Adams Academy Albumin Photo c. 1879

 Adams Academy was akin to Exeter and Andover, playing against many of the same teams. Adams was a feeder school for Harvard. A trip to the Quincy Historical Society (Quincy, Mass.) may yield the exact date and possible identities of the sitters. The society has many of the Adams records, inclusive of older sporting photos. The academy opened in 1872 and ceased operation in 1908.

Adams played the Boston Game early on and by 1876 appears to be playing the American Rugby Game, and the American Collegiate Game by 1882.

Late 1870s or early 1880s photo; albumin measures 15 1/4 x 10 15/16. The photo is framed, so please excuse the glare from the glass.

Illinois Homecoming Pinbacks And Associated Pieces 1910 - 1940

 

Jacob started collecting Illinois Homecoming pinbacks some years ago as they are the most intriguing, attractive, and collectable of all early football pinbacks. He decided to go with early pins, stopping at 1940.

Below is a list of homecoming pins and a few other items that represent the years 1910 (the year of their first true Homecoming) through 1940.

1910 Homecoming Beanie (the pin and beanie are both exceedingly rare, and we chose to add the beanie to the collection to cover the 1910 homecoming). See blog entry dated January 9, 2015.

1911 Homecoming pass (we do not believe there is a 1911 pinback)

1912-1913 pinback

1913-1914 pinback (possibly the rarest, as we have seen only one in eighteen years)

1914-1915 pinback

1915-1916 pinback

1916-1917 pinback

1917 pinback

1919 pinback

1921-1929 pinbacks (including the 1929 Army v. Illinois)

Various Stadium Builder or Stadium pinbacks from the 1920s

1930-1940 pinbacks (including both the yellow and orange variations of the 1940 pinback)