The 1911 Pittsburgh Panthers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1911 college football season. In its third season under head coach Joseph H. Thompson, the team compiled a 4–3–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 72 to 29.
Schedule
Preseason At the 1910 season year end banquet, Jack Lindsay was elected captain for the 1911 season and Joseph Trees, former WUP football player and noted alumnus, donated two hundred thousand dollars for a gymnasium and athletic field. Coach Thompson immediately proposed the field be named Trees Stadium.
To prepare for the 1911 season Coach Thompson started fall practice on September 14. Two of his former players received coaching jobs – Homer Roe at Pittsburgh High School and Frank Van Doren at Waynesburg College.
The Pitt Weekly warned that "It has often been noticed that after a particularly successful season, such as Pitt had last year, a slump has followed either due to a loss of seasoned material or an acquired 'swell head.'"
Coach Thompson was assisted by Floyd Rose and Alexander Stevenson along with occasional help from former players. Jack Adams was hired as trainer. He had a good nucleus of returning veterans for the 1911 season: captain/end Jack Lindsay, quarterback Tillie Dewar, tackles Henry Blair and James Stevenson, halfbacks George Brown and Charles Quailey, center Ralph Galvin, guards George Gehlert and Ross Feightner and end Hube Wagner.
Graduate Manager Laurence Hurst arranged the "hardest schedule ever faced by a Pitt team." Pitt faced Carlisle, Cornell, Notre Dame Villanova, Washington & Jefferson and Penn State back-to-back after warming up with Westminster and Ohio Northern. Cornell was the only road game. Originally, Buchtel was supposed to play Pitt but, they opted out because Pitt was too strong a team for them to play. Mr. Hurst managed to fill the date with Ohio Northern. All home games were played on Forbes Field.
Coaching staff 1911 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Joseph H. Thompson – Head coach Floyd Rose – Assistant backfield coach Alexander Stevenson – Assistant line coach Frank Van Doren - consultant Karl Dallenbach - consultant Tex Richards - consultant Norman Budd - consultant Support staff Laurence Hurst – Graduate manager of athletics Jack Adams – Trainer
Roster
1911 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster John Lindsay^end65' 10"1601912Johnstown H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryJohnstown, PA Hube Wagner^end85' 11"1851914Monaca H.S.Doctor of MedicineMonaca, PA Ralph Galvin^center86' 0"2351913New Brighton H.S.Doctor of Dental Surgery New Brighton, PA George Brown^halfback75' 10"1701913New Brighton H.S.Associate EconomicsHaydenville, OH S. V. Dillon^halfback65' 11"1501913Kane H. S. Ross Feightner^tackle75' 11"1881912Greensburg H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryGreensburg, PAHenry Blair^guard66'1901913Allegheny H.S.Dental School Wayne Smith^guard85' 9"2001915Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryPittsburgh, PA William Connelly^quarterback85' 5"1401913New Haven H.S.Bachelor of Arts 1913/Associate Law 1916New Haven, CT Roy Kernohan^halfback55' 11"1681915Homestead H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryHomestead, PA Herbert Dewar^quarterback85' 7"1471912California NormalDoctor of Dental SurgeryElizabeth, PA Charles Soles^fullback66'1841915Mercersburg AcademyAssociate EconomicsMcKeesport, PA James Stevenson^tackle85' 11"1951912Chester H.S.Doctor of MedicineMcKeesport, PA Charles Quailey^halfback85' 10"1631912Dennison H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryPittsburgh, PA Perry Graves^end85' 7"1501915Rockford (Ill.) H.S.School of EconomicsRockford, IL George Gehlert^guard75' 11"2051913Villa Nova PrepDoctor of Dental SurgeryHannah, ND William Leahy^guard65' 10"2101914Allegheny H.S.enrolled in Dental School Enoch Prattguard16' 4"2151914Pittsburgh H.S.Associate EngineeringPittsburgh, PA William McEllroyend05' 