The 1916 Pittsburgh Panthers football team was an American football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1916 college football season. Led by coach Pop Warner, the Panthers won all eight games and outscored their opponents by a total of 255 to 25. The team was retroactively selected as the national champion by multiple NCAA-designated major selectors, including the Billingsley Report (using its alternate "margin of victory" methodology), Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, and National Championship Foundation, and by others as a co-national champion with Army by Parke H. Davis.
The lone scare of the 1916 season occurred at Navy when, following a delay of the team's train heading to Annapolis that caused a late arrival, the team overcame several fumbles and eked out a 20–19 victory. The 1916 team was led by center Bob Peck, Pitt's first first-team All-American, and All-American end James Pat Herron, as well as All-Americans fullback Andy Hastings and guard "Tiny" Thornhill. Also on that team were Jock Sutherland and H.C. "Doc" Carlson who would go on to become perhaps Pitt's most legendary coaches in football and basketball, respectively. This Pitt Panthers football team was given the nickname "the greatest eleven in the world."
Schedule
Preseason
Graduate manager Karl Davis finalized the schedule for 1916 by December 22, 1915. The schedule was a carbon copy of the 1915 slate except that Syracuse replaced Carlisle. In June, a home game against Buffalo on September 30 was added but never materialized, as The Pittsburg Press reported in late August: "The University of Buffalo team, scheduled to open the season against the varsity, has found it necessary to cancel the game."
Student manager John Thompson and his assistants began preparations at Camp Hamilton for preseason workouts during the last week of August. "All work in connection with the camp will be done by students. Pitt boys will act as waiters, direct the transportation of camp supplies, do the laundry work and keep the big field in shape for scrimmage. Prof. G. W. Case of the Department of Sanitary Engineering superintended the installation of a complete sanitary system and has directed the construction of a new well-equipped trainer's room and additional shower baths. The water used at Camp Hamilton has been carefully tested by expert chemists at the University and has been found absolutely pure. The University's athletic authorities pride themselves on having done everything possible to make Camp Hamilton equal to the most comfortable and completely equipped training headquarters in the country."
On September 5, graduate manager John Thompson assembled the 30-odd aspirants for positions on the 1916 Pitt football roster at Union Station for the Pennsylvania Railroad trip to Windber, PA. In addition, the coach, the manager and his assistants; Dr. Moyer, the team physician; trainer, Hunter Johnston; and a corps of efficient workers were on board. "There are six men in the party this year who were not included in the group at Windber last year, while 11 huskies who formed part of Warner's contingent in 1915 are missing from this year's squad due to graduation, leaving school or other causes." All in all over forty men attended camp. On September 6, the second edition of Coach Warner's preseason camp commenced.
Richard Guy of The Gazette Times visited camp and reported: "After watching the candidates for the University of Pittsburgh football team go through a day's work out here, one is compelled to ask himself how the team, once it strikes its gait can help be anything but a winner." The daily routine – Rise at 6:30 a.m.; Breakfast at 7; Practice 10 to 11; Lunch at 12; Practice 3:30 to 4:45; Dinner at 6; Lights out at 10. Coach Warner was subdued in his assessment "All I hope for is that we have a team as good as last year. I cannot say I anticipate anything better, but if we reach our power of last season we ought to be satisfied. Our chances are bright but we must consider there are many things that can transpire between now and Thanksgiving." Camp lasted approximately two and a half weeks (September 6 – September 22) and the players left reluctantly, "for this is an ideal place to condition a team."
"The early season conditioning has been severe but a pleasant change just at the close of the stay at camp sent the men back to Pittsburgh feeling rather as though at least part of the trip had been simply a vacation. On Thursday evening a reception was held at camp in which about 30 girls from Johnstown, Windber and adjacent towns were the guests of the footballers. After a big corn roast, with wieners, ice cream and other staples on the side, a very enjoyable dance was held,. The hour at which the athletes are usually required to retire being advanced a little in consideration of the imminent departure."
After arriving back at school, the team registered for classes, had a weekend break and then began to practice at Forbes Field in preparation for the opening game against Westminster.
The University of Pittsburgh Athletic Council published a seventy-two page Seventh Annual Football Year Book as the game program, which sold for ten cents. The cover was illustrated by Andrew Brady McSwigan. Mr. McSwigan was president of Kennywood Amusement Park for 41 years.
