1894 Western University of Pennsylvania football team

The 1894 Western University of Pennsylvania football team was an American football team that represented the Western University of Pennsylvania (now known as the University of Pittsburgh) as an independent during the 1894 college football season.

1894 Western University of Pennsylvania football
Conference	Independent
1894 record	1–1

1894 Eastern college football independents records
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Yale			–					16	–	0	–	0
Penn			–					12	–	0	–	0
Villanova			–					1	–	0	–	0
Penn State			–					6	–	0	–	1
Harvard			–					11	–	2	–	0
Geneva			–					5	–	1	–	0
Princeton			–					8	–	2	–	0
Temple			–					4	–	1	–	0
Pittsburgh College			–					7	–	2	–	1
Brown			–					10	–	5	–	0
Colgate			–					2	–	1	–	1
Cornell			–					6	–	4	–	1
Frankin & Marshall			–					6	–	4	–	0
Syracuse			–					6	–	5	–	0
Army			–					3	–	2	–	0
Amherst			–					7	–	5	–	0
Trinity (CT)			–					4	–	3	–	0
Tufts			–					6	–	5	–	0
Boston College			–					3	–	3	–	0
Massachusetts			–					3	–	3	–	0
Western Univ. Penn			–					1	–	1	–	0
Lafayette			–					5	–	6	–	0
New Hampshire			–					2	–	3	–	0
Lehigh			–					5	–	9	–	0
Drexel			–					1	–	2	–	1
Williams			–					1	–	3	–	0
MIT			–					1	–	4	–	0
Carlisle			–					1	–	8	–	0
NYU			–					0	–	3	–	0
Wesleyan			–					0	–	5	–	0

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
October 13	at Sewickley Athletic Club	Sewickley, PA	W 6–0
October 27	at Indiana Normal	Indiana, PA	L 0–44

Season recap

The 1894 football season for the Western University of Pennsylvania (WUP) was a short two-game affair. The forfeiture of the two football games the previous year and the desire of WUPs best players to play for a club team left the athletic department in somewhat of a chaotic mess. Their best player, Joe Trees, opted to play for the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Neither the Athletic Association nor the Alumni Athletic Advisory Board made an effort to regenerate interest in Western University football for this season.[1] The team compiled a 1–1 record and was outscored by a total of 44 to 6.[2]

Game summaries

at Sewickley Athletic Club

WUP at Sewickley Athletic Club

1 2 Total • WUP 6 0 6 Sewickley A.C. 0 0 0 Date: October 13, 1894 Location: Sewickley Grounds, Sewickley, PA

On October 13 the first game of the 1984 season was played against the Sewickley Athletic Club in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Early in the first half, WUP fullback Denniston scored a touchdown. Marchand kicked the goal after and the WUPs had a 6-0 lead. The rest of the game was mostly played in Sewickley's territory but the WUPs were unable to capitalize and score again. The WUP starting lineup for the Sewickley game was Frank Blessing (left end), L. Marchand (left tackle), Charles Murray (left guard), Kohne (center), Kelly (right guard), Grove (right tackle), Ned Johnston (right end), Morrow (quarterback), Charles Rankin (left halfback), George Neale (right halfback) and Radcliffe Denniston (fullback). This game consisted of two twenty minute halves.[3][4]

at Indiana Normal

WUP at Indiana Normal

1 2 Total WUP 0 0 0 • Indiana Normal 22 22 44 Date: October 27, 1894 Location: Normal Grounds, Indiana, PA Referee: White

On October 27th, the WUPs traveled to Indiana, Pennsylvania to do battle with the Indiana Normal eleven. This game was played with two thirty minute halves. The WUPs were outweighed, out manned and outplayed as they went down to defeat 44-0. Halfback Kinports led the Normal assault on the WUP defense. He was ably assisted by Reed, Campbell, Feit, and Noble. The only downside for the Normal eleven was when halfback Reed fractured his ankle and was carried from the field. Noble replaced him and promptly scored a touchdown. The WUP offense only had the ball twice and were unable to generate any type of sustained drive. Quarterback Frank Blessing led the WUPs in tackling. The WUP starting lineup for the game against Indiana Normal was Ned Johnston (left end), Morrow (left tackle), Hagerty (left guard), Rodenbaugh (center), W.A. McCaffrey (right guard), Grove (right tackle), Charles Murray (right end), Frank Blessing (quarterback), McCandless (left halfback), George Neale (left halfback) and Radcliffe Denniston (fullback). Smith substituted for Johnston at left end.[5][6]

Roster

The roster of the 1894 Western University of Pennsylvania football team:[7]

• Dr. Frank Blessing (left end) received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1899 and lived in Pittsburgh.
• Dr. Charles S. Murray (left guard) received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1897 and lived in Sewickley, Pa.
• Edwin "Ned" Johnston (right end) received his degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1897 and lived in Canonsburg, Pa.
• Dr. Charles Rankin (fullback) earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1896 and lived in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
• George Neale (right halfback) received his Associate degree from the College in 1895 and lived in Pittsburgh.
• Radcliffe Denniston (fullback) received his Associate Engineering degree in 1897 and lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• W. A. McCaffery (left guard) received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1895 and lived in Pittsburgh.
• L. Marchand (left tackle)
• Kohne (center)
• Kelly (right guard)
• Grove (right tackle)
• Morrow (quarterback)
• Murray (left tackle)
• Smith (left end)
• Rodenbaugh (center)
• McCandless (halfback)
• Hagerty (right guard)

References

1. "Alumni". The Western University Courant. Vol. 11. The Courant Publishing Association. September 1895. p. 13. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
2. "2019 Pitt Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Pittsburgh. 2019. p. 147. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
3. "Athletics". The Western University Courant. Vol. 10 no. 1. The Courant Publishing Association. October 1894. p. 5. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
4. "One For W.U.P." Pittsburgh Press. October 14, 1894. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Won Saturday's Game". The Indiana Progress. October 31, 1894. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "W.U.P.'s Easy". Pittsburgh Press. October 28, 1894. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "General Directory of Alumni". Alumni Directory University of Pittsburgh 1787-1916. Vol. II. Smith Bros. Company Inc. of Pittsburgh. 1916. pp. 67–204. Retrieved November 14, 2019.