The First Forward Pass?

About three weeks ago Dave Poltrock first contacted me asking about what high school threw the first forward pass back when the it became legal in 1906. Yes, the forward pass wasn’t legal until that year (read the section in my book entitled “Father of the Forward Pass” for more details). Dave was helping out at Delafield St. John’s for his friend Mike Fink who is the school’s athletic director and football coach. Since the Milwaukee Public Schools were not playing fall football, Dave, whom is an assistant at Milwaukee Ronald Reagan pitched in to help out at St. John’s. Dave had been trying to learn if St. John’s had thrown the first high school pass as well as getting more information on the Carroll College (now Carroll University) game against St. Louis University in 1906. Why did he ask if St. John’s had been the first school to introduce the forward pass to the state? Well, let’s get into the question.

St. John’s has a rich high school sports history. In 1906 Eddie Cochems, who was born in Sturgeon Bay, was the head coach at St. Louis University. After practicing in St. Louis for a few weeks Cochems brought his players north to play Carroll College in Waukesha on Wednesday, September 5. First, the early date of the game played was unusual. Most colleges didn’t start their season until late September and high schools most often didn’t play until the first Thursday-Sunday in October. Why so late for high schools? Well, the school year for many rural schools didn’t begin until after harvest season, late September or early October. In that game against Carroll College, St. Louis threw the first legal forward pass. It went incomplete and as the rules at that time stated the ball was turned over to Carroll College. The next time St. louis got the ball they tried passing again and it was complete for a first down. Passes that season had to go more than 10-yards to be legal. The passing in the game opened up the St. Louis running game.

St. Louis would win the game 22-0. The team stayed in Wisconsin waiting for their next game against Lawrence College (now Lawrence University) in Appleton which they won 6-0 on Saturday, September 29. Still sticking around in Wisconsin near Lake Glenbeulah, which is near Elkhart Lake, St. Louis prepped for their third contest of the season against Delafield St. John’s. In 1904 St. John’s shared the mythical state title with Eau Claire. Both schools were undefeated, untied and unscored upon. Eau Claire was 6-0-0 and St. John’s was 9-0-0 that year and neither team could agree on a final showdown to determine who was best. In 1905 St. John’s earned the mythical state title by going 7-0-1. Again, they were undefeated, unscored upon and only a 0-0 tie against Morgan Park Academy, a school near Chicago, marred their record. Now, in 1906 they won their first game of the season against Milwaukee West Side High School (Later to become West Division High School), 45-0 for their state record 18th consecutive shutout. The game was played on Wednesday, September 26, an unusually early date to start the season for both schools.

The next Thursday, October 4, 1906, St. Louis beat St. John’s 27-0, thus ending the school’s shutout streak. St. Louis would play Marquette University two days later on October 6 and win 33-0 before heading home to Missouri. St. John’s would beat the second team of Lawrence College the next week, 62-0. The question that Dave posed to me was “Did St. John’s throw any passes against Milwaukee West or St. Louis”? The only answer I can give is that they very well may have tossed the first Wisconsin high school pass against West. The St. John’s yearbook stated that the game was close in the first half but the cadets took control in the second period. No mention of a pass was made in the book but two things happened to lead me to believe they did throw the ball. First, in the game against Carroll College, St. Louis was getting nowhere on the ground and throwing the ball opened the field up. St. John’s would have learned about this development and because the first half against West was close, they may have experimented with the pass. And second, if not in that game they surely would have tried a pass or two against St. Louis in an attempt to come back. No game information is mentioned in the Waukesha newspaper sports pages but there was a brief mention in the Society section about how a festive afternoon to view a game was had that day. In truth we may never officially nail down who threw the first Wisconsin high school forward pass or the player who tossed the ball but my money is on a player from St. John’s.

The Holiday End of the Season

A century and more ago there were two dates that often ended the football season. Armistice Day (Now called Veterans Day) on November 11. It celebrated the end of “The Great War” or the “War to End All Wars”. World War I of course didn’t end war as just less than 20 years later Japan started World War II with their invasion of China. Be that as it was, it was a day to celebrate and what better way to hold the celebration than on a national holiday? There were annual matchups between teams such as Green Bay East against Green Bay West, a yearly matchup that would draw 7,000-10,000 fans. But there was another holiday that drew state-wide attention. The unofficial state title games that were organized were often played on Thanksgiving Day.

If Thanksgiving Day didn’t agree with most finalists then a day close to that day was set up for the title match. Weather, transportation to the game and the desire for a team not to be away from family and friends (those who couldn’t attend the game) were considerations to move the day back to the Friday or Saturday after Turkey Day.