Coaching staff
1916 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Glenn "Pop" Warner – head coach Floyd Rose – assistant coach Alexander Stevenson – assistant coach Andrew Kerr – freshman coach Support staff John A. “Jack” Thompson – Student football manager Karl E. Davis – Graduate manager of athletics Charles S. Miller – Director of athletics
Roster
1916 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster Bob Peck*halfback85' 8"1731917Pawling School N.Y.EconomicsLock Haven, PA O. C. Ammonsend25' 9"1441919Arkansas City H. S.DentalArkansas City, KS Clifford V. Browncenter25' 8"1601919The Kiski SchoolEngineeringEast Liverpool, OH H. Clifford Carlson*end85' 10"1701918Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryFayette City, PA Ralph N. Clicquennoitackle06'1701918Warren H.S.EconomicsWarren, PA James DeHart*halfback85' 6"1501918Reynoldsville H.S.Associate CollegeReynoldsville, PA Roy A. Easterdayend/halfback25' 8"1481919Lisbon H. S. (Ohio)EconomicsLisbon, OH Frank E. Eckertend25' 8"1481919Ridgway H. S.MinesRidgway, PA Sam Friedlander*quarterback35' 7"1491917Greensburg H. S.DentalGreensburg, PA Alvar H. Ginntackle26' 2"1751919Ben Avon H. S.Associate CollegeBen Avon, PA Roscoe A. Gougler*quarterback85' 8"1561919Harrisburg H. S.CollegeHarrisburg, PA William E. Harringtonend05' 8"1551918Conway Hall Associate EconomicsBentlyville, PA Andy Hastings*halfback65' 9"1701918Brookville H.S.EconomicsBrookville, PA George L. Heilquarterback05' 6"1341919Topeka H. S. (KS)EconomicsTopeka, KS James P. Herron*end85' 10"1351915Monessen H.S.Bachelor of ArtsKent, OH Leonard F. Hilty*tackle65' 10"1831918Peabody H. S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Robert L. Johnstonguard06' 1"2221919California NormalEconomicsCalifornia, PA Thomas R. Kendrick Jr.center35' 8"1781918Duquesne H. S.CollegeDuquesne, PA William D. McClellandfullback35' 10"1611918Pittsburgh Central H. S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA James W. McIntyrecenter25' 7”1991919Central H. S.EducationPittsburgh, PA George W. McClaren*fullback75' 9"1741919Peabody H.S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Frank B. McNulty*halfback65' 10"1461919Mercersburg AcademyEconomicsCarnegie, PA Eric D. Meadows*quarterback55' 4"1401918Pittsburgh Central H. S.EngineeringPittsburgh, PA William H. Miller*halfback75' 7"1551918Wyoming SeminaryEconomicsShenandoah, PA John T. Morrow*halfback85' 9"1551919Carnegie H.S.MinesRennerdale, PA R. P. Nichollshalfback15' 8"1531918Donora H. S.Bachelor of Science in EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Fred A. Seidel*tackle85' 11"1971919Bellefonte AcademyEconomicsHazelton, PA Dale H. Sies*fullback/tackle86' 1"1951919Davenport H. S. (IA)CollegeDavenport, IA Chester Smithfullback05' 10"1571919State Normal School (Valley City, ND)EducationEdgeley, ND Randall Soppitt*guard26' 1"185 1917Greensburg H.S.School of MinesLatrobe, PA Edward A. Stahl*guard75' 11"1841919Bellefonte AcademyEconomicsScranton, PA Harry A. Stahlman*halfback35' 2"1321917Charleroi H. S.DentalCharleroi, PA John B. Sutherland*tackle86' 2"1751917Oberlin AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryCooper Angus, Scotland Claude E. Thornhill*tackle86' 0"200 1917Beaver H.S.School of MinesBeaver, PA * Letterman
Game summaries
Westminster
On Saturday October 7, Richard Guy of The Gazette Times prognosticated: "Pitt will open by playing Westminster. While the team from New Wilmington always puts up an aggressive article of football, it nevertheless does not stand much of a chance of winning today. Its only hope is in keeping down a score. Westminster has not been organized yet, while Pitt has a machine which needs oiling only to start it off at top speed."
The Pitt team was healthy. Coach Warner hoped to play his entire squad if possible so he could evaluate the personnel before two successive hard road games. This week he made an important change in the squad by moving Roy Easterday and Cliff Brown from halfback to end.
The Westminster Titans were led by second year coach Tuss McLaughry and sported a 0–1 record, having lost to Penn State by a score of 55 to 0. The Titans would finish the season with a 2–5–1 record.
"An extra feature of the Westminster fracas will be the reading of bulletins from the first world series baseball game, which will be received promptly at Forbes Field and megaphoned to the crowds. The Pitt student band will, as usual, furnish music before the game and between periods." The 1918 Owl Yearbook summarized the game best: "Pitt 57 - Westminster 0. In prying off the lid of the 1916 season, the Gold and Blue eleven swamped Westminster's gridders in a contest that was not much more than a stiff signal workout for the varsity. The Pitt attack was driving and almost irresistible. It showed eight touchdowns, six resultant goals and one field goal. Hastings, DeHart and McLaren advanced the ball at will, as did McNulty and Gougler, when the opportunity was given them. Many substitutions were made and every man played up to form. It was an auspicious start for Capt. 'Bob' Peck's boys."
Florent Gibson in his analysis of the game was the first reporter to mention the Pitt team as Panthers: "They esteem themselves quite bloodthirsty and ferocious out at Pitt, and desirous of impressing the multitudes with the plenteousness of their ferocity, they've taken unto themselves the nom de guerre of Panthers, which they further emphasized yesterday by producing at Forbes Field something neat and nifty in the line of a scorecard, the back of which is embellished with the likeness of a Pitt gridder in heroic mood, right fist clenched and drawn back outside the picture, in company with a lithe, agile and muscular panther, clawed and toothed cap-a-pie. All done neatly in the traditional and conventional Blue and Gold. Hence-forth we will conform with their wishes and allude to them as Panthers."
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Westminster was H. Clifford Carlson (left end), Claude Thornhill (left tackle), John Sutherland (left guard), Bob Peck (center), Randall Soppitt (right guard), Fred Seidel (right tackle), James Herron (right end), William Miller (quarterback), Andy Hastings (left halfback), James DeHart (right halfback) and George McLaren (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt included Eric Meadows, Roscoe Gougler, Sam Friedlander, Frank McNulty, Dale Sies, James Morrow, William McClelland, Clifford Brown, O. C. Ammons, Roy Easterday, Frank Eckert, Harry Stahlman, Leonard Hilty, Alvar Ginn, James McIntyre, Edward Stahl, Thomas Kendrick. The game was played in 12-minute quarters.
At Navy