10"1351914Edgewood H.S.Bachelor of ScienceEdgewood Park, PA Walter Campbellend15' 7"1501912Homestead H.S.Bachelor of ArtsHomestead, PA Harry Davisend05' 7"1521913Pittsburgh H.S.Bachelor of Science in Econ.Pittsburgh, PA John Cumminsguard45' 8"1601914California NormalBachelor of ScienceBen Avon, PA Bowman Asheend16' 9"1701912Mt. Union CollegeBachelor of Science in Economics 1912 and Associate Law in 1917Knoxville, PA Samuel Kippend06' 0"1581913Carnegie H.S.Bachelor of Science in Civil EngineeringBellevue, PA James Hemphilltackle05' 8"1681914Duquesne H.S.Bachelor of Science in Mechanical EngineeringDuquesne, PA William McKinneyend05' 11"146 1914Trenton H.S. Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Science 1914 and Masters of Arts 1916Pittsburgh, PA Hurleigh Bateshalfback05' 10" 1581914Ohio Wesleyan PrepDoctor of Dental SurgeryMagnetic Springs, OH John Baneend 05' 9" 135 1913Homestead H.S. Bachelor of Arts 1913 and Bachelor of Laws 1916Munhall, Pa Howard Leitchend05' 9"1301912Pittsburgh H.S.Bachelor of Arts 1912 and Bachelor of Laws 1915Pittsburgh, PA Francis Howardguard05' 9"1801913Slippery Rock NormalDoctor of PharmacyYoungwood, PA John Maddenend05' 10"1651913Mt. Pleasant H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryMt. Pleasant, PA R. M. Williamsguard26'2101915Tome Institute ^ Lettermen
Game summaries
Westminster
The 1911 Pitt football season debuted on October 7 against Westminster College from New Wilmington, Pa. in front of the largest crowd to ever witness a Pitt home opener. The crowd size was aided by Graduate Manager Hurst distributing four thousand free tickets to the Pittsburgh Public School Boys' Athletic League and the receipts still covered the expenses of the game. Head Cheerleader George Kirk "had no trouble in getting plenty of volume and snap into the yells – everyone seemed full of ′pep′."
The Pitt team was healthy except for George Brown, who injured his shoulder in practice and would not play. Westminster Captain and fullback Mansell fractured his ankle in their opening game and was out for the season. Coach Thompson had three newcomers in the starting lineup: S.V. Dillon at halfback, Wayne Smith at guard, and Chuck Soles at end.
Eight minutes into the game Charles Quailey finished off an offensive drive with a ten yard scamper for the first score. Ralph Galvin kicked the point after and Pitt led 6 to 0.
The second quarter was scoreless with many exchanges of punts. The excitement of the period was when Pitt quarterback Tillie Dewar fielded a punt and was tackled roughly by Westminster tackle Weigel. Both players were accused of "mixing it up" and ejected. Connelly replaced Dewar at quarterback and the half ended a few plays later.
Hube Wagner returned the second half kick-off fifty yards "and brought the spectators to their feet cheering." Connelly raced thirty five yards around left end for a touchdown late in the quarter. Galvin was good on the point after. At the end of the third quarter the Pitt offense had the ball on the Westminster 6-yard line. After the break, Charles Quailey plunged into the end zone on third down for Pitt's third touchdown. Galvin missed the extra point. After an exchange of punts the Pitt offense completed a forward pass to the Westminster 37-yard line. On first down Quailey raced thirty yards to the seven. Two plays later Wagner scored the final touchdown of the game. Galvin was good on the point after and Pitt won 23 to 0.
Late in the game, the Pitt offense was advancing the ball. Hube Wagner ran around the end and was tackled out of bounds. He landed in front of the ejected Weigel, who decided to take a swing at him. The Pitt players were not happy. The Pittsburgh Gazette Times noted: "For several minutes the players formed one mass of humanity, and all that could be seen was swinging arms and players falling. It looked like a small riot." Ralph Galvin was ejected and Westminster Coach Gildersleeve was arrested and taken to the police station. The game ended moments later.
