1903 Cumberland Bulldogs football team

The 1903 Cumberland Bulldogs football team represented Cumberland University in the 1903 college football season. The team was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), compiling a 6–1–1 record. The Bulldogs notably beat Vanderbilt and tied John Heisman's Clemson at year's end in a game billed as the "SIAA Championship Game." They also beat Alabama, LSU, and Tulane in five days. The school claims a share of the SIAA title. It has been called "the best football team in the history of Cumberland."^[1][2]

1903 Cumberland Bulldogs football
SIAA co-champion
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	6–1–1 (4–1–1 SIAA)
Head coach	A. L. Phillips (2nd season)
Captain	W. W. Suddarth
Seasons ← 1902 1904 →

1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Clemson +	2	–	0	–	1			4	–	1	–	1
Cumberland (TN) +	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Sewanee	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	1	–	0
Vanderbilt	5	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Mississippi A&M	2	–	0	–	2			3	–	0	–	2
Georgia	3	–	2	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Ole Miss	1	–	1	–	1			2	–	1	–	1
Texas	0	–	0	–	1			5	–	1	–	2
Kentucky State	0	–	0	–	0			6	–	1	–	0
Alabama	3	–	4	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Auburn	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Tennessee	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Georgia Tech	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Tulane	0	–	1	–	1			2	–	2	–	1
Mercer	0	–	1	–	0			0	–	1	–	0
Nashville	0	–	2	–	0			1	–	3	–	0
LSU	0	–	5	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
SW Presbyterian			–							–
+ – Conference co-champions

Before the season

For the 1903 season, point values were different from those used in contemporary games. In 1903 a touchdown was worth five points, a field goal was worth five points and a conversion (PAT) was worth one point.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 3	3:00 p.m.	at Vanderbilt	Dudley Field Nashville, TN	W 6–0	^[4]
October 20	3:00 p.m.	at Sewanee	McGee Field Sewanee, TN	L 0–6	^[5]
November 2		Tennessee Docs*	Lebanon, TN	W 86–0	^[6]
November 7		Grant University of Athens*	Lebanon, TN	W 92–0	^[7]
November 14		at Alabama	The Quad Tuscaloosa, AL	W 44–0	^[8]
November 16	3:00 p. m.	at LSU	State Field Baton Rouge, LA	W 41–0	^[9]
November 18	3:30 p.m.	at Tulane	Athletic Park New Orleans, LA	W 28–0	^[10]
November 26		vs. Clemson	Oak Park Montgomery, AL	T 11–11	^[11]
*Non-conference game All times are in Central time

^[12][13] Games with Kentucky State College and Kentucky University were canceled.^[14][15]

Season summary

At Vanderbilt

Cumberland at Vanderbilt

1 2 Total • Cumberland 6 0 6 Vanderbilt 0 0 0 Date: October 3 Location: Nashville, Tennessee Game start: 3:00 p. m. Referee: Wreidt

Cumberland upset the Vanderbilt Commodores 6–0. Four minutes after the game started, Waterhouse had the decisive touchdown. M. O. Bridges had his right collarbone broken.^[16]

The starting lineup was Waterhouse (left end), M. L. Bridges (left tackle), James (left guard), Smith (center), Cragwall (right guard), Suddarth (right tackle), Spencer (right end), Smiser (quarterback), Head (left halfback), Newton (right halfback), M. O. Bridges (fullback).^[16]

Sewanee

Cumberland at Sewanee

1 2 Total Cumberland 0 0 0 • Sewanee 0 6 6 Date: October 20 Location: Sewanee, Tennessee Game start: 3:00 p. m. Referee: Roszel

Cumberland suffered the season's only loss to the Sewanee Tigers. Henry D. Phillips plowed through the line for the deciding score.^[17]

The starting lineup was Waterhouse (left end), M. L. Bridges (left tackle), James (left guard), Smith (center), Cragwall (right guard), Suddarth (right tackle), Spencer (right end), Smiser (quarterback), Head (left halfback), Anderson (right halfback), Minton (fullback).^[17]

Tennessee Medical College

Cumberland defeated Tennessee Medical College 86–0.^[18] Spencer scored three touchdowns.

