1902 Alabama Crimson White football team

The 1902 Alabama Crimson White football team^{[A 1]} (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1902 college football season. The team was led by head coach Eli Abbott, in his only season of his second stint (fourth season overall), and played their home games at The Quad in Tuscaloosa and at West End Park in Birmingham, Alabama. James O. Heyworth served as a co-head coach with Abbott for the season. In what was the tenth season of Alabama football, the team finished with a record of four wins and four losses (4–4, 2–4 SIAA).

1902 Alabama Crimson White football
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	4–4 (2–4 SIAA)
Head coach	Eli Abbott (4th season)
Captain	James Forman
Home stadium	The Quad West End Park
Seasons ← 1901 1903 →

1902 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Clemson $	5	–	0	–	0			6	–	1	–	0
Vanderbilt	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
LSU +	5	–	1	–	0			6	–	1	–	0
Texas	4	–	1	–	0			6	–	3	–	1
Sewanee	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Tennessee	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Georgia	3	–	2	–	1			4	–	2	–	1
Ole Miss	3	–	3	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Nashville	2	–	2	–	0			2	–	4	–	0
Auburn	2	–	4	–	1			2	–	4	–	1
Alabama	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	0
Cumberland (TN)	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Tulane	0	–	3	–	2			1	–	4	–	2
Furman	0	–	2	–	1			4	–	3	–	4
Georgia Tech	0	–	4	–	2			0	–	6	–	2
Mississippi A&M	0	–	4	–	1			1	–	4	–	1
Kentucky State	0	–	2	–	0			4	–	6	–	1
$ – Conference champion + LSU claims a co-championship[1]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 10	Birmingham High School*	The Quad Tuscaloosa, AL	W 57–0	[4]
October 13	Marion Military Institute*	The Quad Tuscaloosa, AL	W 81–0	[5]
October 18	Auburn	West End Park Birmingham, AL (rivalry)	L 0–23	[6]
November 1	Georgia	West End Park Birmingham, AL (rivalry)	L 0–5	[7]
November 8	Mississippi A&M	The Quad Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	W 27–0	[8]
November 18	Texas	The Quad Tuscaloosa, AL	L 0–10	[9]
November 27	Georgia Tech	West End Park Birmingham, AL (rivalry)	W 26–0	[10]
November 29	LSU	The Quad Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	L 0–11	[11]
*Non-conference game

• Scoring note:^{[A 2]}

Game summaries

Birmingham High School

Alabama opened the 1902 season with a 57–0 victory over Birmingham High School in Tuscaloosa.^[13] The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Birmingham High School to 2–0.^[14]

Marion Military Institute

Against the Marion Military Institute, Alabama scored the most offensive points in the young history of the program with their 81–0 victory.^[13] In the game touchdowns were scored by Frederick Grist Stickney and W. H. Arrington (with three each); Frank Montague Lett, William Swift Sherrill and James Forman (with two each); and R. L. Lodge, H. M. Smith and Gessner T. McCorvery (with one each).^[15]

Auburn

See also: 1902 Auburn Tigers football team and Iron Bowl

Against the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now known as Auburn University) Alabama was defeated 23–0 at West End Park in Birmingham.^[16] Auburn took an 11–0 lead in the first half on a one-yard H. A. Allison touchdown run and a ten-yard Bill Patterson touchdown run.^[16] Auburn then scored their final points of the game on a pair of Allison touchdown runs of 75 and two yards for the 23–0 victory.^[16] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Auburn to 1–6.^[17]

Georgia

See also: 1902 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Against the University of Georgia, Alabama was shut out for the second consecutive game with their 5–0 loss at Birmingham.^[15] Marvin M. Dickinson scored the only touchdown of the game for Georgia in the second half.^[15] Alabama was trying to tie up the game late, but time expired as the Tide reached the Georgia twelve-yard line.^[15] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Georgia to 0–2–1.^[18]

Mississippi A&M

See also: 1902 Mississippi A&M Aggies football team

After consecutive losses, Alabama defeated the Aggies of Mississippi A&M (now known as Mississippi State University) 27–0 on The Quad.^[13] Alabama scored touchdowns in the first half on runs by Frederick Grist Stickney, 45-yards by Auxford Burks and 30-yards by James Forman.^[15] In the second half, touchdowns were scored on runs of 20-yards from Burks and a Stickney run.^[15] The victory brought Alabama's all-time record against Mississippi A&M (Mississippi State) to 3–0.^[19]

Texas

See also: 1902 Texas Longhorns football team

In the first all-time meeting against the University of Texas, Alabama lost 10–0 on The Quad.^[13] In a game dominated by both defenses early, Texas scored their first touchdown with only 0:13 remaining in the first half on a ten-yard John A. Jackson. He then scored the only other touchdown in the second half for the 10–0 Longhorn victory.^[15]

Georgia Tech

See also: 1902 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

In the first all-time meeting against Georgia Tech, Alabama won 26–0 at Birmingham.^[13] Alabama took a 5–0 halftime lead after James Forman scored the only points of the first half on a seven-yard touchdown run.^[15] Alabama then scored four second half touchdown from Forman, Frederick Grist Stickney and two by Auxford Burks for the 26–0 victory.^[15]

LSU

See also: 1902 LSU Tigers football team

Alabama closed the 1902 season two days after their victory over Georgia Tech with an 11–0 loss against LSU at Tuscaloosa.^[15] Henry Landry scored both touchdowns for LSU in the victory.^[15] The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against LSU to 0–2.^[20]

Players

Guards

• W. H. Arrington
• Harmon Burns
• J. C. Fortune
• J. C. Granade
• Frank Montague Lett

Tackles

• R. L. Daniel
• James Forman
• H. H. Jones

Center

• James C. Gwin

Ends

• R. L. Lodge
• John Roberts Peavy
• W. S. Sherrill

Backs

• Auxford Burks
• G. M. Edwards
• Gessner T. McCorvery
• W. McMahon
• H. M. Smith
• Frederick Grist Stickney
• W. S. Wyatt
• Cecil Hugh Young

Source:^[15]

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.^[2][3]
2. For the 1902 season, point values were different from those used in contemporary games. In 1902 a touchdown was worth five points, a field goal was worth five points and a conversion (PAT) was worth one point.^[12]

References

1. "2017 LSU Tigers Media Guide" (PDF). Louisiana State Athletics. p. 107. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
2. "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.
3. 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.
4. "Tuscaloosa scored at will with only part of her regular team". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 11, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Marion was a very easy mark". The Birmingham News. October 14, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Tuscaloosa could not score and Auburn's team gave them a good drubbing". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 19, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Georgia won by hard struggle". The Atlanta Constitution. November 2, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Mississippi goes down before varsity". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 9, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Texas won, score 10–0". Austin Daily Statesman. November 19, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Techs plucky but outclassed". The Atlanta Constitution. November 28, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Result of the last game of the season was 11 to 0". The Tuskaloosa Gazette. November 30, 1901. Retrieved February 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Scoring values". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
13. "1902 Alabama football schedule". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
14. "Alabama vs Birmingham High School". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on May 11, 2004. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
15. "1902 Season Recap" (PDF). RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
16. Griffin, John Chandler (2001). "1902: The Tigers win in an upset". Alabama vs. Auburn: Gridiron Grudge Since 1893. Athens, Georgia: Hill Street Press. pp. 24–25. ISBN 1-58818-044-1.
17. "Alabama vs Auburn". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
18. "Alabama vs Georgia". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
19. "Alabama vs Mississippi State". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
20. "Alabama vs LSU". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2011.