The Pitt lineup for the game against Westminster was Charles Soles (left end), Henry Blair (left tackle), Ross Feightner and George Gehlert (left guard), Ralph Galvin and John Cummins (center), Wayne Smith and R. Williams (right guard), James Stevenson (right tackle), Jack Lindsay and Perry Graves (right end), Tillie Dewar and William Connelly (quarterback), Charles Quailey (left halfback), S.V. Dillon and Roy Kernohan (right halfback), and Hube Wagner (fullback). The game consisted of ten-minute quarters.
Ohio Northern
Graduate Manager Laurence Hurst was able to contract with Ohio Northern University to fill the October 14 date vacated by Buchtel. This was the fourth meeting between these schools and Pitt won all three previous games, outscoring the Titans 68–0.
According to The Gazette Times: "The Ohioans did not score a point, but they compelled Pitt to go the entire route."
Pitt's first score was aided by the visitor's tackle Kahlbaum slugging Pitt halfback S. V. Dillon. He was ejected and a half the distance to the goal penalty was assessed. Pitt promptly advanced the ball from the 22-yard line to the end zone. Hube Wagner plunged over from the two. Ralph Galvin missed the goal after.
In the middle of the second quarter, Tillie Dewar caught two passes from Hube Wagner. The first gained twenty-five yards and the second was an eighteen yard touchdown reception. Galvin converted the extra point and Pitt led 11 to 0 at halftime.
The newly formed 26 member Pitt Student Band made their debut at this game. The Pitt Weekly stated: "It far exceeded all expectations. Besides playing all the Pitt songs, it rendered some very fine music between halves. At the end of the concert given by the bands during the intermission, the stands gave a great ovation to the band. Again and again the students gave ′three times three′ to the Pitt Student Band."
Early in the third quarter Hube Wagner completed a fifty yard touchdown pass to Tillie Dewar. Galvin missed the extra point. Coach Thompson made numerous substitutions. Wagner tried another pass play with the subs but he had to scramble. Forty yards later he crossed the goal line for the final touchdown of the day. Ralph Galvin converted the point after and the final score read 22 to 0.
The Pitt lineup for the game against Ohio Northern was Charles Soles and Perry Graves (left end), Ross Feightner (left tackle), George Gehlert and John Cummins (left guard), Ralph Galvin (center), Wayne Smith and R. Williams (right guard), James Stevenson (right tackle), Jack Lindsay and Walter Campbell (right end), Tillie Dewar and William Connelly (quarterback), George Brown and Charles Quailey (left halfback), S.V. Dillon and Roy Kernohan (right halfback), and Hube Wagner (fullback). The game consisted of ten-minute quarters.
Carlisle
The undefeated Carlisle Indians coached by Glen Scobey Warner returned to Pittsburgh on October 21 to seek revenge for the 14 to 3 defeat they suffered in the 1909 season. Pitt had not given up a point in eleven straight games and outscored the opposition 327–0. Twelve thousand fans spent the afternoon at Forbes Field watching the action. The Pitt band and Cheerleaders George Kirk and his assistant Dick Johnson led the students, who were stationed in their newly constructed bleachers along the right field line, in their cheers throughout the game. Both teams wore numbers on their jerseys so the fans could spot their favorite players.
The Gazette Times wrote: "The Carlisle Indians defeated the University of Pittsburgh in a spectacular football game yesterday...on the Forbes Field gridiron 17–0. They had one of the greatest individual performers in Thorpe that has appeared on a Pittsburgh football field in years." The Pittsburg Press noted: "It was a case of a superior team winning – a team which was coached to the minute in all the tricky plays of up-to-date football and composed of eleven of the speediest and cleverest gridiron men appearing in this city for many years."