dropped it."[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]How did it happen?[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]John Burns, student manager for 1915-16, wrote letters in the winter of 1916, making out a schedule for the coming season. At that time student managers were responsible for the correspondence to schedule athletic contests. He lacked one course to graduate in June 1916, but since he got a job he didn't return to school. (He finally took the course in 1923, graduated and became a teacher and basketball coach). President Samuel A. Coile resigned in the spring of 1916. Dr. Homer Hill, acting president, and the board of trustees trimming the budget decided to eliminate football.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Allen, student manager of the baseball team, was elected football manager in September, was told to write schools with contracts and cancel. He did so, but overlooked Georgia Tech, which insisted on performance of the contract, or a cash forfeiture. There was a guarantee and Allen offered to take the team if he could get half of that sum. (It is believed that the story that this was an "informal" team was a device to justify cancellation of the schedule without penalty.)[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]In a way the game was revenge: the Cumberland baseball team had beaten Georgia Tech 22 to 0 in the spring of 1915. That must have smarted.[/font]
 

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PLAY-BY-PLAY
GEORGIA TECH 222, CUMBERLAND 0
GRANT FIELD; ATLANTA, GEORGIA; OCT. 7, 1916
[size=-1]This play-by-play account is copyright of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution[/size]
<!-- #EndEditable --><!-- #BeginEditable "Body" -->

