1919 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team
The 1919 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team[note 1] represented the Georgia Tech Golden Tornado of the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1919 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The Tornado was coached by John Heisman in his 15th year as head coach, compiling a record of 7–3 (3–1 SIAA) and outscoring opponents 257 to 33.
1919 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football | |
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Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
1919 record | 7–3 (3–1 SIAA) |
Head coach |
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Offensive scheme | Jump shift |
Captain | Pup Phillips |
Home stadium | Grant Field |
1919 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
Jack McDonough started at quarterback as a true freshman when Marshall Guill was moved to end. Pup Phillips was captain.
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
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September 20 | Camp Logan* | W 48–0 | |
September 27 | Furman |
| W 74–0 |
October 4 | Wake Forest* |
| W 14–0 |
October 11 | Clemson |
| W 28–0 |
October 18 | Vanderbilt |
| W 20–0 |
October 25 | at Pittsburgh* | L 16–6 | |
November 1 | Davidson* |
| W 33–0 |
November 8 | Washington & Lee* |
| L 3–0 |
November 15 | Georgetown* |
| W 27–0 |
November 27 | Auburn |
| L 14–7 |
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Season summary
Camp Logan
The season opened with a 48–0 defeat of Camp Logan.
Furman
In the second week of play, Tech swamped Furman, 74–0.
Wake Forest
Tech beat Wake Forest 14–0.
Clemson
Sources:[4] |
After being held scoreless in the first half, Tech beat Clemson 28–0. The entire backfield, as well Fincher, Lebey, and Higgins in the line, were cited as stars of the game.[4] The play of Tech seemed stimulated in the second half by the substitution of Shorty Guill. The first touchdown was the best run of the game, for 26 yards around left end,[4] Flowers "sidestepped, ducked, twisted and turned until he had again crossed the field almost to the opposite side and then stiff-arming the last man in his way, crossed the goal for a touchdown."[4] Red Barron went around right end for 35 yards and the second touchdown. A 15-yard pass from Flowers to Bill Fincher netted the third touchdown.[4] Ferst went back in for Guill and got the last touchdown on a 12-yard buck behind left guard.[4]
The starting lineup was: Fincher (left end), Higgins (left tackle), Lebey (left guard), Phillips (center), Dowling (right guard), Lyman (right tackle), Staton (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Flowers (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Gaiver (fullback).[4]
Vanderbilt
![](../I/1919VandyTech.jpg.webp)
Tech beat Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores in the mud 20–0, giving the Commodores their only loss on the season. Buck Flowers and fullback Bill Gaiver starred.[5]
The starting lineup was: Fincher (left end), Higgins (left tackle), Lebey (left guard), Amis (center), Dowling (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Staton (right end), Guill (quarterback), Flowers (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Gavier (fullback).[6]
Pittsburgh
Tech was beaten 16–6 by Pop Warner's Pittsburgh Panthers, the first team to score on Tech all year.
Davidson
Tech beat Davidson 33–0, Flowers running around his old teammates.[7]
Washington & Lee
Quarterback Jim Mattox made the field goal to help Washington & Lee upset Tech.[8] the first loss to a Southern team since 1914 for Tech.
The starting lineup was: Fincher (left end), Doyal (left tackle), Lebey (left guard), Phillips (center), Dowling (right guard), Higgins (right tackle), Staton (right end), Guill (quarterback), Flowers (left halfback), Ferst (right halfback), Gavier (fullback).[9]
Georgetown
Dewey Scarboro returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown in the 27–0 win over Georgetown.[10]
Auburn
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The Auburn Tigers beat Tech 14–7, its first loss to an SIAA school in five years. The first touchdown of the game was made by Jack McDonough. Judy Harlan later fell on his own punt for a safety. In the third quarter, Warren blocked a Dewey Scarboro punt and Sloan recovered the ball and ran it 35 yards for a touchdown. Auburn's Fatty Warren "waddled" for a 40-yard touchdown off a blocked punt in the victory.[11][12]
The starting lineup was Guill (left end), Fincher (left tackle), Lebey (left guard), Phillips (center), Dowling (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Staton (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Barron (left halfback), Ferst (right halfback), Harlan (fullback).[13]
Postseason
After a divorce in 1919, Heisman left Atlanta to prevent any social embarrassment to his former wife, who chose to remain in the city.[14] He picked Bill Alexander as successor and went back to Penn for three seasons from 1920–1922.
Notes
- Although Georgia Tech's teams are officially known as the "Yellow Jackets", northern writers called the team the "Golden Tornado" in 1917; the name was commonly used until 1928 and for many years afterwards as an alternate nickname.[1] It may have been coined by Morgan Blake.[2]
Endnotes
- Van Brimmer & Rice 2011, p. 147
- "Golden Tornadoes". Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- "1919 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results".
- Les Rawlings (October 12, 1919). "Tigers Fought Hard And Jackets Battled For 28 to 0 Victory". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Georgia Tech Swamps Vanderbilt, 20 to 0". The Washington Post. October 19, 1919. p. 23. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- Woodruff 1928, p. 84
- Woodruff 1928, p. 93
- "Calyx". 1920.
- Woodruff 1928, p. 95
- http://www.moultrieobserver.com/sports/dewey-scarboro-a-limousine-gone-crazy/article_99c91f74-021c-5139-8594-a5ab9d3224ad.html
- 1920 Glomerata p. 173
- John Staton (November 17, 1921). "Golden Tornado Spends Day Studying Auburn Formations". Atlanta Constitution. p. 12. Retrieved April 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Outplaying Tornado, Auburn Eleven Won". The Atlanta Constitution. November 28, 1919. p. 19. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Tech Timeline: 1910s". Tech Traditions. Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
References
- Van Brimmer, Adam; Rice, Homer (2011). 100 Things Yellow Jackets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-61749-703-2.
- Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. 2.