It’s hard to beat this awesome shot of Fritz Crisler: Is that Fritz Crisler dropping the ball? No way man – he’s demonstrating the dropkick. Back in 1958, Crisler was chairman of the NCAA rules committee and a major change for that year was the introduction of the 2 point conversion. Coaches weren’t sure what the impact would be—many thought teams would go for 2 after TDs early in the game and then see how things played out. But it was quickly figured out that hitting paydirt with one play from the three-yard line was far from a 50/50 proposition (one source had the success rate in 1958 was around 35%), and most coaches defaulted to kicking the extra point. Bringing us back to the photo, it was also suggested that having the option of the two point conversion might result end up in more teams trying the old dropkick. I think the scenario was that you’d see teams effectively lining up in a triple threat position where the offense could try to run or pass for 2, or execute the drop kick for 1…but that really didn’t happen. (Heck, it hadn’t even happened in pro football since 1941 and until Doug Flutie’s epic dropkick in 2007). From a June 1923 athletic department publication, that’s a shot of one of the…
-
-
Fritz Crisler Describes the Spinner (1948)
This caught my eye because it includes a passage and diagram from legendary Michigan coach and athletic director Fritz Crisler, describing the famed single wing fullback spinner. It was formations and plays like this that earned Crisler’s backfield the nickname ‘The Mad Magicians’.
-
Fritz Crisler’s Secret Princeton Practice (1937)
Most Michigan fans know that Fritz Crisler made his way to Ann Arbor from Princeton after he turned around the Tigers’ football program. Here's a special pass issued by Crisler himself, allowing the holder to visit the “secret” football practice from 1937. It’s signed by the coach himself and is quite a beauty
-
Affectionately, Fritz Crisler (1968)
Check out this late 1960s unique item-it's a program from some sort of reception or dinner for Fritz Crisler. This one is pretty cool as Crisler signed it for a gentleman named George writing, “To George, a grand person, Best Wishes all ways, Affectionately Fritz Crisler."
-
Fritz Crisler didn’t sign all three of these
Great observation by MVictors guest columnist Lew. He suspected some funny business in comparing the signatures on the two letters I wrote on in the last eBay Watch. Lew’s comment: Great stuff, as usual, MVictors. I’m no handwriting expert, but what’s up with the “Fritz” signature on the Biggie Munn letter? Lew’s instincts are correct in that there’s something goofy, but after a little digging, I think he’s actually got it backward. In looking back on some older posts, it looks to me as if the Biggie Munn letter of recommendation signature was delivered by Crisler himself, it’s the signature on the letter congratulating Ohio State that ol’ Fritz left to his secretary! Here’s the evidence: The signature from the 1954 Football Bust has got to be authentic and while I’m also not a handwriting expert, it certainly shares many characteristics with the Munn letter of rec, and it’s nowhere in the neighborhood of the OSU letter. Also, how and/or why would someone falsify Crisler’s signature at a football bust? Case closed. You’ve got to chuckle a bit that Crisler didn’t bother to sign the OSU letter, although I’m sure it wasn’t meant as a slight to his colleague in Columbus.
-
How Fritz Spotted The Sleeper (1946)
Amazing but true, Michigan head coach Fritz Crisler actually had 2 men seated above the stadium press box for an important job. One used binoculars to try to identify a "sleeper" - an opponent's 11th offensive player hiding near the sideline. The other guy? A bugle player. His job was to blast away on the horn if the spotter found a sleeper.
-
Fritz Won’t Have It (Scheduling Segregated Georgia, 1957)
You probably know the tale: Willis Ward, Michigan’s lone black player on Harry Kipke’s ’34 squad, was benched as U-M succumbed to Georgia Tech’s refusal to play in a game with African American players. So it’s a fair question if the same issue came up in 1957 when another team from Georgia visited town. The Bulldogs fielded an all-white team, while Michigan had at least three black players on the roster including starting back Jim Pace.
-
Fritz and Chap Down the Hawks | This Week in Michigan Football History
This week we take a trip back to postwar America, specifically 1946 as Fritz Crisler's Wolverines, featuring the great Bob Chappuis, took on Saturday's opponent - the Iowa Hawkeyes.
