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GONZAGA JUNIOR YARD ASSOCIATION "J.Y.A.s"
(1908 - 1913)


Spokane, Washington
Gonzaga College
Natatorium Park


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Gonzaga College had shut down football from 1900-1906, but in November of 1905 a group known as the "J.Y.A." started to get together to keep football alive in Spokane.   This entry exists in a gray-area of "semi-pro" football as it lives in both the college-intramural world and what was known at the time as "junior" teams specifically created for smaller stature and younger players.  The average grown man in this era was roughly 120-130lbs and players may have been as young as 14-years old with little requirement to be attending formal schooling that is today the standard "high school" player.  However, these teams also had men in their mid-to-late-20's playing as well.

Mulhall, W. Mulligan and Alphonso Codd (FB) would be part of the resurrected team in 1907 that would not be allowed to use the Gonzaga name.  With the college team back on the field, the "Junior Yard Association"  or J.Y.A. intramural team name was created, that featured lighter and younger players than the "big" team of college players.

In 1908 a 16-year old Joe Albi began playing in the backfield for the J.Y.A. as a passing specialist.  Albi would quarterback the team from 1908-1910, and became an area athletics icon, with Joe Albi Stadium being named in his honor in 1962.

Jim Duffy scored three touchdowns in the Thanksgiving 1909 game with Longfellow School.

In 1910, the J.Y.A. formed three teams by weight division (130lbs, 110lbs and 90lb average).  The 130lb team remained unbeaten for the 2nd consecutive year.

The 1911 team had a new rival in the Tyros which was basically the reserve players on the Gonzaga College roster.   A "Stars" team was also created of lighter "midget" players.

Stanley Morin, captain of the 1912 team came up with a unique way of calling plays to avoid opponents stealing and knowing their plays, he called signals in Greek.  In 1917, Morin would enlist in the military and be sent to France during World War I.

By 1913, the campus had an entire "league" of J.Y.A. style teams named according to the home town of their captains.  The "Buttes" (5-2-3) won over the "Spokanes" (4-2-4) and "Portlands (2-7-1), while the "Vancouvers" and "Seattles" dropped out after 8 weeks of play.  From these teams, the "J.Y.A" club would select the best players for off-campus games.

In 1914, Gonzaga implemented an age limit of 16 on the members, forcing the cancellation of scheduled games against high schools and older club teams.  A 4-team league would be created in the wake featuring the "Hornets", "Yellowjackets", "Boolebugs" and "Wasps".

This would in essence, end the J.Y.A. program as a true "junior eleven" and relegate it to a "Junior Varsity" level team of freshmen and sophomores under the age of 16 as the federal shift in education made high school more streamlined and the ages attending class more uniform.




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1907 Players included:

E. McHarness (E), E. Mulhall (T), J. Reilly (G), S. Kadcat (C), J. Harper (G), E. McAbi (T), J. Roberts (E), W. Mulligan (FB), L. Cadora (HB), M. Moreau (HB), C. O'Brien (QB), D. Perard, M. Walsh, J. Egan, J. Murphy, and V.Strong 

 

1908 Players included:

Joe Albi (QB)

 

1909 Players included:

Joe Albi (QB)


1910 Players included:

Otto Roberts (T), Charles Codd, William Berry (G), Thomas McKevitt (HB), Thomas Larkin (FB), James Duffy (HB), James Dempsey (E), Edward Childs, William Shumaker (C), Stanley Moore (G), Anthony Plastino, Louis Lavery (E), James Bradley (T), Alphonso Codd (QB/Capt), Joe Albi (QB)



1911 Players included:

James Dempsey (E), Tom McKevitt (E), Tom Larkin (FB), Alphonse Codd (QB), Stanley Morin (QB)


1912 Players  Included:

Stanley Morin (Capt)


Stanley Morin - Star Quarterback 1911-1913

1913 Players included:

Stanley Morin (QB)

1908
Spokane Junior Indepedents
Record:
Sponsor: Gonzaga Intramurals
Coach


1909
Spokane Junior Indepedents
Record:
Sponsor: Gonzaga Intramurals
Coach


1910
Spokane Junior 130lb Indepedents
Record:
Sponsor: Gonzaga Intramurals
Coach Fred Burns


1911
Spokane Junior Indepedents
Record:
Sponsor: Gonzaga Intramurals
Coach Fred Burns

* Spokane Junior Champions *


1912
Spokane Junior Indepedents
Record:
Sponsor: Gonzaga Intramurals
Manager Harry Costello
Coach Fred Burns


1913
Spokane Junior Indepedents
Record:
Sponsor: Gonzaga Intramurals
Coach Fred Burns


Schedules and Results
Date Opponent Score
1908 Oct 27 Webster 0-4
1908 Nov 14 Hawthorne 17-6
     
     
1909 Oct 22 Holmes School 16-0
1909 Nov 25 Longfellow School 17-0
     
     
1910 Oct 23 Holmes School 9-0
1910 Oct 27 Houston (150lb limit) 0-0
1910 Nov 6 Cannon Hill 14-0
1910 Nov 15 Houston Cancel
1910 Nov 18 Longfellow School Cancel
     
     
1911 Oct 31 Gonzaga Prep School 16-6
1911 Nov 4 Cheney High 11-0
1911 Nov 7 Gonzaga Tyros  
     
     
1912 Oct 17 North Central High JV 22-6
1912 Oct 24 Lewis & Clark High JV 40-0
1912 Nov 12 Deer Park Athletic Club  
     
     
1913 Oct 2 North Central High 0-74
1913 Oct 31 Cheney Normal School 39-4
1913 Nov 6 Couer d'Alene High 35-7
1913 Nov 20 Cheney Normal School 19-7
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
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