1903 Vanderbilt Commodores football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record6–1–1 (5–1–1 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainFrank Kyle
Home stadiumDudley Field
1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Clemson + 2 –0 –14 –1 –1
Cumberland (TN) + 4 –1 –16 –1 –1
Sewanee 5 –1 –07 –1 –0
Vanderbilt 5 –1 –16 –1 –1
Mississippi A&M 2 –0 –23 –0 –2
Georgia 3 –2 –03 –4 –0
Ole Miss 1 –1 –12 –1 –1
Texas 0 –0 –15 –1 –2
Kentucky State 0 –0 –07 –1 –0
Alabama 3 –4 –03 –4 –0
Auburn 2 –3 –04 –3 –0
Tennessee 2 –4 –04 –5 –0
Georgia Tech 1 –4 –03 –5 –0
Tulane 0 –1 –12 –2 –1
Mercer 0 –1 –00 –1 –0
Nashville 0 –2 –01 –3 –0
LSU 0 –5 –04 –5 –0
SW Presbyterian   –    –  
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1903 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. James R. Henry coached Vanderbilt for one season in 1903. His squad finished the season with a 6–1–1 record. The season was marred only by the upset loss to Cumberland. John J. Tigert and Bob Blake were both Rhodes Scholars.

Before the season

After the last game of the 1902 year, Walter H. Watkins announced his resignation of his position as head coach of the Vanderbilt football and baseball teams in order that he devote attention to the study of law exclusively. Vanderbilt made an effort to secure the services of coach Neil Snow, who was the University of Nashville (Peabody) coach.[1][n 1]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 3Cumberland (TN)
L 0–6
October 10Alabama
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 30–0[3]
October 17Tennessee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 40–0[4]
October 24at Ole Miss
W 33–0
October 31at Georgia
W 33–0
November 6at Texas
T 5–51,200[5]
November 14Washington University*
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 41–0
November 26Sewanee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 10–54,000
  • *Non-conference game

[6]

Game summaries

Cumberland (TN)

Cumberland at Vanderbilt
1 2Total
• Cumberland 6 0 6
Vanderbilt 0 0 0

Cumberland upset the Commodores 6–0, the first time Cumberland ever scored on Vanderbilt. Four minutes after the game started, Waterhouse had the decisive touchdown. M. O. Bridges had his right collarbone broken.[7]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Pritchard (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Perry (center), Patterson (right guard), Graham (right tackle), Bryan (right end), Kyle (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Hamilton (right halfback), Tigert (fullback).[7]

Alabama

Vanderbilt, outweighing Alabama 15 pounds to the man, beat Alabama 30–0, in the first all-time meeting between the schools at Dudley Field.[8] Frank Kyle starred with runs of 35, 30, 50, and 48 yards.[9]

Vanderbilt took a 12–0 halftime lead after first half touchdowns were scored first by Ed Hamilton and followed by John J. Tigert.[10] The Commodores then closed the game with three touchdowns in the second half scored by Hamilton, Dan Blake and Bob Blake for the 30–0 victory.[10] Tigert converted all five PAT's in their victory.[9]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Graham (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Perry (center), Patterson (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), G. Jones (right end), Howell (quarterback), Kyle (left halfback), Hamilton (right halfback), Tigert (fullback).[9]

Tennessee

Jones and John J. Tigert starred as the Tennessee Volunteers were beaten 40–0.[11]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Pritchard (left tackle), B. Brown (left guard), Perry (center), Patterson (right guard), Graham (right tackle), D. Blake (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Tigert (left halfback), Jones (right halfback), Hamilton (fullback).[11]

Ole Miss

In Mississippi, the Commodores beat Ole Miss 33–0.

Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs could not check Vanderbilt's end runs and were easily beaten 33–0.[12]

Texas

Vanderbilt tied the Texas Longhorns 5–5.

Washington University

Vanderbilt defeated Washington University by as core of 41–0.

Sewanee

Sewanee at Vanderbilt
1 2Total
Sewanee 0 5 5
• Vanderbilt 5 5 10

Vanderbilt gave rival Sewanee its only loss, 10–5, the first team to even score on the Tigers. Sewanee was crippled in the first half by the loss of Stewart, who fractured his ankle in a scrimmage before the game. He tried to play through it, but had to be helped off the field.[13] John J. Tigert, later a prominent educator, got Vanderbilt's first touchdown.[13] Sewanee tied the score with a touchdown in the second half. Later, Vanderbilt had the ball at the 4-yard line third down. "As great a stand of a football elevve was that of Sewaee before Vanderbilt's winning touchdown was made."[13] On third down from the 1-yard line the center Perry fell on a fumble. Sewanee protested that the runner was down, but Vanderbilt was awarded the touchdown.[13] "Vanderbilt, in fact all Nashville, is wild with joy tonight. Sewanee is looking forward to next Thanksgiving."[13]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Pritchard (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Perry (center), Patterson (right guard), Graham (right tackle), D. Blake (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Tigert (left halfback), Bryan (right halfback), and Hamilton (fullback).[13]

Postseason

1903 met difficulty in determining an SIAA champion. Clemson had the best record, but lost to an inferior North Carolina team; and in the game to secure the SIAA title were tied by Cumberland. Clemson's John Heisman pushed strongly for Cumberland to share the SIAA title.[14] Cumberland's strongest victory was its win over Vanderbilt. However, Sewanee beat Cumberland, yet suffered its only loss to Vanderbilt.

Notes

  1. ↑ Snow resigned from Nashville never to coach again, accepting a construction position in New York.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "VU plays twice in three days - Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Neil Snow Has Given Up Coaching". Detroit Free Press. December 4, 1902. p. 9. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ↑ "Show their mettle, Commodores stack up 30 points to Alabama's 6". The Tennessean. October 11, 1903. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Picking cherries, Vanderbilt defeats University of Tennessee 40 to 0". The Tennessean. October 18, 1903. Retrieved August 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Varsity In A Tie Vanderbilt". The Austin Statesman. Austin, Texas. November 7, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ↑ "Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site - Football". Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Cumberland Wins". The Tennessean. October 4, 1903. p. 7. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ↑ "Alabama vs Vanderbilt". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. 1 2 "U. of A. is outclassed". The Montgomery Advertiser. NewsBank: America's Historical Newspapers. October 10, 1903. p. 12.
  11. 1 2 "Picking Cherries". The Tennessean. October 18, 1903. p. 7. Retrieved August 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ↑ "Vanderbilt Easily Beats Georgia". The Courier-Journal. November 1, 1903. p. 26. Retrieved August 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Commodores Win From Old Rivals". Atlanta Constitution. November 27, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved May 16, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ↑ Langum, David J (January 2010). From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland School of Law, 1847-1997. p. 95. ISBN 9780820336183.

Bibliography

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