The 1910 Pittsburgh Panthers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1910 college football season.
Schedule
Season recap
After Coach Joe Thompson led the Pitt eleven to a surprising 6–2–1 record in 1909 with only four returning players, the Pitt Athletic Association, students, faculty and fans were looking forward to another successful season in 1910. Captain Homer Roe and Frank Van Doren were the only losses to graduation. All the returning players already knew the Coach Thompson system. The schedule that Graduate Manager Hurst assembled was weaker than previous years as Carlisle, Notre Dame and Bucknell were missing. Georgetown, Carnegie Tech and Ohio University were the replacements and Pitt had no away games. Significant games played by Pitt during the 1910 season included victories over West Virginia (38–0), Washington & Jefferson (14–0), and Penn State (11–0). The first two games were played at D.C. & A.C. Park and the final seven at Forbes Field. The football game programs for this season were "The First Annual Football Yearbook" put out by the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Committee. For ten cents one received seventy-two pages of Pitt sports history. The covers were photos of prominent University officials: Chancellor Samuel Black McCormick (Washington & Jefferson game), Dr. Albert Frost, Dean of the Faculty of the College and Engineering School (West Virginia game ), and Coach Thompson (Penn State game). The University would continue the Yearbook style program through the 1926 season. The Pitt Weekly school newspaper debuted on September 26, 1910 and covered the football season in depth. The results of the season were much better than anyone had anticipated. Pittsburgh shut out all nine of its opponents, outscored opponents by a combined score of 282 to 0, and finished with a perfect 9–0 record in their second year under head coach Joseph H. Thompson.
The Pitt Weekly, Wed., Nov. 30, 1910 wrote: "By defeating Penn State on Thanksgiving Day, 1910, the Pitt Varsity under "Joe" Thompson and "Tex" Richards, piled up a record that stamps it as the greatest team that ever defended the Gold and Blue. During the whole season not an opponent was able to cross their goal line. And what a great finish it was to beat Penn State by eleven points!" After the highly successful 1910 football season both record wise and financially, the 1912 edition of the Owl Yearbook summarized the situation best: "The remarkable success attained by the representatives of the University of Pittsburgh on the athletic field during the year of 1910 marks the high–tide of athletic activity at this institution. Until a few years ago athletics in Pittsburgh were unorganized and the teams were unworthy to represent an institution of higher learning....In 1904 a number of enthusiastic Alumni took up the General Athletic Committee and arranged for a foot-ball coach and training table, and a schedule that put Pitt on the athletic map. Since that time the organization has been perfect, the student enthusiasm has been enlisted, and steady progress the result. The latest improvement has been the installation of the graduate coaching system. Joseph H. Thompson has proved to be the right man in the right place, as championships in foot-ball and track go to prove. Joe has developed a "Pitt system," one that will place the University of Pittsburgh among the great names in intercollegiate sports." The 1910 Pitt team has been recognized as a co-national champion by the National Championship Foundation. However, Pitt did not play games against any of the leading football teams and Harvard was recognized as champion by more selectors.
Coaching staff
1910 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Joseph H. Thompson – Head coach Floyd Rose – Assistant backfield coach Alexander Stevenson – Assistant line coach Frank Van Doren – Assistant coach Support staff Laurence Hurst – Graduate manager of athletics Robert "Tex" Richards – Captain
Roster
1910 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster Robert W. "Tex" Richards^fullback95' 10"1801910Wilkinsburg H.S.Mechanical EngineeringButler, PA John Lindsay^end95' 10"1601912Johnstown H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryJohnstown, PA Hube Wagner^end85' 11"1851914Monaca H.S.Doctor of MedicineMonaca, PA Ralph Galvin^center96' 0"2351913New Brighton H.S.Doctor of Dental Surgery New Brighton, PA George Brown^halfback95' 10"1701913New Brighton H.S.Associate EconomicsHaydenville, OH Robert J. Peacock^end95' 11"1701911Dennison CollegeDoctor of Dental SurgeryHouston, PAHenry Blair^guard96'1901913Allegheny H.S.Dental School Norman Budd^quarterback95' 8"1501911Sharon H.S.Associate DentalFarrell, PA George Henry Bailey^tackle85' 10"1781911Stroudsburg NormalDoctor of Dental SurgeryScranton, PA William Hittner^halfback85' 7"1451913Carnegie TechAssociate EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Herbert Dewar^quarterback85' 7"1471912California NormalDoctor of Dental SurgeryElizabeth, PA Ray Butler^end75' 7"1421910Pittsburgh H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgerySharon, PA James Stevenson^tackle85' 11"1951912Chester H.S. (WVA)Doctor of MedicineMcKeesport, PA Charles Quailey^halfback95' 10"1631912Dennison H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryPittsburgh, PA David J. Richards^fullback6 1913Wilkinsburg H.S.Associate EngineeringVerona, PA George Gehlert^guard85' 11"2051913Villa Nova PrepDoctor of Dental SurgeryHannah, ND Karl M. Dallenbach^guard85' 10"2101911 Master of ArtsIthaca, NY Ralph Linnguard26'2151913Salem H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryYoungstown, OH Walter Hinchmanguard65' 10"1351912Edgewood H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryMcKeesport, PA Charles Reedend55' 7"1501912Homestead H.S.Bachelor of SciencePittsburgh, PA Ross Feightnertackle25' 11"1881912Greensburg H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryGreensburg, PA John Cumminsguard25' 8"1601914California NormalBachelor of ScienceBen Avon, PA Bowman Asheend26' 9"1701912Mt. Union CollegeBachelor of Science in Economics 1912 and Associate Law in 1917Knoxville, PA Haslettend2 J. Rosenbloomhalfback2 ^ Lettermen
Game summaries Ohio Northern
The 1910 edition of the University of Pittsburgh football team made its debut on October 2 at D.C. & A.C. Park in Wilkinsburg. The opponents were the Ohio Northern Polar Bears from Ada, Ohio. They were coached by former Pitt player Snuff McKeown. The Ohio offense spent the first quarter in Pitt territory, but the Pitt defense kept them from scoring. Coach Thompson made two substitutions at the break. Tillie Dewar replaced Norman Budd at quarterback and Karl Dallenbach replaced Walter Hinchman at guard.
