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Michigan State Normal Normalites football, 1891–1899

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The Michigan State Normal Normalites football teams (later known as the Eastern Michigan Eagles) represented the Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) in American football during the program's first decade from 1891 to 1899. Highlights of the decade include the following:

The team's most common opponents of the 1890s were Ann Arbor High School (seven games), the University of Michigan (four games), Albion College (three games), Hillsdale College (three games), the Toledo YMCA (three games), Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University, two games), the Detroit Athletic Club (two games), and Ypsilanti High School (two games).

1891

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1891 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceIndependent
Head coach
Seasons
1892 →
1891 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Ohio Wesleyan – 4–0–0
Kansas – 7–0–1
Illinois – 5–1–0
Missouri – 3–1–0
Lake Forest – 6–2–0
Washington University – 4–1–1
Minnesota – 3–1–1
Wisconsin – 3–1–1
Cincinnati – 4–2–1
Iowa – 3–2–0
Doane – 2–2–0
Iowa College – 1–1–1
Miami (OH) – 1–1–0
Nebraska – 2–2–0
Northwestern – 2–2–3
Michigan – 4–5–0
Ohio State – 2–3–0
Case – 1–2–0
Buchtel – 1–3–0
Washburn – 1–5–0
Michigan State Normal – 0–2–0

The 1891 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1891 college football season. In the first season of intercollegiate football at Michigan Normal, the Normalites played only two games, losing to Ann Arbor High School (30–3) and the University of Michigan literary team (30–0). James M. Swift was the team's coach.[1]

The school's 1893 yearbook credits coach Swift with introducing "scientific football" to the school.[2]

The Detroit Free Press reported on the first Michigan Normal football game as follows: "Today witnessed the inaugural game of foot ball in this city [Ypsilanti] between the Ann Arbor High School and the Normals. The Normals began practicing less than a fortnight ago with some good material, including Paton, formerly manager of athletic sports at Oberlin College, and Swift, of Massachusetts, a noted player. Dergan, the norma sprinter, has turned out to be an excellent quarter-back, and the entire team with little practice will surely develop into a winning eleven."[3] Dorgan scored a touchdown in the first half (counting for four points at that time) for the first points scored in the program's history.[3]

The players who participated in Michigan Normal's first season of college football included George H Adams, Walter M. Adrion, Frank E. Angevine, Frank E. Arthur, and James M. Swift.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResult
October 24Ann Arbor High SchoolYpsilanti, MIL 4–30
Michigan LitAnn Arbor, MIL 0–30

[4]

1892

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1892 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceIndependent
Head coach
CaptainGeorge L. Wilson
Seasons
← 1891
1893 →
1892 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Oberlin – 7–0–0
Case – 3–0–0
Iowa Agricultural – 1–0–1
Notre Dame – 1–0–1
Chicago – 8–4–1
Michigan State Normal – 2–1–0
Illinois – 7–4–1
Ohio State – 5–3–0
Washington University – 3–2–0
Hillsdale – 3–2–1
Doane – 1–1–0
Heidelberg – 1–1–0
Miami (OH) – 2–2–0
Buchtel – 3–4–0
Lake Forest – 2–3–0
Cincinnati – 1–2–0
Marquette – 1–2–0
Ohio Wesleyan – 1–3–0
Wittenberg – 0–2–1
St. Ignatius College – 0–1–0
Washburn – 0–2–0
Kalamazoo – 0–2–0

The 1892 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1892 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Dean W. Kelley, the Normalites compiled a record of 2–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 36 to 30. George L. Wilson was the team captain.[1]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
October 15at Ann Arbor High SchoolAnn Arbor, MIL 0–16[1]
October 29 at Michigan junior lawsAnn Arbor, MIW 6–4[1]
November 2AlbionYpsilanti, MIW 30–10[5]
November 10at Michigan Athletic AssociationDetroit, MICancelled[6]

[4]

1893

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1893 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceIndependent
Head coach
CaptainJ. M. Swift
Seasons
← 1892
1894 →
1893 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Case – 4–0–0
Miami (OH) – 3–0–0
Baker – 5–0–1
Oberlin – 6–1–0
Hillsdale – 4–1–0
Notre Dame – 4–1–0
Buchtel – 5–2–0
Butler – 4–2–0
Michigan State Normal – 4–2–0
Chicago – 6–4–2
Beloit – 4–3–0
Illinois – 3–2–3
Lake Forest – 3–2–3
Doane – 2–2–0
Heidelberg – 2–2–0
Kansas State Normal – 1–1–0
Wabash – 3–3–0
Washburn – 1–1–1
Washington University – 1–1–0
Ohio State – 4–5–0
Wittenberg – 2–3–0
Mount Union – 1–2–0
Drake – 0–2–1
Baldwin–Wallace – 0–1–0
College of Emporia – 0–1–0
Ohio Wesleyan – 0–1–0
Kalamazoo – 0–2–0
Iowa Agricultural – 0–3–0
Cincinnati – 0–6–0

