1919 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1919 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1919 college football season. It was the Tigers' 28th overall season and they competed as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team was led by head coach Mike Donahue, in his 15th year, and played their home games at Drake Field in Auburn, Alabama. They finished with a record of eight wins and one loss (8–1 overall, 5–1 in the SIAA) and as SIAA champions.

1919 Auburn Tigers football
SIAA champion
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	8–1 (5–1 SIAA)
Head coach	Mike Donahue (15th season)
Base defense	7–2–2
Captain	Pete Bonner
Home stadium	Drake Field Rickwood Field
Seasons ← 1918 1920 →

1919 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Auburn $	5	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Alabama	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Centre	1	–	0	–	0			9	–	0	–	0
Kentucky	3	–	1	–	1			3	–	4	–	1
Georgia Tech	3	–	1	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Tulane	3	–	1	–	1			6	–	2	–	1
Vanderbilt	3	–	1	–	2			5	–	1	–	2
Furman	2	–	1	–	1			6	–	2	–	1
Mississippi A&M	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Georgia	4	–	2	–	2			4	–	2	–	3
LSU	3	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Clemson	3	–	2	–	2			6	–	2	–	2
Florida	2	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Wofford	1	–	1	–	0			3	–	2	–	1
Transylvania	1	–	1	–	0			2	–	4	–	0
Ole Miss	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	0
The Citadel	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
Sewanee	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Georgetown (KY)	0	–	0	–	0			0	–	2	–	0
Tennessee	0	–	3	–	2			3	–	3	–	3
South Carolina	0	–	4	–	1			1	–	7	–	1
Mercer	0	–	1	–	0			0	–	2	–	0
Mississippi College	0	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	1
Howard (AL)	0	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	2
$ – Conference champion

Before the season

The team's captain was tackle Pete Bonner. His brother Thomas Herbert "Herb" Bonner also attended Auburn and was a guard on the team.^[1]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 27	Marion*	Drake Field Auburn, AL	W 37–0		^[2]
October 4	at Howard (AL)	Rickwood Field Birmingham, AL	W 19–6		^[3]
October 10	Camp Gordon*	Drake Field Auburn, AL	W 25–13
October 17	Clemson	Drake Field Auburn, AL	W 7–0
October 25	at Vanderbilt	Dudley Field Nashville, TN	L 6–7
November 1	vs. Georgia	Memorial Stadium Columbus, GA (rivalry)	W 7–0	8,000
November 8	at Spring Hill*	Mobile, AL	W 10–0
November 15	Mississippi A&M	Rickwood Field Birmingham, AL	W 7–0	8,000
November 27	at Georgia Tech	Grant Field Atlanta, GA	W 14–7
*Non-conference game

^[4][5]

Game summaries

Marion Military Institute

The season opened with a 37–0 victory over the Marion Military Institute.

Howard (AL)

In the second week of play, the Tigers had a poor showing but managed to beat the Howard Bulldogs, 19–6.^[6][7]

Camp Gordon

Camp Gordon at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Camp Gordon 7 0 6 0 13 • Auburn 6 0 0 19 25 Date: October 10 Location: Drake Field Auburn, Alabama Referee: Kid Woodruff Sources:^[6]

Auburn came back to beat the Fifth Division of Camp Gordon 25–13 in a "nerve-wracking" game.^[6] Beretsky of the fifth division ran a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.^[6] The pounding of Red Howard and Ed Sherling led the comeback.^[6]

The starting lineup was Shirley (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Snider (center), Warren (right guard), Rogers (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Scott (left halfback), Howard (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[6]

Clemson

Clemson at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Clemson 0 0 0 0 0 • Auburn 0 0 0 7 7 Date: October 17 Location: Drake Field Auburn, Alabama Referee: Alcock (Washington & Lee) Sources:^[8]

Auburn beat Clemson 7–0. "It was anybody's game until the last quarter", when Sherling scored Auburn's lone touchdown. Rodney Ollinger starred on defense.^[8]

The starting lineup was Ollinger (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Snider (center), H. Bonner (right guard), Rogers (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Scott (left halfback), Howard (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[8]

At Vanderbilt

Auburn at Vanderbilt

1 2 3 4 Total Auburn 0 6 0 0 6 • Vanderbilt 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 25 Location: Dudley Field Nashville, Tennessee Referee: Bradley Walker Sources:^[9]

Auburn suffered the season's only loss to Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores 7–6. Josh Cody returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown and made the winning extra point.^[9] A bit after, Ed Sherling ran in from the 1-yard line, but Pete Bonner missed goal.^[9]

Vanderbilt's Tom Lipscomb and Frank Goar were sent in on Auburn's last drive. Goar had been sick and Lipscomb was suffering from an injured ankle. The two spurned the team to victory in what the Vanderbilt yearbook called "the greatest defensive stand ever staged by any Vanderbilt team."

