Football / Political Magic Lantern Slides c. 1890s / Early 1900s

 

Reminiscent of the Duke presidential baseball card set where photographs of known politician’s heads are placed on sports bodies. In the case of these five slides pictured in this post the same is true, the difference being that the bodies were etched/drawn and they are c.1890s/1900s football. The slides are numbered and it would be reasonable to assume there were others in the set, although they may not have all been football related.

I am not a political researcher, but one of these slides (number 94) appears to be John Edward Kelly (1852-1933).

We have never seen any other football caricature lantern slides like these. If not one–offs, then they are certainly scarce examples.

Examples of the Duke presidential baseball cards (Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison) that are coming up at auction later this month.

1901 Dartmouth vs. Brown Broadside

 1901 was a rebuilding year for Dartmouth after three successive years of failures, particularly against rivals Brown and Wesleyan.  Walter McCornack, Dartmouth ’97 was brought in as head coach and John W. Bowler (ex-assistant trainer at Harvard) was hired for his well-known expertise.

From left to right in this very unusual Dartmouth vs. Brown broadside, announcing the November 28^th game, are trainer John W. Bowler, Captain J.C. O’Connor and head coach Walter McCornack.  This is an important piece of Dartmouth football’s “reconstruction” era history.

McCornack had been Captain of the Dartmouth football team in 1895 and 1896. After graduating he spent three years coaching Phillips Exeter and then came back to coach Dartmouth in 1901 and 1902.

J.C. O’Connor, Captain of the 1901 team went on to coach football at Bowdoin, Andover and other institutions before returning to Dartmouth as head coach in 1907 and 1908.

John Bowler, the ex-Harvard assistant trainer spent many years at Dartmouth, besides football, in a number of capacities, including coaching track and gymnastics.

Dartmouth’s record for 1901 was 10 and 1, losing only to Harvard.

This book, Three Years of Football of Dartmouth, is exclusive to the 1901, 1902 and 1903 football seasons.

Neilson “Net” Poe / Class of 1897 Freshman Football Team Photo c. 1893

 Neilson was the third youngest of the six Poe brothers that attended and played football at Princeton. He played for the varsity in 1895 and 1896. After serving in WWI  (awarded the French War Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross) Poe returned to Princeton as an assistant coach, a position he held for 44 years.

Poe is pictured front row (seated) center with other members of the class of 1897 freshman football team; photo taken in 1893. Information on the Poes appears elsewhere in this blog, including entries dated February 13, 2014, March 23, 2014, June 25, 2014, October 17, 2017, December 25, 2020, December 31, 2020,and December 18, 2021 and January 22, 2023.

 A number of other members of the class, pictured in this photo also played on the University Eleven. Among them, two rows back from Poe, and directly behind him is W.W. Church; related  blog entries July 21, 2013,  September 14,2013,  January 2, 2014,  February 13, 2014,  November 2, 2014 and June 18, 2017.

Cover photo of the program for the “Princeton Dinner To The Championship Football Team Of 1925”. A somewhat older Neilson Poe, (Scrub / Assistant Coach) seated in the front row.

Marshall Newell: A Memorial For His Classmates and Friends

 Years ago we wanted to acquire an original copy of “Marshall Newell: A Memorial For His Classmates and Friends”, but when the book became available, which was rarely, they were far too expensive. I found a copy earlier this month, in very nice shape, and we purchased it. Coincidently, it was delivered on December 24^th, the anniversary of his death, 126 years ago (1897).

Having read the book today, I found myself with a greater admiration for Newell and the way he led his life: man of quiet moral character who had a remarkable tie to, and appreciation for, nature. He was loved, admired and respected by those who knew him and by those who only knew of him. The excerpts from his diary, published in the book, were only slightly removed from true poetry in the way he wrote them. He was considered the ideal to which all Harvard students wished to emulate.

It is a wonderful book that I recommend reading (a quick read). It leaves its readers wishing for times when things were more ordered, simpler, and more decent.

Reading this book, at this moment in time, made me think about how much of the current Harvard undergraduate student body as well as Harvard’s leadership represent the antithesis to what Newell represented and believed in. How disappointed he would be.