The 1893 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1893 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Ernest P. Goodrich, the Normalites compiled a record of 4–2, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 116 to 100. J. M. Swift was the team captain.[1]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
Lit. Students '96Ypsilanti, MIW 16–8[1]
October 28at HillsdaleHillsdale, MIL 0–28[7]
November 4at Detroit High School
W 14–10[8]
November 11Ann Arbor High SchoolYpsilanti, MIW 42–12[9]
November 18Michigan Military AcademyYpsilanti, MIL 22–36200[10]
at Fort WayneFort Wayne, INW 22–6[1]

[4]

1894

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1894 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceMichigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record5–2 (0–1 MIAA)
Head coach
CaptainCharles D. Livingston
Seasons
← 1893
1895 →
1894 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Albion $3–0–05–1–1
Hillsdale1–2–03–3–0
Olivet1–2–01–3–0
Michigan State Normal0–1–05–2–0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1894 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1894 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Verne S. Bennett, the Normalites compiled a record of 5–2 and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 176 to 70. Charles D. Livingston was the team captain.[1]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 29Ann Arbor High School*Ypsilanti, MIW 18–0
October 6at OlivetOlivet, MIL 0–48
October 13Michigan reserves*Ypsilanti, MIW 18–4
October 27Ypsilanti High School*Ypsilanti, MIW 36–0
November 3Toledo Athletic Association*Ypsilanti, MIW 76–0
November 17at Michigan Athletic Association*Detroit, MIW 18–6[11]
November 24at Ann Arbor High SchoolAnn Arbor, MIL 10–12
  • *Non-conference game

[4]

1895

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1895 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceIndependent
Head coach
CaptainBenjamin J. Watters
Seasons
← 1894
1896 →
1895 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Miami (OH) – 3–0–0
Carthage – 2–0–0
Washington University – 2–0–0
Michigan – 8–1–0
Chicago – 10–3–0
Wittenberg – 5–2–0
Minnesota – 7–3–0
Wisconsin – 5–2–1
Wabash – 6–3–0
Baldwin–Wallace – 3–1–0
Notre Dame – 3–1–0
Illinois – 4–2–1
Buchtel – 3–2–0
College of Emporia – 3–2–0
Doane – 3–2–0
Chicago P&S – 3–2–1
Purdue – 4–3–0
Indiana – 4–3–1
Northwestern – 6–5–0
Butler – 2–2–0
Cincinnati – 3–3–0
Kalamazoo – 1–1–0
Michigan State Normal – 3–3–0
North Dakota Agricultural – 1–1–0
North Dakota – 1–1–0
Ohio State – 4–4–2
Iowa Agricultural – 3–4–0
Ohio – 2–3–0
Rush-Lake Forest – 4–6–0
Ohio Wesleyan – 2–4–1
Haskell – 1–2–0
Iowa State Normal – 1–2–0
Lake Forest – 1–2–0
Northwestern Law – 1–2–0
Drake – 1–4–0

The 1895 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1895 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Marcus Cutler, the Normalites compiled a record of 3–3, and outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 119 to 54. Benjamin J. Watters was the team captain.[1]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResult
October 4at AtlantisW 9–8
October 5at Ann Arbor High SchoolAnn Arbor, MIW 32–0
October 12at Michigan reservesAnn Arbor, MIL 0–10
October 26at St. Mary'sL 10–24
November 2Michigan LitsYpsilanti, MIW 56–6
November 16at Detroit Athletic ClubDetroit, MichiganL 12–16

[4]

1896

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1896 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
MIAA champion
ConferenceMichigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record5–1 (2–0 MIAA)
Head coach
CaptainCharles D. Livingston
Seasons
← 1895
1897 →

The 1896 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1896 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Fred W. Green, the Normalites compiled a record of 5–1, shut out five of six opponents, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 116 to 18. Benjamin J. Watters was the team captain.[1]

As of September 27, 1896, as the football season began, the enrollment at Michigan State Normal School was approximately 800 students.[12]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 27HillsdaleYpsilanti, MIW 18–0[13]
October 3at Michigan*
L 0–18[14][15]
October 17at Ann Arbor High School*Ann Arbor, MIW 30–0[16]
November 7AlbionYpsilanti, MIW 52–0[17]
November 14Detroit Athletic Club*Ypsilanti, MIW 10–0[18][19]
November 26Ypsilanti Stars*Ypsilanti, MIW 6–0[20]
  • *Non-conference game

[4]

1897

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1897 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceMichigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record3–2 (1–1 MIAA)
Head coach
CaptainGeorge L. Wilson
Seasons
← 1896
1898 →

The 1897 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1897 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Andrew Bird Glaspie, the Normalites compiled a record of 3–2 and outscored opponents by a total of 54 to 50. George L. Wilson was the team captain.[1]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 25Michigan alumni*Ypsilanti, MIW 24–0
October 2at Michigan*
L 0–241,200[21]
October 30at AlbionAlbion, MIW 18–6[22]
November 6at Toledo YMCA*Toledo, OHW 12–4
November 252:45 p.m.KalamazooYpsilanti, MIL 0–16[23]
  • *Non-conference game

