1902 Princeton Football Team / John Dewitt / Ralph Davis

 

Our blog post dated December 25, 2020 first referenced Joseph H. Bearns and his attendance at every Yale – Princeton  match from 1890 until 1949, 56 of 57 matches, missing only 1901 due to illness (1917, 1918 and 1944 were not played due to war).

It was Bearns who called out John Dewitt as the most outstanding Princeton player overall that he had seen (echoed in other references) in six decades of watching Princeton football.

Having never picked up a photo of or with Dewitt in it we chose to bid on the above team photo several months ago.

This team photo, with all members identified, is from 1902. Dewitt (front row second from the right) would captain the Tigers the following year, taking over from Davis (holding the ball). The two had played directly across from one another in 1899 when Lawrenceville met Andover. Both were tackles at the time, Davis moving to end and Dewitt to guard at Princeton. Dewitt was a two time All-American (1902, 1903) at the guard position (as well as performing all of the team's kicking). He became well known for competing in the hammer throw (world record in 1903), winning a silver medal in the summer Olympics in 1904. (There are many interesting parallels to William Hickok of Yale; see blog post dated August 27, 2023). 

A banquet took place on December 18, 1902 honoring both ex-football Captain Ralph Davis and newly elected Captain John DeWitt at the Tiger Inn. Speakers included toastmaster L.C. Fairbanks, President of the University Woodrow Wilson, J.B. Fine, H.G. Duffield (mentioned at some length later in this posting) and a number of Princeton captains and managers. Davis and DeWitt both made short speeches to close out the night. 

It is well known that Dewitt as a freshman broke bones in the back of his right hand. What isn't well known is that afterwards he wore a sole leather guard on the back of his hand for protection. According to Heff Herring, Sandy Hunt, a Cornell guard (and former Captain) claimed this hand guard "partook of the nature of a lethal weapon". It is unknown how the changes in the 1903 football rules affected the use of this guard (rule 27), as any "devices for protectors must be arranged and padded as, in the judgement of the umpire, to be without danger to other players" (For a related post dealing with this rules change see the post dated August 15, 2022).

                                       Dewitt wearing his hand guard

                                           Captain Davis signed photo 

Ralph Tipton Davis was an All-American end in 1901. He was also a member of the track and baseball teams, and was considered the best overall athlete in his class. Like DeWitt, Davis competed in the hammer throw, breaking an intercollegiate record in 1902. There was considerable controversy regarding Davis' playing for the Princeton Nine, as he had previously played professionally under an assumed name (his middle name) for Atlantic City. He later claimed that he had never been paid to play, thus maintaining his college eligibility. This led to claims that various Princeton athletic faculty committees whitewashed the actual situation to allow Davis to play.

 Davis' 18K gold Cap and Gown Eating Club membership pin. Eating Clubs were an important part of nineteenth century University life, fulfilling the dual purpose of dining establishment and social club. Established at Princeton in 1891 the club was selective in its membership and is one of the few such clubs that exists today. 

As an aside to the subject matter of this post, we got to wondering whether Joseph Bearns was alone in his attendance records and passion for Princeton – Yale football games. We’d like to share some of what we found.

From the December 1, 1933 Princeton Alumni Weekly:

“Joseph H. Bearns of Brooklyn writes to the Weekly to know if anyone can compete with his unique record for attendance at Yale – Princeton football games. He has attended thirty seven out of the last 38 (as of 1933), and is not an alumnus of either institution. The best record for an alumnus, as Princetonians well know is held by Thomas N. McCarter ’88, who has seen every game since 1878. Henry G. Duffield ’81, former treasurer of the University has seen every game since 1884. Judge Lewis H. Van Dusen ’98 of Philadelphia has seen every Yale – Princeton game since 1892.”

From the Richmond Times Dispatch, February 24, 1950:

“Longtime Princeton Fan, Henry G. Duffield, Dies (February 22, 1950). Henry G. Duffield, an ardent Princeton University football fan for 80 of his 90 years, died last night at his home. Duffield as a boy of 10, witnessed the second intercollegiate football game here in 1869. He saw last year’s game from an automobile parked near the field in Palmer Stadium. During his lifetime, Duffield saw 550 of Princeton’s 623 football games. He hadn’t missed a Princeton – Yale game since 1884. Born here and a member of the Princeton class of 1881, Duffield was the treasurer of the university for 30 years before his retirement in 1930.”

From the Jersey Journal  November 10, 1938 Jersey City, NJ:

“Four football enthusiasts, one of them a resident of this city will add to the longstanding “big 3” game attendance records when Yale and Princeton meet at Palmer Stadium, in Princeton, in the 62^nd game of the series. Charles C. Black of this city, former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice, has missed but two of the Tiger and Bulldog clashes. A member of the 1878 graduating class, Black failed to see the first game between the rivals in 1873 and the one in 1879. Thomas N. McCarter, of Rumson, like Black, has been a regular attendant. He launched his string in 1878 and has seen 58 games, while Henry G. Duffield of Princeton has seen 53 since 1884. All three and Joseph H. Bearns of Brooklyn, who has seen 38 since 1890, will be on hand again Saturday." 

One other individual had been mentioned in regards to his attendance at the Princeton - Yale games, John B. Renwick (Princeton Alumni Weekly, November 13, 1936). Renwick had been the former host at the Nassau Inn and later ran his own business, Renwick's Restaurant. He had seen 43 Princeton - Yale games as of 1936, passing away in 1937. Coincidently, to this post, Renwick presented John Dewitt with " a de luxe edition of "The History of Princeton Athletics" bearing the following inscription: To John R. Dewitt: The universally acknowledged football hero of 1903, captain of the championship team which, after winning an unbroken series of games, unscored on by opponents, triumphed over Yale by a score of 11-6; to a player of unexcelled ability; to a captain than whom there has been no greater; to Princeton's favorite who made the first touchdown for Old Nassau in the Yale game, this book is presented by his friend, John B. Renwick."(New York Evening Post, November 21, 1903)

Unfortunately, as far as we know, only Bearns put pen to paper and published his assessments of Princeton and Yale players, teams and contests over a six decade period  (in two publications). He saw many of the early greats compete.