This week’s history lesson starts with the original members of the B1G conference – did you know Michigan has played and defeated each of them on this day in our history? We look at the EPIC 1904 clash against Chicago in Ann Arbor for the Western Championship. We conclude with a salute to the great Rob Lytle, who would have turned 68 this Saturday. Go Blue!
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Go Blue! You’ll hear this live on the WTKA 1050AM KeyBank Countdown to Kickoff Saturday night around 2 pm EST!
Today we welcome the Nebraska Cornhuskers with whom we’ve shared a ton of history over the years. In fact the GodFather of Michigan Athletics– Fielding H. Yost — actually coached for the Huskers, then the Bugeaters, in 1898 and delivered to them a conference title. Nebraska tried unsuccessfully for many years to join the Big Ten conference over the decades before finally being admitted in 2011.
Our Conference was formed in 1896 with just seven teams (namely Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, Chicago and Purdue). A unique feature of November 12 in our history – we have actually played and defeated each of those original members of the conference on this day in Meechigan lore.
One of those wins on November 12th was over Yost’s rival Amos Alonzo Stagg, the man whose name adorns the B1G championship trophy, in a game played on this day in 1904. The highly anticipated battle took place on a sold-out Regent’s Field in Ann Arbor. Fans were so desperate to catch the wildly hyped game that many clung from trees to get a view of the action. Famed Inventor Thomas Edison even dispatched his Production Company and recorded the entire game between the two Western Superpowers and it is the first known complete college football game captured on film.
The 22-12 victory on that day 118 years back earned Michigan its 4th straight NATIONAL TITLE and the films from that game live on forever.
To close out this history lesson we salute Schembechler-era legend Rob Lytle who would have turned 68 today. The entire Michigan family mourned when we lost the iconic back way too early in 2010. General Bo deployed Lytle’s mix of speed and power to set the school’s career record of over 3300 rushing yards.
Schembechler called him the toughest player he ever coached, and Lytle took that toughness with him to the NFL with the Denver Broncos. Lytle holds the unique distinction of being the first to score a touchdown in both a Rose Bowl and a Super Bowl.
So have a toast to the great Rob Lytle AND Go Blue! Beat the Huskers! For more checkout MVictors.com and WTKA.com – for the KeyBank Countdown to kickoff this is Greg Dooley.
2 Comments
Rick Kusmer
Rob Lytle, gain his yard in 3 seasons. back then freshmen did not play. Bo Called Rob the best player he ever coached on Frank Beckmann’s Radio show. Rob was the poster boy for the team, the team, the team. When asked to play fullback
by Bo, Rob could have said no, for he was the starting tailback, but he did it for the team. It hurt his yardage but he still
ended up the all-time leading rusher when he left. RIP 41
MVictors (Greg Dooley)
Thanks Rick, good stuff and thanks for your thoughts on the great Lytle!