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif](This is an all-time record college football score and, of course, it set many national records that still stand.)[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Georgia Tech won the toss and elected to kick off, defensing the North Goal.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech who was tackled with no return on the Cumberland 25 yard line. Gouger hit left tackle for 3 yards. McDonald failed to gain. McDonald punted 20 yards to Preas who returned 18 yards to the Cumberland 20.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]On the first play Strupper swept left end for a Georgia Tech touchdown. Preas kicked the extra point. Tech 7, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Gouger who returned 5 yards to the Cumberland 10. Murphy, attempting to sweep right end, fumbled at the line of scrimmage, Guill recovering for Tech and scoring. Preas converted. Tech 14, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Gouger who returned the ball 20 yards to the Cumberland 30. On the first play McDonald fumbled and West recovered for Tech on the Cumberland 20.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Strupper Lot 15 yards at right end. Preas went 5 yards for the score. Preas converted. Georgia Tech 21, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to McDonald who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 20. Gouger lost 5 yards, McDonald's pass attempt was incomplete. McDonald's second pass attempt was also incomplete. McDonald punted 20 yards out of bounds on the Cumberland 35.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Shaver gained 25 yards at left end for Tech. Strupper hit the same spot for 10 yards and a touchdown. Preas converted. Now 28-0 Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]McDonald kicked off for Cumberland to Shaver who returned the ball 70 yards to the Cumberland 10. Strupper Got 9 yards at right end. Alexander scored from the 1. Preas' conversion made it 35-0 Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]McDonald kicked off for Cumberland again, this time to Carpenter who returned 5 yards to the Tech 40. Strupper ran 60 yards for the score. Preas converted. Tech 42, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]McDonald kicked off for Cumberland to Carpenter who returned 10 yards to the Tech 35. Shaver got 25 at right end. Puckett hit the middle for 5 to the Cumberland 35. Spence scored on the next play and Preas' conversion put Tech on top 49-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to McDonald who was tackled for no gain on the Cumberland 10. McDonald attempted two passes, both incomplete. McDonald punted 35 yards to Strupper who returned the kick 45 yards for a Tech touchdown. Preas converted. Georgia Tech 56, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]McDonald kicked off for Cumberland to Spence who took the ball on the Tech 10 and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown. Preas got his ninth conversion of the quarter to make it 63-0, Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Gouger who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 25, Gouger lost 5 to the 20. McDonald lost 5 more to the 15. McDonald's pass was incomplete as the quarter ended. 63-0 Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]SECOND QUARTER[/font]
[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Cumberland, fourth down on its own 15. McDonald punted 50 yards to Turner who returned 45 yards to the Cumberland 20, Senter scored at right end for Tech. Preas converted. Georgia Tech 70, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 15 yards to the Cumberland 35, Gouger got 5 at right tackle. McDonald's pass was complete to Warwick for 4 yards to the 44. McDonald's punt sliced off his foot just, 11 yards out of bounds on the Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Senter raced 40 yards for Tech on an end-around to the Cumberland 15, Preas scored from the 15, then converted, to make it 77-0 Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Gouger who returned 5 yards to the Cumberland 20. McDonald's pass was intercepted by Guill on the 20 and he returned it for a Tech touchdown. Preas converted. 84-0 Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Murphy who was tackled for no gain on the Cumberland 10, Edwards fumbled. Glover recovered for Tech on the 10.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Griffin scored from the 10 for Tech. Preas' conversion made it 91-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 5 yards to the Tech 15. McDonald's pass was intercepted by Senter who returned it to the Cumberland 3.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Strupper scored from the 3. Preas converted. Tech 98, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off out of bounds at the Cumberland 10 where Cumberland took the ball. McDonald hit center for no gain. McDonald punted 15 yards to Guill who returned 10 to the Cumberland 15.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Griffin got 11 yards in two carries, then Glover scored from the Preas converted and it was 105-0 Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Gouger who returned 10 to the Cumberland 10. Gouger fumbled at the line of scrimmage and Preas recovered, running the ball in for a Tech score. Preas converted and it was 112-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 15 yards to the Cumberland 15. Murphy's pass was intercepted by Fellers who returned it 17 yards for a Tech score. Preas converted to make it 119-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 10 to the Cumberland 25. Murphy lost 2. McDonald lost 5. McDonald lost 5 more, then punted 20 yards to Fellers who returned it 33 yards for a touchdown. Preas got his 18th straight conversion of the game and Tech led 126-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Preas kicked off to Murphy who returned 15 yards to the Cumberland 15 as the half ended. Georgia Tech 126, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]THIRD QUARTER[/font]
