A special edition of the MVictors History Show, recorded in the mancave of author, super collector and historian Jon Stevens. Items include Yost Field House doors, a 1905 Ohio State-Michigan program, the vintage U-M scrapbook owned by Michigan superstar Neil Snow, and much more. Also, check out the piece of history from 1898 that made my jaw drop!
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Fritz Crisler Demonstrates the Dropkick & 1922 Ohio State Buckeye Smacktalk
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…
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Wire Photo Wednesday : Illini Stew & a Trashed Yost
Edition number 3 of #WPW gets emotional: Maybe this is why Illini fans really hate us? From 1948, a homecoming display on campus featuring the recipe for a little Illinois Stew. Well done. Bennie Oosterbaan’s #1 ranked Wolverines got a battle from the unranked Illini on October 30, 1948 but prevailed 28-20. Above you’ve got Michigan head hoops coach Bill Perigo checking out the damage in Yost Field House from the storm that ripped through the athletic campus back in 1959. The damage amounted to $100,000 according to the wire caption which, coincidentally, is exactly the revenue from Twizzler sales at the Wisconsin game on Friday night. 2412 Below, from a 2010 post, a great shot above Yost from the same storm: That’s head hoops coach Dave Strack, who succeeded Perigo, a bit distraught on the sidelines. Strack, the man who coached the great hoops teams of the mid-1960s, passed away in January at age 90. Previous editions: Wire Photo Wednesday : Smooth Swing, Smooth Ride Wire Photo Wednesday – The inaugural
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Let There Be Light
Caught the crews working on the east side of Yost along State Street: We are in the early stages of what will be the return those the original Yost Field House windows that were part of the original design and I can’t wait to see how it looks. I’m not sure how much adding east and west side windows will affect the feel on the interior (seats and boxes will occupy the sightlines) but we’ll see. Certainly windows in ends will have quite an impact. Here’s a great shot from the dedication of the Field House back in 1923, when apparently Yost commanded God to check in on the proceedings: Here’s a rendering of the completed renovation: Follow MVictors on Twitter and you would have seen that photo hours ago
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Bring Back the Old Man!
You might know that Yost Ice Arena, the current home of your beloved Frozen Four bound hockey squad, was once the home of the Michigan basketball team. Up on eBay right now is a wire pic of hoops star Cazzie Russell and notice the gent who’s featured on the wall with his familiar grin: I’d like to see that giant photo hanging somewhere inside Yost–AD Dave Brandon, you must bring it back. Extend the Yost brand! Bring back the Old Man! What better place than here? What better time than now? Beat Irish! Update March 9: Yes, I was up to something. Indeed the Children of Yost will unveil their new flags tonight at Yost for the ND-Michigan hockey tilt… including…the old man!!:
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Leathernecks Help Dedicate Yost Field House (1923)
Check out this promotional bulletin produced by the U.S. Marine Corps in anticipation for their game against Michigan on November 10, 1923: Note that the print is signed by John Lejeune, the namesake of Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. You’ll also notice that it mentions that 2000 Marines would be in attendance for the game and with them, the Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby. Denby attended Michigan law school at the end of the century and even played center for the 1895 football squad. Strapping lad! But this is what really why this caught my attention. The visit by the Marines coincided with the dedication of the newest super structure in college athletics—Yost Field House. According to the Michigan Daily [via Robert Soderstrom’s The Big House]: The Marines, 1500 strong, together with their famous band, made an inspiring sight as they entered the field house. They marched in a column of squads the full length of the building in an aisle between the thousands of spectators seated in the stands and standing on either side. Naturally The Bentley has some great photos, here’s one: You can clearly see the Marines on either side of the seated attendees and the band up front. It’s unconfirmed if the light shining through the windows is the grace of God.…