The starting lineup was Ollinger (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Snider (center), H. Bonner (right guard), Rogers (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Scott (left halfback), Howard (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[9]

Georgia

Auburn vs. Georgia

1 2 3 4 Total • Auburn 7 0 0 0 7 Georgia 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 1 Location: Memorial Stadium Columbus, Georgia Game attendance: 8,000 Game weather: Heavy rain Referee: John Counselman Sources:^[10]

In heavy rain and mud, Auburn defeated Georgia 7–0.^[10] Red Howard ran through the entire Georgia team for 52 yards and the touchdown.^[10][11]

The starting lineup was Ollinger (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), H. Bonner (right guard), Rogers (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Williamson (left halfback), Howard (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[10]

Spring Hill

The Spring Hill Badgers, coached by Auburn great Moon Ducote, fell to Auburn 10–0. A slippery field led to weak punting.^[12] The starting lineup was Ollinger (left end), H. Bonner (left tackle), Griffin (left guard), Snider (center), Rogers (right guard), Martin (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Shirey (left halfback), Stubbs (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[12]

Mississippi A&M

Mississippi A&M at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Miss. A&M 0 0 0 0 0 • Auburn 0 7 0 0 7 Date: November 15 Location: Rickwood Field Birmingham, Alabama Game attendance: 8,000 Referee: Holligan (Michigan) Sources:^[13]

In a meeting of unbeatens, Auburn beat the Mississippi Aggies 7–0. Herb Bonner recovered a fumble for the game's only touchdown.^[13] Rodney Ollinger was as a standout as a punter and on defense.^[13]

The starting lineup was Ollinger (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Warren (left guard), Caton (center), Rogers (right guard), H. Bonner (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Williamson (left halfback), Howard (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[13]

At Georgia Tech

Auburn at Georgia Tech

1 2 3 4 Total • Auburn 0 2 6 6 14 Ga. Tech 7 0 0 0 7 Date: November 27 Location: Grant Field Atlanta Referee: Jogger Elcock Sources:^[14]

In John Heisman's last game as Georgia Tech head coach,^[15] Auburn gave Tech its first loss to an SIAA school in five years (since Auburn won in 1914) by a 14–7 score. Fatty Warren proved the star of the game.

The first touchdown of the game was made by Jack McDonough.^[14] Judy Harlan later fell on his own punt for a safety.^[14] In the third quarter, Warren blocked a Dewey Scarboro punt and Sloan recovered the ball and ran it 35 yards for a touchdown.^[14] Warren "waddled" for a 40-yard touchdown off a Jimmy Brewster fumble for the 14–7 victory.^[14][15][16] Zelda Sayre sent captain Pete Bonner a telegram after the win, it read:^[17]

"Shooting a seven, aren’t we awfully proud of the boys, give them my love—knew we could."

She signed it "Zelder Sayre."

The starting lineup was Ollinger (left end), P. Bonner (left tackle), Sloan (left guard), Caton (center), Rogers (right guard), Warren (right tackle), Pruitt (right end), Trapp (quarterback), Stubbs (left halfback), Howard (right halfback), Shirling (fullback).^[14]

Postseason

For defeating Tech and due to charges of professionalism aimed at undefeated Centre, Auburn was SIAA champion. Fuzzy Woodruff recalls "Auburn claimed it. "We defeated Tech" said Auburn. "Yes, but we defeated you" said Vanderbilt. "Yes", said Alabama, "but Tech, Tulane ,and Tennessee took your measure. We defeated Georgia Tech, who tied Tulane, so we are champions...The newspapers, however, more or less generally supported the claim of Auburn..."^[18]

References

1. Gene Hinton (September 12, 1920). "Auburn Is Ready For Gong". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 5. Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
2. "Auburn wins first game of season by defeating Marion". The Montgomery Advertiser. September 28, 1919. Retrieved September 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Auburn makes poor showing in opener". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 5, 1919. Retrieved September 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. (PDF). Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Media Relations Office. 2009. p. 185. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
5. . Auburn University Athletics. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
6. Gene Hinton (October 12, 1919). "Auburn's Plainsmen Victorious 25 to 18 Over Fifth Division". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 2. Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
7. "Auburn Outplayed By Howard Team". The Tennessean. October 5, 1919. p. 18. Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
8. "Alabama Tigers Defeat Clemson". The Atlanta Constitution. October 18, 1919. p. 16. Retrieved June 5, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
9. "Cody Leads Teammates To Hard-Won Victory". The Tennessean. October 26, 1919. p. 20. Retrieved June 5, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
10. Gene Hinton (November 2, 1919). "In Gruelling Fight Red and Black Holds Plainsmen, 7 to 0". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 3. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
11. "Sammy Howard, Mayor of Phenix City, Alabama" (PDF). Congressional Record – Senate. October 18, 1995.
12. "Plainsmen Held To Close Score By Spring Hill". The Atlanta Constitution. November 9, 1919. p. 2. Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
13. Gene Hinton (November 16, 1919). "Auburn's Plainsmen Down Mississippi By seven to Nothing". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 4. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
14. "Outplaying Tornado, Auburn Eleven Won". The Atlanta Constitution. November 28, 1919. p. 19. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
15. 1920 Glomerata p. 173
16. John Staton (November 17, 1921). "Golden Tornado Spends Day Studying Auburn Formations". Atlanta Constitution. p. 12. Retrieved April 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
17. Jeremy Henderson (October 27, 2014). "Zelda Fitzgerald, Auburn fan".
18. Woodruff 1928, p. 105

Additional sources

• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 2.