The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-05
BY PARKE Fl. DAVIS
National Historian Of Football

1T was my privilege to be associated
with two different men in football, both
OF whom later became presidents of the
United States. In these autumn days
when politics and football command the
interest of the public, perhaps a few
"reminiscences of these two presidents
as football men may be pertinent.
In the fall of 1890 L went out at
Princeton to try for the football team.
l Immediately came under. the super
vision of a young man, about 80 years
of age. He was clad in a blue suit,
wore pair of tan shoes, then a novelty,
and was crowned with a soft black hat.
Like many a coach in that primitive
period he invariably carried a cane
while on the field. His most striking
personal feature was his hair, long,
thick and of the jettiest black. This
young man asked me my name, weight
and previous experience. In turn ask
ed him for his name. "My name," said
he, sis Woodrow. Wilson. graduated
here in 1879 and have recently come
back as a professor.
Wilson Was coach"
1t is one of the overlooked chapters
In his varied book Of life that in his
younger years he was an active foot
ball man. Again and again, upon the
records at Princeton in the '70s appears
the name of Thomas W. Wilson, 70,
Secretary of the Board Of Football Di-
rectors." In those days these men
would have been called coaches" but
the latter is an English word borrowed
from the English universities about
1880. As director" in football in
1877, Woodrow Wilson aided in turn
ing out the championship fifteen" of
that year which defeated both Harvard
and Yale.
In 1889 Woodrow Wilson was a pro-
fessor at Wesleyan, but his love for
football prompted him to aid in the
actual field work of coaching the Wes-
leyan eleven. Among his rewards was
seeing his team sq4re upon Yale, the
first event of that kind in history.
Twenty-four years later Woodrow Will
son again entered the city of New Ha-
ven, this time as a candidate for pres
ident. As a curious coincidence, as he
alighted from his train, another Wes-
leyan eleven at that moment playing
Yale, celebrated his return by again
scoring upon Yale, an event which
stands out in football history because
these two scores represent the only
scores ever achieved by Wesleyan
against Yale.
Wilson Aids Materially
The autumn of 1890 was a trying one
at Princeton. Edgar Allan Poe, re-
Gently attorney general of Maryland,
was captain of the team in that year.
Those were days when they depended
upon volunteer alumni to coach the elev-
en-, each one giving a day now and
then to the task. OF those who return
ed for this labor of love for alma
mater we're Alexander Moffatt, Tracy
Harris and Duncan Edwards. But
upon the field, the first day of prac-
tice, came Woodrow Wilson and regu-
larly upon that field, day after day,
throughout a rainy and stormy autumn.
woodrow Wilson returned. Always
carrying his cane, he took his place be-
hind the team and followed it up and
down the field, pointing out one fault
g after another to Captain Poe or the
other coaches and continually making
ingenious suggestions for innovations in
tactics and strategy.
Space here will not permit the re-
1ating of the many details in Woodrow
Wilson's career that FAN as an active
field football coach, but let it be said
by one who for ten weeks came daily
under his instruction, that Woodrow
Wilson was a first-class football coach,
thoroughly versed in the technique of
play, resourceful in new ideas, a marti-
net in field discipline, and always a
good fellow in the social minutes of the
season.
Coolidge Interested
Five years after that memorable au-
tumn of 1890 Joined the football
forces at Amherst as their head coach.
The captain that fall was Herbert
Pratt. 80, and the manager was Wal
ter Stone, '95. One of the star half
backs was John Deering '95. behring's
room-mate was tall, slender young
mans distinguished. us Woodrow Viii