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Created by it's namesake H.C. Blair as a school for "practical
education", or in today's terminology, "technical college", Blair was
aggressive in using the football team to market the Business College as
the place to send young men to prepare themselves for gainful
employment.
1898 Blair Players
Charles W. Smith (FB/Capt), George Fisher (QB), George Mains (HB), Frank
Clark (E), Ellis Prather (C), Will Switzer (G), John McDonald (HB), W.A.
Garber (G), George Archer (T), Carl McCoy (T), Will Swingler (E),
Tracey, Yates, Keyser, Henry Axtell, Fred Lewelling, Will Hughes, Frank
Butler, R.M. Johnson, Earl DeVoe, H.H. Smith
Clark scored the first TD against the high school and Smith kicked the
goal after.
1899 Players
R.M. Johnson (FB/Capt), George Mains (E), Keenan (T), Maer (G), Earl
DeVoe (C), Raub (G), Smith (G/T), George Arthur (E), Yates (QB), Henry
Axtell (HB), Fawks (HB), Inman, White, LeHuquet, Pernell (T), Miller
(G), Strang (G)
A scheduled game for 1900 with Idaho was canceled when the men expected
failed to arrive on time. Blair would not put a poor team on the
field and opted out for the year.
P.S. McAllister was elected captain of the 1901 team, a former halfback
at the University of Montana, while Joe Winston, quarterback of
Washington State became coach.
1901 Players:
Sprague (C), Laird (G), Samuels (G), Noble (T), McCarther (T), Ashton
(T), Hall (E), Stewart (E), Goodwin (QB), R. Toole (QB), Garshaw (HB),
Ames (HB), P.S. McAllister (FB/Capt), Rolls (G), Johnson (E), Kruger
(E), Mains (QB), Beckhair (HB), Amos (HB)
1903 Players
Davis (E), Carter (T/G), Hays (G), Glindeman (C), Berland (G/T), Hains
(G), Shepperd (E), Hammerlund (QB), George (HB), Tatro (HB/E), Scott
(FB), Tracy (E), Johnson (T/FB), Wagner (T), Prather (T), Oehler (HB),
Smith (HB)
1904 Players
Ed Kennedy (Capt), Jay Fancy
1905: Borleske (HB/Capt), Davenport (FB), Condon (C), Twedt (T),
Fotheringham (FB)
1906 Players
Fred Twedt (C), Langdon (G), Stevens (G), Holloway (T), Weythman (T),
Callahan (E), Englebert (E), Mullvehill (QB), Broadhead (HB), D.
Fotheringham (HB), Fred Hahn (FB), Brugger (E), Will Nowlin (HB/E),
Newton (G), B. Fotheringham (E)
1907 Players
Fred Twedt (C/Capt), George Twedt (G), Trainer (G), Frank Lippert (T),
Dial (E), Wannacott (E), Ralph Williams (QB), Taylor (T), Pressley (HB),
Frank Thomas (HB), Will Hillman (FB), Waneka (E), Mulkey (E)
New coach Johnny Bender, a 5-time letterwinner with the Nebraska
University team, assisting Coach Hawkins, literally threw the BBC to
HIS wolves on Oct 12, 1907. Coaching both the Washington
State College team and the Blair's, the Cougars destroyed Blair 86-0,
nearly the same as the 70-0 score the Spokane Athletic Club would be
beaten by a month later. The drubbing worked, as the team played
well and won it's final three games. George Twedt, Will Hillman
and Frank Lippert would be picked up by the Spokane Athletic Club in
December.
1908 Players
George Twedt (C), Thompson (G), Wright (G), Lauritson (T), Frank Lippert
(T), Smith (E), Morley (E), Jay Kennedy (QB), Frank Thomas (HB), Will
Hillman (HB/K/Capt), Fred Hahn (FB)
The YMCA game turned into a "as-was" score after it was ruled the club
used professional player not associated with the YMCA. This meant
the 4-0 lead Blair had to end the 1st half is how the game would be
recorded.
1909 was a turning point for football as a nation-wide banning effort
was gaining steam. Spokane, already a difficult area to drum up
football support, dwindled, as high schools banded together to only play
"true" high schools. Star QB Jay Kennedy, even returned to high
school for the 1909 season after leading the Blair's to wins in 1908.
H.C. Blair announced the team was disbanding November 2.
1909 Players:
Blakely (E), Frank McGee (T), Frank Lippert (G), George Twedt (C/Capt),
Wilson, G, Taylor (T), Powell (E), Williams (QB), Kennedy (HB), Fred
Hahn (HB), Cheeley (FB)
In a fiasco of epic proportions, Blair went ahead and canceled the
Lewiston game in favor of cross-town rival Gonzaga. Gonzaga
protested Cheeley and Powell playing, which Blair agreed to hold out of
the game. Still, Gonzaga wavered and said no the game much to the
frustration of H.C. Blair and Jimmy Irsfield who were already denied
schedules with any local high schools to fill dates.
A lawsuit filed by Coach Irsfield for $400 , the amount he felt remained
owed on the $500 agreement before the season was canceled, soured Blair
on football and ended support for sponsoring the team in 1910.
In May, he won the court case which denied Irsfield payment for games
not played.
The new rule changes governing football and the lack of similar teams to
play can be attributed to the shut down of the Blair program after 10
season over 12 years,just as the success of the team was rising.
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1898 Schedule/Results (2-1-1): |
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