1889 University of Pennsylvania Football “Reserves” / John Heisman

John Heisman transferred to the University of Pennsylvania to study law in 1889, the year of this photo. He had left Brown University where they had abandoned intercollegiate football the year he arrived and he ended up only being able to play football on town, club and pick-up teams.

 Arriving at Penn he went out for the scrubs, referred to at the time at Penn as the ”Reserves”.  Heisman became a member of the “Reserves” in 1889.  He recalled in a lengthy article that he authored in 1928 (Collier's, October 6th) ,"I reported for football valiantly equipped with moleskin pants and a canvas jacket of my own manufacture. If they had no other virtue, they fitted".  This explains the acknowledged odd and unique appearance of his vest, as seen in this photo. In 1890 he was a substitute on the varsity team and was varsity in 1891. He earned varsity letters for all three years.

In 1890 as a substitute Heisman made it into the game against State College (Penn won 20 to), when Holly, the center failed to show up for the game.

Of the two players identified in the photo that I am most familiar with, John Heisman and Archie Thompson, both were class of ’92, Heisman in Law, Thompson in Medicine, and both were substitutes on the 1890 varsity team. Heisman is standing, to the right of Captain F.B. Neilson (with the ball), Thompson is seated to the left of Neilson with a C on his jersey. Neilson, '90, was on the Reserves for three years, as captain his junior and senior years. He continued at Penn in their Law School, class of '93.

The Reserves played in two games outside of Penn that we are aware of, both in November of 1889, against Media (0 to 0 tie) and against Riverton (beat the Reserves 10 to 0). Eight of the eleven listed on the reserve rosters were the same for the two games, so there was some level of variability on the squad.

Photo measures 15 15/16” x 10 ½”, excluding the mat; Gilbert and Bacon of Philadelphia, photographer.

This is the earliest football photo with Heisman that we know of.

We wish to thank John Gennantonio  for  sharing with us numerous Heisman photos from his collection. John, in addition to his love of football and baseball research has one of the preeminent Heisman and early football collections.

                                                   Cabinet card of John Heisman c 1891