1899 Alabama Crimson White football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record3–1 (1–0 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainThomas William Wert
Home stadiumThe Quad
Seasons
← 1897
1900 →
1899 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Sewanee $ 11 – 0 – 0 12 – 0 – 0
Vanderbilt 5 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Alabama 1 – 0 – 0 3 – 1 – 0
Nashville 3 – 1 – 0 3 – 1 – 0
Tennessee 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Auburn 2 – 1 – 1 3 – 1 – 1
Texas 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
North Carolina 1 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Ole Miss 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Georgia 2 – 3 – 1 2 – 3 – 1
Clemson 1 – 2 – 0 4 – 2 – 0
Central (KY) 1 – 2 – 0 1 – 2 – 0
LSU 1 – 3 – 0 1 – 4 – 0
Kentucky State 0 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 2
SW Presbyterian 0 – 1 – 0 1 – 1 – 0
Cumberland (TN) 0 – 3 – 0 0 – 3 – 0
Georgia Tech 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 6 – 0
Tulane 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 6 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1899 Alabama Crimson White football team[A 1] (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1899 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The team was led by head coach W. A. Martin, in his first season, and played their home games at The Quad in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In what was the seventh season of Alabama football, the team finished with a record of three wins and one loss (3–1, 1–0 SIAA). In the spring of 1895, the University Board of Trustees passed a rule that prohibited athletic teams from competing off-campus for athletic events.[3] As such the 1898 season was canceled; however the board subsequently rescinded this rule and the squad returned to the field for the 1899 season.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 21Tuscaloosa Athletic Club*
W 16–5[4]
November 11Montgomery Athletic Club*
  • The Quad
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
W 16–0[5]
November 24at Ole Miss
W 7–5600[6][7]
November 25at New Orleans Athletic Club*
L 0–21[8]
  • *Non-conference game

[9][A 2]

Game summaries

Tuscaloosa Athletic Club

In what was the first game played since the 1897 season, Alabama defeated the Tuscaloosa Athletic Club 16–5.[4] With a halftime score of 5–5, Alabama took the lead in the second half and won 16–5.[4] Former Alabama player and head coach Eli Abbott played for the Tuscaloosa squad in this game.

Montgomery Athletic Club

Shirley Miller had a 75-yard touchdown run for Alabama in this 16–0 shutout victory over the Montgomery Athletic Club.[4]

Ole Miss

In what was the first road game for Alabama since the 1895 season, the Crimsons traveled to Jackson, Mississippi and defeated Ole Miss, 7–5, at Driving Park before 600 spectators.[6][7] After Alabama took a 2–0 lead following a blocked punt for a safety, Mississippi scored their only points of the game on a short touchdown run for the 5–2 lead. In the second half, Alabama scored the game-winning touchdown on an A. M. Donahoo run for the 7–5 victory.[6][7] The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi to 1–1.[11]

New Orleans Athletic Club

The day after their victory over Ole Miss, Alabama traveled to New Orleans and lost, 21–0, to the New Orleans Athletic Club in the final game of the season.[8]

Players

Alabama Crimson White 1899 roster[4]

Guards

  • C. A. Brown
  • Thomas William Wert

Tackles

  • C. M. Plowman
  • John McCorquodale
 Center
  • J. F. Stickney

Ends

  • Frank H. Gamble
  • M. H. Hurt
 Backs
  • Forney Johnston
  • John Lancaster
  • A. M. Donahoo
  • F. S. White
 Substitutes
  • John Coleman
  • J. C. Granade
  • W. A. McCreary
  • B. F. McMillan
  • H. L. Reeder
  • Shirley Miller
  • J. R. Forman

Notes

  1. ^ Alabama football teams were not referred to as the "Crimson Tide" until the 1907 season. Prior to 1907, the team was called the "Crimson White" from 1893 to 1906 and the "Cadets" in 1892.[1][2]
  2. ^ For the 1899 season, point values were different from those used in contemporary games. In 1897 a touchdown was worth four points, a field goal was worth five points and an extra point (PAT) was worth two points.[10]

References

  1. ^ "How the Crimson Tide got its name". bryantmuseum.ua.edu. Paul W. Bryant Museum. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  2. ^ Kennedy, Scott (April 8, 1992). "Tide football tradition began with 1892 team". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 2F. Retrieved June 30, 2013 – via Google News Archives.
  3. ^ a b Griffin, John Chandler (2001). "1896: Trustees Thwart Alabama". Alabama vs. Auburn: Gridiron Grudge Since 1893. Athens, Georgia: Hill Street Press. p. 13. ISBN 1-58818-044-1.
  4. ^ a b c d e "1899 Season Recap" (PDF). RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  5. ^ "Montgomery boys' magnificent showing". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 12, 1899. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Alabama 7, Mississippi 5". The Times-Democrat. November 25, 1899. p. 7. Retrieved October 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  7. ^ a b c "Alabama 7, Mississippi 5". The Times-Picayune. November 25, 1899. p. 6. Retrieved October 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  8. ^ a b "Southern Athletic eleven's debut: Defeating the University of Alabama's clever team". The Times-Picayune. November 26, 1899. p. 8. Retrieved October 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  9. ^ "1899 Alabama football schedule". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  10. ^ "Scoring values". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  11. ^ "Alabama vs Mississippi". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
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