Grant University

Cumberland then walloped Grant University of Athens 92–0.^[19]

Alabama

To close the regular season, Cumberland beat Alabama, LSU, and Tulane all by shutout in five days. Red Smith and Head starred in the 44–0 defeat of Alabama.^[20] Cumberland outweighed Alabama by an average of nearly 30 pounds.^[20]

The starting lineup was Waterhouse (left end), M. L. Bridges (left tackle), M. O. Bridges (left guard), Smith (center), Cragwall (right guard), Suddarth (right tackle), Spencer (right end), Smiser (quarterback), Head (left halfback), Anderson (right halfback), Minton (fullback).^[21]

LSU

Cumberland at LSU

1 2 Total • Cumberland 18 23 41 LSU 0 0 0 Date: November 16 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Game start: 3:00 p. m. Referee: Connell

Just two days later, Cumberland beat W. S. Borland's LSU Tigers 41–0. The starting lineup was Ashley (left end), M. O. Bridges (left tackle), Lieper (left guard), Smith (center), Cragwall (right guard), Suddarth (right tackle), Sanders (right end), Smiser (quarterback), Head (left halfback), Anderson (right halfback), Minton (fullback).^[22]

Tulane

Two days later still, Cumberland defeated Tulane 28–0.

Postseason

"SIAA championship game"

Clemson vs. Cumberland

1 2 Total Clemson 0 11 11 Cumberland 11 0 11 Date: November 26 Location: Montgomery, Alabama Referee: W. R. Tichenor

Cumberland tied John Heisman's Clemson Tigers in a game billed as the SIAA championship. Cumberland rushed out to an early 11 to 0 lead. Wiley Lee Umphlett in Creating the Big Game: John W. Heisman and the Invention of American Football writes, "During the first half, Clemson was never really in the game due mainly to formidable line play of the Bridges brothers–giants in their day at 6 feet 4 inches–and a big center named "Red" Smith, was all over the field backing up the Cumberland line on defense. Clemson had been outweighed before, but certainly not like this."^[23]

A contemporary account reads "The Clemson players seemed mere dwarfs as they lined up for the kickoff. To the crowd on the sidelines it didn't seem that Heisman's charges could possibly do more than give a gallant account of themselves in a losing battle."^[23] A touchdown was scored by fullback E. L. Minton (touchdowns were worth 5 points).^[24] Guard M. O. Bridges kicked the extra point. Halfback J. A. Head made another touchdown, but Bridges missed the try.

 

M. O. Bridges

After halftime, Clemson quarterback John Maxwell raced 100 yards for a touchdown. Clemson missed the try. Cumberland fumbled a punt and Clemson recovered. Cumberland expected a trick play when Fritz Furtick simply ran up the middle and scored.^[25] One account of the play reads "Heisman saw his chance to exploit a weakness in the Cumberland defense: run the ball where the ubiquitous Red Smith wasn't. So the next time Sitton started out on one of his slashing end runs, at the last second he tossed he ball back to the fullback who charges straight over center (where Smith would have been except that he was zeroing in on the elusive Sitton) and went all the way for he tying touchdown."^[23] Jock Hanvey kicked the extra point and the game ended in an 11–11 tie. The winning team was to be awarded the ball. Captain W. W. Suddarth of Cumberland wanted captain Hope Sadler of Clemson to get the ball, and Sadler insisted Suddarth should have it. Some ten minutes of bickering was resolved when the ball was given to patrolman Patrick J. Sweeney, for warning the media and fans to stay down in front and allow spectators to see the game.^[25] Heisman pushed for Cumberland to be named SIAA champions at year's end,^[26] and the school claims a share of the title.^[27][28] It was Heisman's last game as Clemson head coach.^[29]

