Chicago vs. Knox, October 4, 1902 🏈

Let's step back in time to the early days of college football! On October 4, 1902, the University of Chicago Maroons hosted the Knox College at Marshall Field in Chicago. This early-season matchup was a defensive slugfest, won by University of Chicago by a score of 5 - 0.

The Game & The Score

The Maroons, coached by the legendary Amos Alonzo Stagg, managed a hard-fought 5–0 victory over the Knox team. At the time, a touchdown was only worth 5 points, and there was no extra point awarded. For the heavily favored Maroons, a 5–0 score against a smaller college like Knox was considered a bit of a nail-biter and a "ragged" performance according to some reports, as Knox played exceptionally well, especially in the first half.

Game/Trophy Ball from 1902 University of Chicago vs Knox College

Notable Players

While the 1902 season featured several prominent players for both teams, here are a few of the more well-known names from this era of Midwestern football:

• For the University of Chicago Maroons:

• Frederick Speik: A prominent player on the team, later becoming an Olympic athlete and respected physician.

• James Sheldon: Scored the lone touchdown for the Maroons in this particular game, securing the victory.

• Hugo Francis Bezdek was a student at the University of Chicago and a member of the football team from 1902–1905. The team roster for the 1902 season lists him as a right halfback for the Chicago Maroons. A contemporary newspaper snippet mentions him being a "star" in a game just a few days before the Knox match. He later achieved third-team All-America honors in 1905. He would become a legendary football coach for Penn State as well as manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• For the Knox College:

• R.T. Ewing: Served as the Captain for the strong 1902 Knox team, which went on to have a great season, famously defeating Notre Dame 12–5 later that year.

• Coach John McLean: Guided the Knox team to one of their best seasons on record, including the narrow loss to Chicago.

The Maroons finished their 1902 season with an impressive 11–1 record, ultimately ranked as one of the best teams in the nation, showing just how tough this early-season contest was for them.