Marshall Newell, April 12, 1871 – December 24, 1897, was one of only four individuals who were four time All-Americans in football, the others being Truxton Hare, Gordon Brown and Frank Hinkey. Newell prepped at Phillips Exeter. He played on the Varsity Eleven at Harvard in 1890, 1891, 1892 and 1893 and rowed Varsity Crew in 1891, 1892 and 1893. The Newell Boathouse on the Charles River was constructed in his memory. He died in a railway yard accident at 26 years of age.

Rare Modified Batwing Style Nose Guard / Penna Guard Style / 1906

 

One of the rarest styles of nose masks. This modified batwing style guard (almost identical to Penna Guard nose masks) was manufactured near the tail end of nose guard usage, which may account for its significant rarity. It was inscribed by its owner, 1906.

Original strap intact, guard overall length 5 5/8”.

The Dirge Handbill / 1860 / Edward Hartwell Kidder

 

Original handbill, with the printed "Dirge", carried by Edward Hartwell Kidder (superimposed on the hand-bill in this post), Harvard class of 1863, sung by him and those in attendance on Monday September 3rd, 1860 when the sophomore class buried a football on the Delta (where Memorial Hall now sits) as a protest to the cessation of the "Bloody Monday" football contests between sophomores and freshman. Despite many reports and publications, only the Monday game was abolished (traditionally played on the first Monday of the college year) and not football as played normally.

This handbill is an absolute rarity, as only two are known to exist, both emanating from the Kidder estate (the other selling at auction in 2017). It remains in wonderful original condition with a distinct fold line down the vertical center. This happens to be one of my top twenty favorite pieces from our collection. I've always thought it was a great piece; historically significant, quite early in the scheme of American football, and one of the more interesting stories from 19th century sports. The H Book of Harvard Athletics devotes at least eight pages to this burial event. The  news article below sums up the circumstances around the burial and the specifics of "The Dirge" - it makes for a fun and informative read.

                                                     Edward Hartwell Kidder at Harvard

                                 Edward Hartwell Kidder while at Kidder Peabody

                                                A full album page with the Kidder photos

 All photos of Edward Hartwell Kidder in this post are from the book, Frozen in Time, which discusses the author's great great grandmother's photo album from the 1860s. Frozen in Time An Early Carte de Visite Album from New Bedford, Massachusetts, Susan Snow Lukesh, 2021 (figures 12c and 12d, discussion on page 57) . Dr. Lukesh sent me high definition photos and graciously allowed me to use them in this blog posting.

Francis Douglas Cochrane / Harvard Trophy Mug 1898

 

                                                        Photo - glass bottom of mug

Pewter trophy championship mug with the class of ’99 baseball team photograph taken in 1898, developed on the glass bottom, awarded to F.D. Cochrane for his part in the Harvard class of ’99 winning the “Base Ball Championship,  1898”.  The class team won 3 games and lost none to win the championship, Cochrane being the team’s pitcher. Cochrane appears in the photo at the top left, holding the baseball. Cochrane had also been a member of his class Football Team his freshman year. The trophy is in outstanding condition, the photo-glass bottom being clear and fully intact. These trophies are quite rare. Trophy mug is 9” in height. One of only two other examples I know of is pictured in “Antique Sports Uniforms & Equipment” by Hauser, Turner and Gennantonio, page 13, also a Harvard class of ’99 championship trophy mug.

Francis Cochrane was better known to us as a member of the varsity Football Eleven, playing in 1897 and 1898, at left end and also performing many of the kicking duties. Records show that he was a substitute quarterback in 1896 and 1897, which we were unaware of. In 1898 Cochrane was a Camp Second-Team All-American as well as an Outing First-Team All-American.

Interestingly, Cochrane had gone out for a position on the Varsity Nine, as catcher, but apparently did not get the nod.

Former football players often went back to assist the present day coaches. In 1901 and 1902 there are numerous records of Cochrane doing just that, frequently helping  coach the University and Second Elevens. He was one of a number of past players assuming these duties and did so alongside recognizable names including J. Dunlop (Anonymous), P.D. Haughton, B.G. Waters, E.N. Wrightington B.H. Dibble and W.H. Lewis.