1893 Navy Midshipmen football team

The 1893 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy during the 1893 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach John A. Hartwell, the Midshipmen compiled a 5–3 record, shut out two opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined score of 122 to 78.^[1][2]

1893 Navy Midshipmen football
Conference	Independent
Record	5–3
Head coach	John A. Hartwell (1st season)
Captain	Art Kavanagh
Home stadium	Worden Field
Seasons ← 1892 1894 →

1893 Southern college football independents records

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Maryland			–					6	–	0	–	0
Texas			–					4	–	0	–	0
Central (KY)			–					2	–	0	–	0
Howard			–					2	–	0	–	0
North Carolina A&M			–					2	–	0	–	0
Vanderbilt			–					6	–	1	–	0
Auburn			–					3	–	0	–	2
Virginia			–					8	–	2	–	0
Ole Miss			–					4	–	1	–	0
Centre			–					4	–	1	–	0
Trinity (NC)			–					3	–	1	–	0
VMI			–					3	–	1	–	0
Kentucky State College			–					5	–	2	–	1
Delaware			–					2	–	1	–	0
Georgia Tech			–					2	–	1	–	0
Guilford			–					2	–	1	–	0
West Virginia			–					2	–	1	–	0
William & Mary			–					2	–	1	–	0
Navy			–					5	–	3	–	0
Richmond			–					3	–	2	–	0
Georgetown			–					4	–	4	–	0
Sewanee			–					3	–	3	–	0
Furman			–					1	–	1	–	0
Georgia			–					2	–	2	–	1
Western Maryland			–					1	–	1	–	0
Johns Hopkins			–					2	–	3	–	2
North Carolina			–					3	–	4	–	0
Tennessee			–					2	–	4	–	0
Tulane			–					1	–	2	–	0
Wake Forest			–					1	–	2	–	0
Hampden–Sydney			–					0	–	1	–	0
LSU			–					0	–	1	–	0
Maryville (TN)			–					0	–	1	–	0
Mercer			–					0	–	1	–	0
Wofford			–					0	–	1	–	0
VAMC			–					0	–	2	–	0
Alabama			–					0	–	4	–	0

Football in 1893

American football in 1893 was a variant of rugby football, played with a rugby ball and making use of rules closely derived from the original sport. The field of play was 110 yards long and 53-1/3 yards wide, with chalk lines every five yards to help the referee determine necessary distances.^[3] Forward passing was prohibited; only lateral passing or running with the ball was allowed.^[4] Teams of eleven were divided into seven "rushers or forwards" positioned at the line of scrimmage, with four backs behind the line — a quarterback just behind the line, two halfbacks located about two yards behind him, and a fullback or "goal-tend," who stood about a dozen yards behind the halfbacks.^[5]

Kickoffs were generally executed by kicking the ball forward slightly for a self-recovery and quick lateral pass to a teammate who carried the ball in the middle of a V-shaped blocking wedge of his teammates.^[6] When the ball was brought to a standstill, the runner would cry "down" and a line of scrimmage formed, with the "center-rusher" (also called the "snap-back") hiking the ball to the quarterback.^[6] The quarterback would generally pitch the ball to one of the three backs behind him to attempt to run forward, while the defenders would "endeavor by all lawful means to retard that advance."^[7]

The offense would retain the ball if it was able to gain 5 yards in three downs — or by retreating 20 yards towards their own goal line.^[8] The ball would generally be punted away after two downs "if the prospects of completing the 5-yard gain appear small."^[8]

A touchdown counted as 4 points and allowed the scoring team the opportunity to add 2 more points by kicking the ball over the crossbar and through the goal posts, which were planted at the goal line.^[9] After a touchdown, the scoring team had the option of bringing out the ball as far as desired at a right angle from the point at which the ball crossed the goal line (as in modern rugby) and attempting a place kick, or by executing a "punt out" from the end zone to a teammate making a fair catch, from which spot a drop-kick for the extra points could be attempted.^[10]

A drop kick through the goal posts from the field counted as 5 points.^[9] As with the contemporary game, safties counted for 2 points.^[11]

The game consisted of two 45-minute halves with an intermission of 10 minutes, although duration of the game could be shortened by mutual consent.^[11] No coaching was allowed from the sidelines, all game decisions had to be made by the players on the field.^[12] Once removed from the game for a substitute, a player could not return to the game (as in modern soccer).^[13]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 11	Penn	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	L 0–34	[14]
October 14	Dickinson	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	W 26–0	[15]
October 21	Virginia	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	W 28–0	[16]
October 28	Lehigh	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	L 6–12	[17]
November 4	Georgetown	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	W 22–10	[18]
November 18	Franklin & Marshall	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	W 34–6
November 22	Virginia	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	L 0–12	[19]
December 2	Army	Worden Field Annapolis, MD (Army–Navy Game)	W 6–4	[20]

References

1. "Football History" (PDF). United States Naval Academy. p. 188. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
2. "Navy Yearly Results (1890-1894)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
3. Walter Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," in Camp (ed.), Foot-ball Rules and Referee's Book for the Season of 1893–94. New York: A.G. Spalding & Bros., 1893; pp. 3–4.
4. Walter Camp (ed.), "Foot-ball Rules of the American Intercollegiate Association," in Camp (ed.), Foot-ball Rules and Referee's Book for the Season of 1893–94. New York: A.G. Spalding & Bros., 1893; p. 23.
5. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 5.
6. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 6.
7. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," pp. 6–7.
8. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 7.
9. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 9.
10. Camp (ed.), "Foot-ball Rules of the American Intercollegiate Association," p. 27.
11. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 11.
12. Camp (ed.), "Foot-ball Rules of the American Intercollegiate Association," p. 19.
13. Camp (ed.), "Foot-ball Rules of the American Intercollegiate Association," p. 17.
14. "Pennsylvania 34, Annapolis 0". The Washington Post. October 12, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Cadets trounce Dickinson". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 15, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Naval Cadets defeat the U. of V." The Roanoke Times. October 22, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Lehigh 12, Cadets 6". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 29, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Middies make touch-downs; No trouble for them to geat Georgetown College at Annapolis". The New York Times. November 12, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Virginians get even". Richmond Dispatch. November 23, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "The Navy victorious; West Point lost to Annapolis Cadets at football". The World. December 3, 1893. Retrieved April 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.