1906 Western University of Pennsylvania football team

On September 23 Coach Edgar R. Wingard took his team to Butler, Pa. to meet the Butler A.C. WUP received the opening kickoff. With Walter Ritchie at quarterback the offense marched down the field and Winfred Banbury carried the ball into the end zone in the first three minutes. After three possession changes the WUP offense had the ball at midfield. Quincy Banbury proceeded to scamper 55 yards for the second touchdown. The halftime score was 10-0. Swenson replaced Ritchie at quarterback and Coach Wingard used plenty of substitutes in the second half. Butler started the half by earning their initial first down, but then they were forced to punt. Swenson marched the WUP offense downfield and Fred Klawuhn scored the touchdown. Karl Swenson and Charles Springer also scored for the University eleven and the final score read 25-0.[1]

After the rain passed through town on September 29, Westminster College and WUP played the home opener at Exposition Park. The inclement weather kept the attendance to about five hundred loyal students and fans. The offense led by Walter Ritchie took the opening kickoff and marched steadily downfield. John Mackrell scored the first touchdown and Walter Zieg kicked the goal after. After a change of possessions Ritchie was injured and replaced by Karl Swenson. Five plays later Swenson carried the ball into the end zone for the second touchdown in less than 10 minutes. Zieg was successful on the goal kick after. Westminster tried a forward pass but Mackrell intercepted and the half came to an end with WUP ahead 12-0. The second half was a defensive struggle. Both offenses were able to gain yardage but the defenses would stiffen to stop the drives. Late in the game, Swenson was finally able to sprint ten yards around end for the final score of the game. Westminster then fooled WUP with a fake punt and gained forty-five yards but the WUP defense was able to keep the Titans out of the end zone. The final score was 17-0.[2]

The Hiram CollegeTerriers football team, after their train arrived several hours late, was welcomed to Pittsburgh by inclement weather and a superior WUP offensive machine. Due to the poor weather, only a few fans were in the Friendship Park bleachers to cheer on their team. The Hiram defense could not stop the WUP offense and gave up twelve touchdowns. The WUP offense tried the forward pass and was very successful. The highlight was Raymond Forcer, WUP substitute end, catching a pass and scampering fifty yards for his first touchdown of the season. Coach Wingard substituted so that all available players saw playing time. Hiram made one first down the entire game. The final score was 66-0.[3]

October 13 was a beautiful fall day for football. Over two thousand fans were in attendance and at least four hundred WUP students were led into the stadium by a marching band. The students were led by cheerleaders Bill McCandless and Doc Ryder. The opponent was the Allegheny College Gators from Meadville, Pa. This week the WUP offensive machine scored seventy-four points. The WUPs scored eleven touchdowns, eleven goal kicks after and two field goals. Allegheny had no answer. Coach Wingard was able to give everyone some playing time.[4]

Over five thousand fans attended Exposition Park to witness the Carlisle Indians take on the Western University eleven on Saturday, October 20. The band and students marched through town and into the stadium. Carlisle was the first of the supposed hard games on the WUP schedule for 1906 and the football public were eager to see how the University lads would stack up. The Indians scored three touchdowns, three extra points and one field goal. The Indians utilized the forward pass and onside kicks to perfection. WUP quarterback Karl Swenson was injured early in the first half. Walter Ritchie replaced him but the offense could not generate any sustained drives. The WUP offense entered Carlisle territory once late in the game. The final tally was 22-0 in favor of Carlisle.[23]

The first meeting with city rival Carnegie Tech took place on October 27 at Exposition Park in the rain, sleet, and snow. Attendance was sparse, but the enthusiasts were treated to a tight first half. The WUP was only able to score one touchdown in the first half. Defense ruled as neither offense could generate any sustained drive in the inclement weather. WUP tackle Leslie Waddill fell on a Tartan fumble in the end zone for the lone WUP score. Coach Wingard changed the lineup for the second half. Walter Ritchie replaced Henry Boisseau at quarterback and led the team on four touchdown drives. McKeown replaced Charles Clancy at fullback and scored the first touchdown of the second half. Winfred Banbury, Homer Roe and Johnny Mackrell scored the other touchdowns. McKeown added a field goal and two goal kicks after to make the final score 31-0 in favor of WUP. In spite of the lopsided score, the WUP coach was not happy with the line play and on Monday October 29 hired John A. Moorhead, former Yale player, as assistant coach.[6][24]

