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"Doc" Henry Bernard Luhn arrived in Spokane, Sept of 1892 with his
father Captain G.L. Luhn of the 4th Infantry at Fort Sherman and set up
his professional practice. Having played on Notre Dame's first
team in 1887 graduating after three years at the age of 19. He
quickly began teaching football in Spokane and was instrumental in the
first game being played between Gonzaga and the Spokane Athletic Club.
Doc played for the Gonzaga team, while his younger brother William
played for the S.A.C and was a Calvaryman with the National Guard.
1892 Players:
Cooper, Winston, Joe Wilmshurst, E.C. Mears, F.E. Elmendorf, Drher,
Doland, William Luhn, Allen, Helphey, Dunford
1893
Doc Luhn (FB), Crump (RE)
On Nov 8, R. Lewis Rutter captained a group of "seconds" from Spokane
and defeated the "firsts" 6-4. Rutter's team consisted of: E.C.
Mears, Rutter (Capt), McCrea, F.E. Elmendorf, Wyard, Leslie Belt, Jones,
Leon Graham, Redhead, Kennedy, White, Gason and Withers
In July of 1894, Doc Luhn, Leon Graham and R. Lewis Rutter were
appointed to create a "Spokane Football League" which had goals of
traveling to Tacoma, Olympia, Seattle, Portland, Ogden and California
for games. The team formed would play as the Spokane High School
team, Leon Graham would be captain and left tackle and Rutter would
coach.
1895
Capt. Henry "Doc" Luhn
(FB), Leslie Belt (QB -Beloit College),
Harvey Martin (E),
Ed Stopher (T - Track champion), Mike
Dolan (C), J.
Yingst (T), F.
Noonan (G), D.D.
McPhee (G), Joe Rudersdorf, Arthur Ross, Bud Wicks, E. Eckman (E), P.
Powell (FB), W.
Graves (HB),
William Luhn, Joe Wilmshurst
Doc Luhn broke his arm during the March 16, 1895 and missed the Butte
game.
Doc was critical in an Oct 1895 Spokane Chronicle article claiming "the
boys will not take sufficient interest in the matter to turn out for
practice".
Al Ware attempted to form a team in 1896 and by Sept 28 announced
"Spokane athletes are too lazy to train".
The 1897 players included: W. Chittenden (C), L. Eastman (G), G. Cooper
(G), C. Parker (T), W. Prather (T), F. Chittenden (E), F. Johnson (E),
E. Stopher (HB), W. Graves (HB), T. Drumheller (QB), P. Powell (FB).
Doc Luhn was to umpire the Idaho game, but a change to R. Lewis Rutter
caused controversy after Spokane defeated the collegians, claiming
favoritism in calls by Rutter.
The club again split, Powell and Eastman to the High School, and Prather
to the Blair Business College for the 1898 season.
With Anaconda planning a western trip, Al Ware, Sol Meyers, and former
Yale guard Ralston Wilbur met and after much deliberation decided
against throwing together a team so late in the 1899 season and vowed to
bring a team together for 1900 new century. The Y.M.C.A picked up
players from the SAC.
J.E. Griffith was elected captain of the football team, and Dan McKinnon
selected as coach and immediately implemented a "request"of his players
to abstain from tobacco and alcohol and keep regular hours. Lew Freeman
of Stanford agreed to assist with coaching.
1900 Players: Jay Fancy (E/HB), Crosler (E), Skinner (T), Laird (G),
J.E. Griffith (C/Capt), Marcher (G), Potts (T), Tatros (E), McLean (QB),
Axtell (HB), Croll (FB),
Dan McKinnon (HB) returned as a member of the Wallace team that defeated
Spokane 11-0.
With no team in 1901, a few players made their way to the YMCA team for
the season.
Former player Jay Fancy attempted to bring the team back in September of
1904 but when only 6 players showed up, he resigned in disgust, pointing
to the club salvaging baseball by building a new park, but football was
not afforded the same support.
The Spokane Athletic Club finally secured a team for the 1906 and Coach
Cook put out an aggressive schedule. "Doc" Callahan wa by far the
"Giant" at 270lbs. Stocked with 2 full teams within the club,
Coach Cook was able to trade out many combinations of players during the
season to find a winning formula finally taking the finale in Seattle
10-6.
1906 Players:
Jay Fancy (C), Eastman (G), T.G. Cook (G), "Doc" Callahan (T), Branson
(T), Bob Glenn (E), Merkle (T), Jones (E), Sid Mulvehill (QB), Dal
Fotheringham (HB), Nowlin (HB), Sweney (HB), George Newmyer (FB/Capt),
Dolph Coolidge (HB), George Stewart (QB), Hope (T), Johnnie Bender (QB),
E. Waskey (E), Winebrenner (G), Jackson (E)
Deacon Thomas (QB/P) and H.B. Wright, a former Wisconsin tackle, left
Spokane for jobs after the Idaho game, that saw Sweney rip off an
80-yard TD run, the first scored in years.
1907
Coach George Vernell,
Mgr Vollman,
Findlay (E),
Boothe,
Dal Fotheringham (FB), Homer "Dig" Tilley,
Ludwig,
Sigrist (T),
Edmonston,
Tweedt,
Reeve (G),
Mohr,
Hope (T),
Roberts,
Malcolmson, Johnny Bender (QB), Wexler (C),
Joe Halm (G)
"Dig" Tilley played end and was the holder for Dal
Fotheringham on the place kicks.
Johnny Bender was a 5-time letterwinner at Nebraska
(1900-1904) before moving to Spokane.
All Stars Selected from the "Big 3 Clubs":
Findlay (E), Hope (T), Reeve (G), Hardy (HB)
Joe Halm would go on to play for Washington State
College in 1908, Johnny Bender would coach Blair Business College and
Washington State to start his coaching career.
In August, citing that "football is a college game" as evidenced by the
lopsided scores of the 1907 season, it was decided the club would drop
football as the Seattle Athletic Club had announced as well, dissolving
the "Big 3" and leaving Multnomah to stand alone.
A nationwide push to ban football because of the dangers of death and
injury turned much public sentiment against the sport and the financial
support it needed.
George Varnell would be hired to coach Gonzaga in 1909, one year after a
decade-long ban on football at the school. Van Cook would coach the
South Central High School after trying unsuccessfully to start up a new
team under his own Cook's Gymnasium Athletic Association training
facility. Most of the players would scatter to Business College
teams or smaller community teams if they chose to keep playing.
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1892 Schedule/Results (0-0-1): |
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