Wyoming 14, Cheyenne High School 0
Feb. 22, 1894; at Laramie
The Laramie Boomerang’s play-by-play account of the game is nearly complete, providing great detail about the first official game in UW history. The game was one of two played in Laramie that day.
Here are portions of the account of the scene from the Boomerang (2/23):
“ … When the special train arrived in the morning from Cheyenne there were several hundred people at the depot and the university and athletic club colors fluttered from the garments of a large number. The morning had dawned suspiciously and at 11:20 when the train arrived the extreme coldness of the night before was giving place to genial warmth. The supreme court judges had temporarily tossed aside the judicial ermine and united with the howling football enthusiasts. Other prominent citizens were among the number.
“ … First, the university team defeated the Cheyenne high school boys in the most emphatic manner. As one of the Fort Russell men said, ‘They showed them superior in every way, and had a more thorough comprehension of the game than their opponents,’ who were unable to score. Capt. Coburn of the university team was unable to play, but the captaincy and generalship of the team fell on able shoulders, those of Herbert Brees. His tall form was in the thickest of the fray. He seemed to simply pick out a small fellow in the Cheyenne ranks and jump over his head. …
“Lieut. Davis was referee and Prof. Niswander umpire.”
The Boomerang reporting notes that the university team fumbled deep in Cheyenne territory on both of its first drives, Cheyenne recovering both. Herbert Brees scored the first points of the game on a 1-yard center buck play for a touchdown (four points), and he added the point after touchdown from 25 yards away (two points).
Wyoming’s next two drives ended in another fumble and then a turnover on downs. However, Cheyenne was having little luck with its offensive sets and never threatened to score — barely threatening to advance in a positive direction. Wyoming led 6-0 at halftime.
The university team scored on its first drive of the second half on what was called a “criss-cross” play by the Boomerang, as the ball was snapped to the quarterback, then given to UW’s Chase, who then tossed to Cordiner (which one of the two in the UW lineup is unclear), who ran around Cheyenne’s left end for the score. Brees’ extra-point attempt failed, and the score remained 10-0.
The final score of the game came after the teams had traded possession a couple times, as Brees “opened the throats of every one by going between Cheyenne’s right guard and tackle and by fine interference play of the team he ran into goal and touched down,” the Boomerang reported. He again missed the kick after touchdown, though, keeping the score 14-0. Neither team threatened to score after that, and the game ended at 1:25 p.m.
==
The account of the first game from the Laramie Republican (2/22) reads, in full:
“THE UNIVERSITY GAME.
“Cheyenne Not in it From First to Last.
“The grounds were cleared for the game between the high school of Cheyenne and the university boys at precisely 11:45 o’clock, and the playing was splendid throughout. The Cheyenne boys were never in it from the start, and although they towered above their opponents in height and were considerably heavier, they were clearly out-classed by the compact little fellows who opposed them.
“A glaring defect on the part of the high school boys was their lack of team work. This was one point which scored heavily against them. The score of 14 to 0 showed they were not in it with the university boys.
“The young players lined up as follows then Umpire Niswander called play:
High school Position University
Mercer center rush Kleeman
Quinby right guard Henke
Shaver left guard Gillette
Hay right tackle Chase
Moore left tackle Turner
Matthews right end Wilson
Draper left end Cook
Kelly right half back Cordiner
Voorhees left half back Cordiner
Artist full back Brees
Chaffin quarter back Moir
“From the very start the boys played a fast and furious game. It was noticeable that the rush line of the university boys was immeasurably superior to that of their opponents, who seemed powerless to stop the frantic rushes made by the home team.
“Several of the boys were pretty roughly handled during the game, but the only real unfortunate was George Cordiner, who was thrown down and stepped on with so much force as to cause a fracture of his breastbone. Young Cordiner had been playing a magnificent game, and so excited was he when Dr. Barber ordered him taken from the field that he actually cried with vexation because he was not allowed to continue playing.
“Cordiner’s place was then filled by Charles Kuster.
“Herbert Brees, full back for the home eleven, proved a perfect terror to his opponents, and with splendid interference given him would dart through the lines of the Cheyenne boys almost at will.
“The playing of Sam Wilson on the right end was also fine, and whenever a Cheyenne boy came within Wilson’s clutches he was promptly thrown to earth with a vehemence that was startling.
“Every member of the university team played with a vim that brought forth frequent bursts of applause, and each and everyone of them can claim just title to the honor of being a member of the champion junior football team of Wyoming.
“The Cheyenne boys made a manly struggle all the way through, but were obligated to succumb to the inevitable after making one of the pluckiest fights on record.”
==
The UW-CHS game was actually the first of two games on the day. The latter game was actually the more anticipated game, that between a team of soldiers from Cheyenne’s Fort Russell and the Laramie town team. Fort Russell won that game 6-4, but the Fort Russell players also left the gridiron before the final gun as the Laramie team drove toward the goal line. Apparently, the soldiers felt it was a better idea to leave the field while ahead than take the risk of falling behind.
Even so, the day was overwhelmingly positive, the mood optimistic. The teams met up afterward for a reception and dancing, with no ill will about the results. The Republican (2/22) reported about both games:
“February 22nd, 1894 will long be remembered in Laramie. It was a great day in every sense of the word. Aside from the victory achieved by the Gem City’s two football teams over their doughty and over-sanguine antagonists from over the hill, kind nature made the day as perfect as one could desire. The reception in the evening and particularly the grand masquerade ball given by Custer post G.A.R., will go down on record as among the most successful events ever held here and thus citizens in general have good reason for congratulating themselves that yesterday proved one of the most pleasurable occasions in years.
“Of course the football games were the most interesting of the day’s features and it is estimated that fully 800 persons attended the university grounds to see the athletic events carried off. Among the visitors to the city were fully 250 residents of Cheyenne, who proceeded to enjoy themselves as only visitors bent on a pleasure jaunt can.
“A special train conveyed the Cheyenne contingent to the city, reaching here at about 11 o’clock in the morning and the sports of the day began with the collegiate football game at 11:45 and wound up with the gigantic fizzle incident to the termination of the Laramie-Fort Russell football game in the afternoon.”
UW’s first official game was in the books as a university victory. More would follow, and so much — including the establishment of a mascot, school colors, formalized player eligibility, a permanent stadium, permanent coaches — was yet to come.
Every Poke point: Herbert Brees, 2 TDs, 1 XP; George Cordiner, 1 TD. Total 14 points.
Wyoming lineup: Kleeman, Henke, Gillette, Chase, Turner, Wilson, Cook, Cordiner, Cordiner, Brees, Moir.
Lineups, published the day of the game in the Boomerang (2/22/94):
Cheyenne High: Asa Mercer, center rush; L. Quimby, right guard; Philip Shaver, left guard; Harry G. Hay, right tackle; Waldo Moore, left tackle; Alfred Matthews, right end; Claud Draper, left end; Will Kelly, right half back; G.H. Voorhees, left half back; Ed Artist, full back; Howard Chaffin, captain and quarterback.
UW: Louis Kleeman, center; L.R. Gillette, left guard; Rudolph Henke, right guard; James Turner, left tackle; J.L. Chase, right tackle; Harry Cook, left end; Sam Wilson, right end; Andrew Cordiner, left half back; Harol Coburn, right half back; Frank Moir, quarter back; Herbert Brees, full back.
CHS 0 0 – 0
Wyo 6 8 – 14
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