On November 3 the WUP lads traveled to Ithaca, N.Y. to play the strong Cornell team. Cornell received the opening kick off and was forced to punt by the WUP defense. WUP fumbled the punt and Cornell recovered. The WUP defense held and forced a punt but quarterback Walter Ritchie was tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Big Red then marched down the field and scored on a forward pass to Earle from three yards out. Cook was successful on the goal kick after. Winfred Banbury gave the WUP fans hope as he dashed forty yards with an interception, but the offense could not penetrate the Cornell defense. Late in the first half Cornell fullback Walders kicked a fifty yard field goal to make the score 12-0 at the break. Cornell scored on their first possession of the second half. Halfback Earle raced around right end for a forty-five yard touchdown. After a WUP fumble deep in their territory Cornell scored its final touchdown on a pass play to Gibson. Cook was again good on the goal kick after and the final tally was 23-0.[7]

The eighth edition of the “Backyard Brawl” took place on November 10 at Exposition Park. The ladies from the Pennsylvania College for Women and all Pittsburgh area high school seniors were guests of the University. Fifteen hundred students and fans braved the blustery winds and cheered on their team. The WUP team was heavily favored. Coach Wingard did not use his first string backfield because the Washington & Jefferson game was next on the schedule. The WUP offense led by substitute quarterback McKeown managed to score three touchdowns and win the game 17-0. On the WUPs first possession, halfback Charles Springer plunged into the end zone for the first touchdown. Halfback Winfred Banbury scored on a pass play late in the first half and fullback Clancy raced sixty-five yards for the last score late in the second half. The WUP defense played well and shut out their sixth opponent.[8]

The Washington & Jefferson Presidents football squad traveled to Pittsburgh for the second year in a row to do battle with the Western University lads. The 6,000 fans who braved another rainy Saturday and were treated to a great defensive game. The WUP offense spent most of the first half in W & J's territory but were unable to score. Penalties and fumbles stymied both team's efforts. Both defenses continued to do well in the second half. Late in the game umpire Okeson called slugging against WUP halfback McKeown. The assessment was half the distance to the goal, which placed the ball on the WUP twenty yard line. The Presidents worked the ball to the twelve yard line and Kerr Price tried a field goal. Omar Mehl blocked the kick but WUP was offside. Mr. Price was successful on his second try and broke the scoreless tie. In the waning moments of the game, the WUP offense rushed the ball to the Presidents four yard line but were unable to score. The final read 4-0 in favor of Washington & Jefferson.[9]

On November 24 approximately three hundred die-hard fans braved the cold and strong wind to watch WUP play the Grove City Wolverines. Coach Wingard used plenty of substitutes to keep the WUPs healthy for the upcoming State College game. Halfback John Mackrell was the offensive star of the game, as he rushed for three touchdowns. He scored two in the first half. The first was on a forty yard scamper and he bettered that two minutes later with a seventy yard touchdown jaunt. The score at halftime was 12-0 in favor of WUP. Grove City was able to move the ball offensively but the WUP defense kept them out of the end zone. Both Grove City and WUP missed field goals and had problems with fumbling. Mackrell and Ralston scored second half touchdowns for the WUP eleven on short line plunges to make the final score 24-0. The WUP defense recorded its seventh shutout of the season.[25]

More than eight thousand fans spent their Thanksgiving Day at Exposition Park. They watched the WUP football team battle the visiting (7-1-1) State College eleven. State College's only blemishes on their record were a 10-0 loss to Yale (9-0-1) and a tie with Gettysburg (7-1-2). The entire game was a defensive struggle. In the first half State College had the ball inside the ten yard line twice but the WUP defense stiffened with two goal line stands. State College also missed two first half field goals. The WUP offense managed to get into field goal range three times in the second half but could not convert. For fifty seven minutes the teams played to a scoreless tie until Winfred Banbury, WUP halfback, was penalized for slugging and sent to the bench. The assessment was half the distance to the goal, which placed the ball on the WUP nine yard line. State halfback Bill McCleary carried the ball into the end zone on third down and kicked the goal after for a 6-0 State College lead. The game ended some seconds later.[26]