In the second quarter the Pitt offense began to penetrate the Ohio defense and was on the Bears' five-yard line as time expired in the first half. The third quarter belonged to the Pitt offense as they scored five unanswered touchdowns. On Pitt's first possession Dewar returned a punt forty yards to the Ohioans ten-yard line. Captain Tex Richards scored on the next play. Minutes later Dewar raced sixty yards for the second touchdown. Tex Richards continued the onslaught with a twenty-five yard scamper for a touchdown, followed by a ninety yard kickoff return score. Tex was replaced in the lineup by his brother Dave. On the next possession Pitt halfback William Hittner broke the line of scrimmage and had clear sailing but tripped after gaining thirty-five yards. Halfback Rosenbloom finally plunged into the end zone from the one. Center Ralph Galvin was successful on all five points after and Pitt led 30 to 0 entering the final quarter.
Coach Thompson was pleased and made wholesale substitutions. Hittner atoned for tripping and closed out the scoring with an eighty yard gallop around left end. Galvin was good on the point after. The game ended with the score 36–0. Ohio Northern would finish the season with a 2–5 record.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Ohio Northern was Jack Lindsay (left end), James Stevenson (left tackle), Walter Hinchman (left guard), Ralph Galvin (center), Henry Blair (right guard), George Bailey (right tackle), Robert Peacock (right end), Norman Budd (quarterback), J. Rosenbloom (left halfback), George Brown (right halfback), and Tex Richards (fullback). Substitutions made during the game were: Karl Dallenbach replaced Walter Hinchman at left guard; Tillie Dewar replaced Norman Budd at quarterback; George Gehlert replaced Henry Blair at right guard; Henry Blair replaced James Stevenson at left tackle; William Hittner replaced George Brown at right halfback; Hube Wagner replaced Jack Lindsay at left end; Dave Richards replaced Tex Richards at fullback; Harry Haslett replaced Hube Wagner at left end; Charles Quailey replaced William Hittner at right halfback; Ray Butler replaced Robert Peacock at right end; George Brown replaced Rosenbloom at left halfback; James Stevenson replaced George Brown at left halfback; and Norman Budd replaced Tillie Dewar at quarterback. The game consisted of ten-minute quarters.
Westminster
On October 8 the outweighed Westminster Titans from New Wilmington, Pa. gave the Pitt team a battle for all four quarters.
For the second straight week, the Pitt offense did not score in the first quarter. They kept the ball in Titan territory but could not finish a drive. Center Ralph Galvin missed both a thirty-three yard and a twenty yard field goal attempt.
Two minutes into the second quarter guard Henry Blair recovered a Westminster fumble by quarterback McClure on the Titan twenty-yard line. Fullback Tex Richards pounded the ball into the end zone for the first score. Galvin converted the point after and Pitt led 6 to 0. McClure (140 lbs.) decided to punch Galvin (240 lbs.) out of frustration and the referee readily disqualified McClure and stepped off the penalty. Captain Richards convinced the officials to allow McCLure to stay in the game. The Pitt offense advanced the ball to the Titan five-yard line prior to halftime but were unable to score.
Halfback Charles Quailey was replaced by William Hittner and Tillie Dewar stepped in at quarterback for Norman Budd to start the third quarter. Pitt's halfback Rosenbloom fumbled away their first possession of the half on the Titan fourteen-yard line but Westminster promptly punted out of trouble. The Pitt offense did not waste this possession as Captain Richards carried it into the end zone from the six for his second touchdown of the afternoon. Galvin converted the point after and Pitt led 12 to 0. The final score was made by two hundred and forty-five pound center Ralph Galvin on a five yard plunge. The Pittsburg Press described it as "when he hit the line it was like a battering ram going up against an attacking army." Galvin was successful on the point after and Pitt won the game 18 to 0. Westminster would finish the season with a 6–2 record.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Westminster was Jack Lindsay (right end), James Stevenson (right tackle), Walter Hinchman (right guard), Ralph Galvin (center), Henry Blair (left guard), George Bailey (left tackle), Robert Peacock (left end), Norman Budd (quarterback), J. Rosenbloom (right halfback), Charles Quailey (left halfback), and Tex Richards (fullback). Substitutions made during the game were: William Hittner replaced Charles Quailey at left halfback; Tillie Dewar replaced Norman Budd at quarterback; Hube Wagner replaced Jack Lindsay at right end; Walter Hinchman replaced Karl Dallenbach at right guard; George Gehlert replaced Henry Blair at left guard; Henry Blair replaced James Stevenson at right tackle; George Brown replaced Rosenbloom at right halfback; and Dave Richards replaced Tex Richards at fullback. The game consisted of ten-minute quarters.
Waynesburg