University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1909-10-17
POP" BLISS AND THE
FAMOUS TEAM OF '95


sity of Missouri football team of 1895
began with new coach. He was also
an Eastern man-"Pop" Bliss, half
back on the Yale team for three years.
Missouri's line and backfield promised
to be the strongest in years, but a
Quarterback was lacking. Evans
was tried at that position by Pop"
Bliss, and he made good instantly. A
practice game was played against the
Sedalia Athletic Club which the Tigers
easily won.
The game with Vanderbilt Univer-
sity came next. All the faults had
been corrected by the strenuous coach
ing of Bliss and the Tigers were in
excellent shape for the SOutherners
The game was played in Columbia,
and resulted in victory for the
Tigers, 16 to 0. Many people from
other towns came to see the game.
Reporters from those town papers said
that the sport as brutal, and the fact
that three visitors had their arms
broken shows that the Tiger must
have been in a vicious mood.
wee. later Missouri met the Pur-
due "boilermakers" in st. Louis. They
were % pounds per man heavier than
the old gold and black and strutted
about before the contest Offering odds.
he Tigers fUmbled the kickoff, and
Purdue made touchdown in three
minutes. Captain Young gave the dis
organized Zig rs tail. on the field.
and they tore at the Purdue men,
played them off their feet, and won
IS to e. That year the "boilermakers"
defeated Minnesota 80 to 0.
Eepauw College was easily beaten
3S to o, and then the Tigers met their
only defeat at Omaha when the Ne
Draska eleven won 10 to 70. The
Enrnhuskers won when they blocked
4 Tiger kick on the 5-yard line,
AID one of their men fell on it. Three
y N fel! on the oval about the same
ti.re-two Tigers and one Cornhusker.
/. he referee gave Nebraska the touch
down. The Tigers claimed a touch
back, but their kick was of no avail. !
Missouri won another hard-fought /.
5attle-this tine from Northwestern
by score OF % to IS. Northwestern
was regarded as the champion of the /
" est and their rooters offered big
odds with no takers. The Tigers I
we're again playing on foreign field.
Price, the Tiger halfback, starred in
the game, and it was due mainly to
him that Missouri won.
Iowa was the next victim, the Hawk
eyes being defeated by "a to score.
| he game was played on Monday, so
IS to give the merchants and towns
people OF Columbia an opportunity to
see the contest. The day was an ideal
me, and spectators made a complete
:ircle four deep about the field. Iowa
ried hard to stave off defeat, but the
| igers' goal line was never in peril.
IN account of the game says that the
Tigers showing was disappointing.
They did not play the game they
we're capable of, but loafed like sec
ion hands"
But in the last game of the season
the Kansas game-the Tigers did
lot loaf. Wherever old students of
he University who witnessed that
contest gather, the events of that
thanksgiving afternoon are reviewed.
The grounds were a sea of mud, and
he elevens settled down to hard, dog
ed fighting. Kansas scored first on
brilliant end run. Again and again
ne Jayhawkers threatened the Mis-
ouri goal, and kept the Tigers on the
defensive. Finally a fake kick brought
ne oval into the Kansas territory
nd touchdown followed. The back
eld played as unit, and Price, Bing-
am, Shawhan, and Captain Young
worked like Trojans in the mud.
In the second half Missouri battered
he Jayhawker defence to pieces and
cored the touchdown that won the .
ame. But even here the Kansans re- :
used to accept defeat. Again and .
gain they rallied and carried the oval
oward the Tiger goal. On the side
ines Pop" Bliss roared words of
encouragement to his charges, and =,
ne Tiger line held. The game ended :
18th the bail on NJ. US 7-yard line i,
18th the Tigers victors, 10 to 6.