[4]

1898

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1898 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceMichigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record1–5–2 (0–3 MIAA)
Head coach
CaptainFred Q. Gorton
Seasons
← 1897
1899 →
1898 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Kalamazoo $5–0–07–0–0
Hillsdale2–0–04–1–0
Michigan Agricultural4–1–04–3–0
Michigan State Normal0–3–01–5–2
Olivet0–3–00–5–0
Albion0–4–01–6–0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1898 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal School (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1898 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Enoch Thorne, the Normalites compiled a record of 1–5–2, failed to score in five of eight games played, and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 100 to 19. Fred Q. Gorton was the team captain.[1]

Enrollment at Michigan State Normal reached 915 students in October 1898.[24]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
October 1at Michigan*
L 0–25[25]
October 8Michigan AgriculturalYpsilanti, MIL 6–11
October 15at Toledo YMCA*Toledo, OHL 0–16
October 29Toledo YMCA*Ypsilanti, MIT 0–0[26]
November 12Alumni*Ypsilanti, MIT 0–0[27]
November 15at Ypsilanti High School*Ypsilanti, MIW 7–0
November 19at Michigan AgriculturalEast Lansing, MIL 6–24
at HillsdaleHillsdale, MIL 0–24
  • *Non-conference game

[4]

1899

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1899 Michigan State Normal Normalites football
ConferenceMichigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record1–1–1 (0–1 MIAA)
Head coach
CaptainGeorge L. Wood
Seasons
← 1898
1900 →

The 1899 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team represented Michigan State Normal College (later renamed Eastern Michigan University) during the 1899 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Dwight Watson, the Normalites compiled a record of 1–1–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 29 to 23. George L. Wood was the team captain. They played the University of Michigan freshman team to 5-5 tie, lost to Michigan Agricultural College by an 18-0 score, and defeated the Toledo YMCA team, 24-0.[1]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
October 30at Michigan freshmen*Ann Arbor, MIT 5–5
November 11Michigan AgriculturalYpsilanti, MIL 0–18[28]
November 18Toledo YMCA*Ypsilanti, MIW 24–0
  • *Non-conference game

[4]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "2015 Eastern Michigan Football Digital Media Guide" (PDF). Eastern Michigan University Football. pp. 158, 170. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  2. ↑ The Aurora, Michigan State Normal School, 1893, p. 85
  3. 1 2 "Ann Arbor High School, 30; Normals, 4". Detroit Free Press. October 25, 1891. p. 19.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "2024 Eastern Football Media Guide" (PDF). Eastern Michigan Athletics. p. 146. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Normal, 30; Albion, 10: and Only One Serious Accident". Detroit Free Press. October 30, 1892. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Sporting Miscellany". Detroit Free Press. November 11, 1892. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Hillsdale Defeats Ypsilanti". Detroit Free Press. October 29, 1893. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Normal Beat the High School". Detroit Free Press. November 5, 1893. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Normal, 42; Ann Arbor, 12". Detroit Free Press. November 12, 1893. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Cadets Walloped the Teachers". Detroit Free Press. November 19, 1893. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Michigan Played a Strong Game". Detroit Free Press. November 18, 1894. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "The State Normal". Detroit Free Press. September 27, 1896. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Normal Eleven Beat Hillsdale". Detroit Free Press. September 27, 1896. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "They Scored Eighteen: Michigan's Eleven Won the First Game of the Year". Detroit Free Press. October 4, 1896. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Practice with Normal School: Michigan's New Men Put Up a Creditable Game". Detroit Free Press. October 4, 1896. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Football Notes". Detroit Free Press. October 18, 1896. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Normals Took Albion In". Detroit Free Press. November 8, 1896. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "D.A.C. - Toledo Game Off for a Week". Detroit Free Press. November 14, 1896. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Normals' Side of Affair". Detroit Free Press. November 22, 1896. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "In Various Ways: How Normal Students Spent Their Vacation Last Week". Detroit Free Press. November 29, 1896. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "Win the First Game: Normalites Defeated by an Overwhelming Score". The U. of M. Daily. October 4, 1897. p. 1 – via Bentley Historical Library.
  22. ↑ "Albion Not Heavy Enough for Ypsilanti". The Detroit Free Press. October 31, 1897. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "The College Game—Was A Walkaway For Kalamazoo Boys". Kalamazoo Gazette. Kalamazoo, Michigan. November 27, 1897. p. 1. Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  24. ↑ "State Normal". Detroit Free Press. October 9, 1898. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "Trying Out Men: U. of M. Coaches Had Twenty-Four in the Normal Game; Three Touchdowns in Fair Shape Marked the First Half; The line Slowed Down in Second, One Score Being Made". Detroit Free Press. October 2, 1898.
  26. ↑ "State Normal". Detroit Free Press. October 30, 1898. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ "Tie Game at Ypsilanti". Detroit Free Press. November 13, 1898. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "Agriculturalists Did Up the Teachers". Detroit Free Press. November 12, 1899. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
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