One of those holiday games was the state title matchup between undefeated La Crosse against a tiny yet powerful team from Edgerton. The game was to be played in La Crosse and a special train was set up to take the team, the school band and over 100 fans the 300 miles to the game. Over 500 people showed up at the train station to send the team off. They would pass the night in Sparta and then the next morning move on to La Crosse. For $0.75, a person could get a Thanksgiving dinner on the train in route to the battle or get one following the game on the return trip. To the local newspaper reporter, it seemed that the entire town showed up to cheer the victors when they returned, having defeated La Crosse 7-0.

Such events were common around the state even if the Thanksgiving Day game wasn’t for the state title. It was a day of celebration between rival schools. Not until about 1923, when the WIAA started forcing teams to set regular schedules and the association eliminated the season ending mythical state championship game did Thanksgiving Day games begin to lose their appeal. There was no need to extend the season without a title game. Still, in other states, most notably Massachusetts, they still hold many Thanksgiving Day football games.

Dave Poltrock, an assistant football and softball coach at Milwaukee Ronald Regan High School Has sent me a number of stories about his hometown 1916 state champion Edgerton school and another feature will be forthcoming about them…an expanded story over and beyond what is in my book so stay tuned for that.

2020 Season...So Far

Yes, I know there is only a week left in the fall 2020 season and a recap may be premature but I have to write about several player’s performances.

Robby Michael and Colin Girdaukas of Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/Christian have already been profiled in a previous blog. They continue to perform well and I hope they get to play one final game this week. This week. Yes, normally the final one of the season as the top 14 teams play for state titles in Madison. Well, as you know, that isn’t going to happen. Some seasonal and career records will be added and maybe a career record will be approached. Those stats will probably be in the receiving and kicking lists.

Wide receiver Jake Martens of Cumberland is emerging as one of the all-time greats. After this past weekend’s game he has hauled in 80 passes for 1,033 yards and 13 touchdowns. Pretty good numbers you say. But here is the greater bit of information. He now, with one game to go slated for this Thursday night against Stanley-Boyd Martens, has caught 244 career passes. That places him in second place on the career receiving reception list behind the 283 catches made by Micha Fulton of Wonewoc-Center made in 2005-07. Martens has 3,202 career yards for third place on the career receiving yardage list. He also has 36 career touchdown receptions which is tied for fifth place.

I should note that Cumberland quarterback Maddox Allen has 4,044 career passing yards so far as he is about to complete his junior season. With next season he could move up the career charts with ease. I say, with ease because he has a great career passing percentage of 73.6 on 287 completions in only 390 attempts. Look at what he has done so far in 2020: in eight games he has 139 completions in 171 attempts for what would be a state record 81.3%, 1,765 yards and 23 scores. Not bad you say. I don’t mean to jinx him but he also hasn’t thrown an interception this season!!!

On Friday night senior receiver Drayton Lehman of Mosinee moved to the top of this season’s receiving leader list with 95 catches. How did he do it, moving past several players for the season’s lead? Well, he caught 20 (Yes, 20) passes for 188 yards and four touchdowns against Cadott. That places him in a tie with Cadott’s Brett McChesney on the state single game reception list who caught 20 balls in 2014. Lehman has 170 career catches for the 14th spot on the all-time list.

I mentioned Colin Girdaukus of KLC earlier. At this writing they do not have a game scheduled yet for this week. They lost this past Friday to Appleton Xavier but could still play one more final game. Colin could set three season records even without playing another game. His season stands with only six games played right now with 58 catches for a state leading 1,495 yards and 18 touchdowns. That means he could set the state record for the highest per catch average on a season for 50+ receptions with his current 25.8 yard average. He could also set the state season record for yards per game with a 186.0 average. Since he and quarterback Robby Michael are both juniors they could give opponents fits in 2021. Michael leads the state this season in passing with 2,309 yards and 31 touchdowns and has 4,549 career passing yards and 55 career scores so far.

This Thursday night Lake Mills will face cross-town rival Lakeside Lutheran in a rematch of an earlier game, won by Lutheran 24-21. Lake Mills quarterback Jake Moen has 7,555 career passing yards, fifth all-time and has 81 career touchdown passes, good for a tie for eighth place. Moen also has 2,006 career rushing yards giving him 9,561 career total offensive yards, good so far for fifth all-time. Jake set the single season record last season with 4,477 passing and rushing total yards.

I mentioned earlier that there were some kickers moving up the career charts. Jared VanWatermuelen of Grantsburg will close out his career this Thursday by possibly moving into the top 10 list for career kicking points as he currently has 195. 14 career field goals and 153 extra points. He needs four more points to tie for that 10th spot.

A.J. Arndt of Hartford has moved up the career lists steadily this season as the senior has kicked 24 career field goals along with 120 extra points to move into the 12th spot in career kick scoring. His 24 field goals places him in seventh place on the career list for that category.

There will be more to add to the lists as I begin to check over team and player stats once the fall season is complete. Look for an updated records file on the WFCA website in late December or early January. If you have any additions, please send me the info to kevinpatrowsky@earthlink.net .