The starting lineup was Waterhouse (left end), M. L. Bridges (left tackle), M. O. Bridges (left guard), Smith (center), Cragwall (right guard), Suddarth (right tackle), Spencer (right end), Smiser (quarterback), Head (left halfback), Anderson (right halfback), Minton (fullback).^[30]

Players

Line

Player	Position	Games started	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
Milton. L. Bridges	tackle		Cornersville, Tennessee		6'4"	225
Marvin O. Bridges	guard		Cornersville, Tennessee		6'4"	225	25
William Cragwell	guard
Red Smith	center			Mooney	6'0"
C. M. Spencer	end
W. W. Suddarth	tackle
C. E. Waterhouse	end

Backfield

Player	Position	Games started	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
J. C. Anderson	halfback
J. A. Head	halfback
E. L. Minton	fullback
Booker Smiser	quarterback

Awards and honors

• Captain: W. W. Suddarth
• All-Southern: M. O. Bridges, W. W. Suddarth, Red Smith, J. C. Anderson.

References

1. Winstead Paine Bone (1935). A History of Cumberland University. The Author. pp. 137, 260.
2. "Fine Football in Southland". The Courier-Journal. October 25, 1903. p. 25. Retrieved May 16, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
3. . RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
4. "Vanderbilt beaten; Cumberland University team spring surprise on Nashville collegians". The Commercial Appeal. October 4, 1903. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Sewanee wins, but it was the fight of her life". Nashville Banner. October 21, 1903. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "By Large Score". Nashville American. Nashville, Tennessee. November 3, 1903. p. 7. Retrieved July 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
7. "Cumberland , 92; Grant, 0". Chattanooga Daily Times. Chattanooga, Tennessee. November 8, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved July 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
8. "Cumberland too heavy, Defeats University of Alabama, 44 to 0". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 15, 1903. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Cumberland keeps up great winning streak". The Atlanta Journal. November 17, 1903. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Football!". The Times-Democrat. New Orleans, Louisiana. November 18, 1903. p. 8. Retrieved July 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
11. "Right royal football game between Cumberland–Clemson resulted in tie". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 27, 1903. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "1903 schedule".
13. "Athletics". Cumberland University Bulletin: 32.
14. "No Game At Lexington". The Courier-Journal. November 3, 1903. p. 8. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
15. "Kentucky University Game Cancelled". The Courier-Journal. October 27, 1903. p. 8. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
16. "Cumberland Wins". The Tennessean. October 4, 1903. p. 7. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
17. "The Varsity Triumphs Over Cumberland". Sewanee Purple. Vol. 20, no. 8. October 27, 1903. hdl:11005/766.
18. "Clemson Team Much Crippled". The Atlanta Constitution. November 11, 1903. p. 9. Retrieved December 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
19. "Cumberland's Easy Victory". The Courier-Journal. November 8, 1903. p. 4. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
20. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
21. Woodruff 1928, p. 150
22. "Louisiana Is Very Easy". The Times-Democrat. November 17, 1903. p. 11. Retrieved January 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
23. Wiley Lee Umphlett (1992). Creating the Big Game: John W. Heisman and the Invention of American Football. p. 67. ISBN 9780313284045.
24. Sam Blackman (December 15, 2014). . Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
25. Lou Sahadi (October 2014). "24. 1903 Game With Cumberland". 100 Things Clemson Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. ISBN 9781623689490.
26. Langum, David J (January 2010). From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland School of Law, 1847-1997. p. 95. ISBN 9780820336183.
27. "Football".
28. . May 17, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
29. John M. Heisman (October 2, 2012). Heisman: The Man Behind The Trophy. p. 138. ISBN 9781451682939.
30. "Clemson Tigers Tie Cumberland". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 1. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  

• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 1.