[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off to Murphy who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 15. Edwards lost 5. Three more Cumberland plays were unsuccessful and Tech took over on the Cumberland 10.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Alexander ran for 7 yards. Strupper scored from the 3. Spence converted to make it 133-0 Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked through the Cumberland end zone and Cumberland was given the ball at its 20. Murphy lost 5. Murphy kicked 10 yards to Shaver who ran 25 for a Tech touchdown. Spence's conversion... 140-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 10. Murphy fumbled, Spence recovered for Tech at the 10.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence scored on the next play and converted. Tech 147 to 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Edwards kicked off for Cumberland to Bell who returned 45 yards to the Cumberland 15. Strupper scored at right end from the 15. Spence's conversion made it Georgia Tech 154, Cumberland 0. This set a new world record for total number of points scored in a' game of football by one college team against another college team. The former record was 153 points scored by Michigan in 1912.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Cope who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 35. On the first play Cumberland fumbled and Tech recovered at the 35.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]On the first play Spence went 35 yards right up the middle for the Tech touchdown. Spence converted and Tech led 161-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 10. McDonald lost 5 yards. Murphy was stopped for no gain. Murphy gained 3 to the 8, fumbled and Tech recovered at the 8.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Carpenter went 8 yards for the Tech touchdown. Spence's conversion attempt was wide, the first Tech miss after 23 straight had been scored. It was now Tech 167, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 5 yards to the Cumberland 20. Murphy's pass was incomplete. Murphy's pass was again incomplete. McDonald punted 35 yards to Strupper who returned the punt 55 yards for a touchdown. Spence missed the conversion. 173-0 Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Spence kicked off for Tech to Murphy who was tackled for no return on the Cumberland 10. Murphy's pass was intercepted by Spence who returned it 20 yards for a Tech score. Strupper converted... 180-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]FOURTH QUARTER[/font]
[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guill kicked off for Tech to Murphy who was tackled for no return on the Cumberland 20. McDonald's pass was intercepted by Fellers who returned it 40 yards for a Tech score. Fincher's conversion, 187-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guill kicked off for Tech to Murphy who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 30. Murphy failed to Gain. Edwards ran to the Cumberland 35 where his fumble was recovered by Glover.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Griffin got 35 yards at right end for the Tech touchdown. Fincher converted. Georgia Tech 194, Cumberland 0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guill kicked off for Tech to Edwards who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 30. Edwards lost 3 yards. McDonald punted 20 yards to Guill who returned 17 yards to the Cumberland 30.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Glover ran 28 yards and Senter scored on the next play from the 2. Fincher's conversion made it 201-0 Georgia Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fincher kicked off to Edwards who returned 10 yards to the Cumberland 10. Murphy lost 3 and Edwards lost 5. McDonald's pass was complete to Murphy for 10 yards to the 12 (Cumberland's longest gain of the game). McDonald punted 28 yards to Fellers who returned 40 yards for a Tech touchdown. Fincher converted and it was 208-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fincher kicked off to Murphy who returned it 3 yards to the Cumberland 18. Edwards rushed for no gain. Murphy fumbled on the line of scrimmage, Senter recovering and returning it 3 yards for Tech.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fellers got 15 yards at left end for the Tech touchdown. Fincher converted. Georgia Tech 215-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fincher kicked off for Tech to Warwick who returned 5 yards to the Cumberland 15. Edwards and McDonald were each stopped for no gain. McDonald's pass was intercepted by Senter who returned it 30 yards for the games final touchdown. Fincher's conversion made it 222-0.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fincher kicked off to Gouger who returned 5 yards to the Cumberland 20. Edwards lost 5 yards as the game ended.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]FINAL SCORE: GEORGIA TECH 222, CUMBERLAND 0[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Georgia. Tech Starters: J.C. (Jim) Senter, LE; W.G. (Six) Carpenter, LT; R.M. (Bob) Long, LG; G.M. (Pup) Phillips, C; G.R. (Hip) West, RG; J.C. (Canty) Alexander, RT; R.S. (Si) Bell, RE; D.E. (Froggie) Morrison. QB; G.E. (Strup) Strupper, LH; J.T. (Talley) Johnston, RH; T.L. (Tommy) Spence, FB.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Georgia Tech Substitutes: Ends - H.R. Dunwoody, P.O. (Frank) Pruitt, A.R .(Alton) Colcord, S.O. (Samuel) Fitzgerald, J.C. (Julian) Hightower, Ralph Puckett. Tackles - W.E. (Bill) Fincher, Hugh Mauck, C.A. (Curtis) McRee, W.F. Thweatt, Guards - W.C. Mathis, J.C. Funkhouser, J.H. (Jim) Preas, Bill Ward. QBs - G.C. (George) Griffin, M.F. (Marshall) Guill, A.B. (Albert) Hill. HBs - J.W. (John) Mangham I Wally Smith; C.F. (Charlie) Turner, J.W. (Wright) Brown, Stan Fellers, Buzz Shaver, FBs - W.F. (Bill) Simpson, A.D. (Dawson) Teague, R.G. (Bob) Glover,, G.E. (George) Ansley[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Georgia Tech Coach: John Heisman.[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Cumberland squad: T.N. (Morris) Gouger,, E.L. (Leon) McDonald., G.T. (George) Murphy., C.E. (Eddie) Edwards, C.W. (Charlie) Warwick, D.R. (Dow) Cope Gentry Dugat, D.N. (David) Harsh, E.W. McCall H.F. Carney., R.E. (Pete) Gray, B.F. (Bird) Patey, J.D. (Dean) Gauldin, Hamblen and Geiger* Coach - Ernest (Butch) McQueen. Manager - G.E. (George) Allen.[/font]

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Georgia Tech 126, Cumberland 0 at the half - what do you make the halftime line Fshki?


wil.
 

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The Two Teams<!-- #EndEditable --><!-- #BeginEditable "Body" -->

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]
1916 Cumberland University football team[/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]
1916 Georgia Tech football team[/font]
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Only Known Picture of the game

tn_game_photo.jpg



I'm the youngster on left in grey coat.


wil.:sad3:
 

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something wrong with that play by play. why did cumberland keep kicking off after tech scored? did i read that right? maybe rules were different in those days.
 

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Georgia tech are a bunch of pigs.


A good coach calls of the dogs at 170-0 was steve spurrier coaching this g tech side.

Anyway all wagers are refunded as game did not go 55 minutes.
 

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I'm sure Teasers didn't even work for the Dog on this play.:icon_conf
 

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