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Carolina when the two schools meet in the state's first gridiron clash, in Spartanburg, on December 14. Wofford defeats Fur- man 5-1 in a game that features no uniforms for its players, no positions, and rules formulated before the game. Described by Wofford alumnus G. Rouqie ('91) in the January, 1890, issue of Old Gold and Black, the game "lasted one hour and half, with two fifteen-minute rests, and was won with ease by Wofford, the score being five to one. The visiting team (Furman) left on the afternoon train wiser and sadder men, having learned that though they receive instruction in their heads, not feet, at Furman, a little education of the pedal extremities is requisite to make good football players." game ever played in Greenville. Football team disbands following loss and first Furman baseball team is formed. 1890 — Furman loses 2-1 to Wofford in the first football in Spartanburg, for the school's first collegiate football victory. Coached by H.C. Granger, Furman completes sweep of Wofford with a 28-2 win in Greenville on March 21. 1891 — Furman topples Wofford 12-0 on January 24, Christmas Eve and wins 44-0. Furman wears purple jerseys and goes by the name of Mountaineers. Professor H.P. Young plays quarterback and serves as head coach. Furman's players average 156 pounds. At an alumni meeting headed up by James Andrews Tate of York, South Carolina, the school's colors — royal purple and white — are selected. 1892 — Furman plays South Carolina in Charleston on issue of the Furman Journal, which reports one foe as saying, "There are not a few people in this state who think football is proper only for 'toughs' 1893 — Opposition to football is revealed in the April ought not to do such things." Team (with 51 other students) takes train to the Augusta Exposition to play Georgia and loses 22-8. . You boys are members of the church and self-inflicted gunshot wound to his wrist and is forced to have his hand amputated. 1896 — Furman and Clemson meet on the football field for the first time, and Clemson wins 14-6. 1895 — Quarterback and head coach H.P. Young suffers 2012 FURMAN PALADINS p FOOTBALL 1889 — Furman and Wofford bring football to South Historical Highlights legiate sports at June meeting. 1898 — Furman student newspaper, The Echo, reports 1897 — Furman Board of Trustees abolishes all intercol- in its October issue that tennis clubs are organized "since we are not allowed to play football." In the November issue of The Echo, football scores from across the nation are printed and students complain that "the problem with southern colleges is they don't advertise, don't play football, and don't teach business classes." direction of Frank Spencer. 1902 — Furman and South Carolina meet again on the 1900 — Football resurfaces at Furman under the football field in a game that is significant in South Carolina athletic history. After taking a 10-0 win, Furman's players — known then as Purple Fighters — hoist above their heads a garnet and black rooster with plucked tail feathers. This prompted the use of the name Gamecocks to describe South Carolina's football team, a name that was widely used by 1903. football team; season is suspended. 1905 — Furman faculty passes a new rule stating that 1903 — No coach can be found to direct Furman's SOUTH CAROLINA CHAMPIONS 1919, 1920, 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1932, "any student who fails an exam can't play on a varsity team." As reported in The Echo, the faculty's reasoning for its action centers on the poor classroom performance of athletes. "Members of many of the college's teams go to school simply to play ball, taking only a light course and just stumbling along until ball season is over." Farmer. 1913 — Furman revives football under coach W.C. campus. He is Harold "Speedy" Speer of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Greenville citizens raise enough money to pay his tuition. William Gressette scores a school record five touchdowns in 60-3 win over Erskine. 1916 — Furman's first recruited player arrives on John Heisman, defeats Furman 118-0, for the worst defeat in school history. 1918 — Georgia Tech, under the direction of coach with a 13-0 victory over Oglethorpe and goes on to post a 6-2-1 record and claim its first of nine state championships. Furman's 7-7 tie with Clemson at the time is called the greatest football game ever played in Greenville. time. Now known as the Purple Hurricane, Furman goes 9-1 and wins its second state championship, losing only to Georgia, 7-0. 1920 — Furman defeats Clemson, 14-0, for the first Furman goes 8-3 and defeats Florida (7-6) and Clemson (20-6) behind stellar play of captain A.P. "Dizzy" McLeod, who in 1932 becomes head coach. 1922 ▼ 1916 ▲ Greenvillians raise money to pay Harold "Speedy" Speer's tuition, making him first recruited player in Furman history. 1924 ▲ Guard H.R. "Red" Dobson and Furman whip South Carolina (10-0), Ole Miss (7-2), and Clemson (3-0) in final three games, win first state championship. 1919 — Furman dedicates its new home at Manly Field FURMAN FOOTBALL A PROUD TRADITION SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2004 NCAA I-AA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1988 NCAA I-AA NATIONAL RUNNER-UP 1985, 2001 NCAA I-AA (FCS) PLAYOFFS 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 O.L. "Blackie" Carter serves as captain of 9-2 Furman squad that tops Virginia (13-10). 1923 ▼ 169