The 1912 Pittsburgh Panthers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1912 college football season. In its fourth and final season under head coach Joseph H. Thompson, the team compiled a 3–6 record and was outscored by a total of 122 to 113.
Schedule
Preseason
The University of Pittsburgh athletic program was bolstered by the financial success of the previous two years of football. The 1911 record was not as great as the 1910 record, but the schedule that Laurence Hurst put together generated a lot of fan interest. Similarly, the 1912 schedule had five "hard" home games – Bucknell, Carlisle, Notre Dame, W. & J., and Penn State.
The Trees Stadium and Gymnasium were completed and put to use by the football team. Practice was held on the stadium grounds and the players utilized the locker room facilities in the adjacent Gymnasium. A "training house, where the regulars will be accommodated when the first squad was picked, was located on Dawson street." A freshman team was organized by Athletic Director Charles Miller.
Ralph "Polly" Galvin was chosen Captain of the 1912 team at the season ending banquet. Joseph Thompson returned for a fourth year as head coach even though he aspired to be a state senator.
The first game versus Ohio Northern was played at D. C. & A. C. Park in Wilkinsburg and the remaining home games were played on Forbes Field.
It should be mentioned important rule changes were instituted for the 1912 season that had a lasting and positive effect on the game as we now know it. 1) The playing field was reduced to 100 yards with a 10-yard end zone. 2) A team had four downs to advance 10 yards and make a first down. 3) A touchdown counted six points. 4) A forward pass could be thrown any distance. 5) The onside kick from a scrimmage play was eliminated. 5) The kickoff was put in play from the 40-yard line.
Coaching staff
1912 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Joseph H. Thompson – Head coach Floyd Rose – Assistant backfield coach Alexander Stevenson – Assistant line coach Support staff Laurence Hurst – Graduate manager of athletics Charles S. Miller – Director of athletics
Roster
1912 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster Ralph Galvin^center56' 0"2351913New Brighton H.S.Doctor of Dental Surgery New Brighton, PA Hube Wagner^end95' 11"1851914Monaca H.S.Doctor of MedicineMonaca, PA Frank Corboy^halfback95' 10"1701916Altoona H.S.Associate PharmacyAllentown, PA Philip Dillon^halfback95' 7"1701916Bellefonte AcademyAssociate MiningEllsworth, PA Francis Joyce^end75' 11"1531916Pittsburgh AcademyAssociate MedicalPittsburgh, PA Fred Ward^halfback95' 7"1501916New Kensington H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryBeaver Falls, PA Wayne Smith^guard95' 9"2001915Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryPittsburgh, PA William Connelly^quarterback55' 5"1401913New Haven H.S.B.A. '13/Assoc. Law '16New Haven, CT Enoch Pratt^guard76' 4"2151914Pittsburgh H.S.Associate EngineeringPittsburgh, PA Roy Kernohan^halfback45' 11"1681915Homestead H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryHomestead, PA Charles Reese^end86' 1"1801915Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryWarren, PA Isadore Shapira^center85' 10"1801916East Liberty AcademyB. S. in EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Justice Egbert^end96' 0"1601916East Liberty AcademyAssociate EngineeringPittsburgh, PA Harry Shof^quarterback95' 7"1501916Greensburg SeminaryAssoc. College '16/Assoc. Medical 1918 Carl Hockensmith^center55' 11"2201916The Kiski SchoolAssociate EngineeringPenn Station, PA William McEllroy^quarterback85' 10"1351914Edgewood H.S.Bachelor of ScienceEdgewood Park, PA Mark Hoag^tackle75' 11"1751914Holy Cross PrepDoctor of Dental SurgeryLock Haven, PA William Leahy^guard95' 10"2101914Allegheny H.S.enrolled in Dental School John Blair^tackle75' 9"1851916Indiana Normalenrolled in Dental School George Gehlertguard35' 11"2051913Villa Nova PrepDoctor of Dental SurgeryHannah, ND Harry Blumenthalend35' 8"1601916East Liberty AcademyAssociate EconomicsEtna, PA Mont Sandersonhalfback45' 6"1601916Butler H.S.Doctor of Dental SurgeryButler, PA Samuel Kippend46' 0"1581913Carnegie H.S.B. S. in Civil EngineeringBellevue, PA James Hemphilltackle15' 8"1681914Duquesne H.S.B. S. in Mechanical EngineeringDuquesne, PA William McKinneyguard1 1914 B. A. & B. S. 1914/ Masters of Arts 1916Pittsburgh, PA John Wintersend2 1916Barnesville H.S.Associate EconomicsBarnesville, OH Raymond Collinsend 1 1915 Associate EconomicsEast Pittsburgh, Pa Malcolm Smithhalfback2 Indiana Normal enrolled in Dental School ^ Lettermen
Game summaries
Ohio Northern
"The Pitt football team inaugurated its 1912 season yesterday in Wilkinsburg by beating the Ohio Northern eleven 22–0." This was the fifth meeting between these two schools and Pitt now led the series 5–0, outscoring the Polar Bears 112–0.
Pitt's lineup had four returning starters from the 1911 team – Galvin, Wagner, Leahy and Pratt. The other seven positions were filled by new men, "who made names for themselves at nearby high or preparatory schools." Coach Thompson used twenty-four men in the game to find his weak spots and determine who should be a varsity player.
After a few exchanges of punts, the Pitt offense advanced the ball methodically downfield with line rushes. Chuck Reese, Harry Shof and Frank Corboy "took it up the line and Corboy bucked it over." Ralph Galvin missed the extra point. On Pitt's next possession Hube Wagner caught a touchdown pass from William McEllroy for the second touchdown. Galvin was again unsuccessful on the point after. The Pitt quarterbacks completed four of eight passes in this game. Coach Thompson made wholesale substitutions for the second quarter. The surprising shift was putting center Ralph Galvin at fullback. Carl Hockensmith replaced Galvin at center. Pitt recovered a fumble deep in Ohio territory and Fred Ward kicked a field goal. The halftime score was 15 to 0.
"The third quarter was one of experiment on Pitt's part and desperate endeavor for the visitors." It was a punting duel with no scoring. The fourth quarter was the same story until with less than two minutes to play, McEllroy threw a 40 yard scoring pass to Hube Wagner, "who was easily the star of the contest." Galvin made the point after and Pitt won 22 to 0.
The Pitt lineup for the game against Ohio Northern was Hube Wagner, Sam Kipp and Roy Collins (left end), John Blair and William Dunn (left tackle), William Leahy and Mark Hoag (left guard), Ralph Galvin and Carl Hockensmith (center), Wayne Smith and George Gehlert (right guard), Enoch Pratt and Isadore Shapira (right tackle), Justice Egbert and Harry Blumenthal (right end), William McEllroy and Fred Ward (quarterback), Harry Shof, Mont Sanderson and Philip Dillon (left halfback), Frank Corboy and John Winters (right halfback), and Chuck Reese, Ralph Galvin and Roy Kernohan (fullback). The game consisted of twelve-minute quarters.
Westminster
The Westminster College football team came to Forbes Field on October 5 in search of their first victory over the University of Pittsburgh eleven. Their record versus Pitt was 0–8–2 and they had been outscored 157–28.
The Pittsburgh Press wrote: "With big "Polly" Galvin on the hospital list and "Red" Smith, one of the three veteran players starting the game, banished to the side lines in the first few minutes of play, University of Pittsburgh had all kinds of trouble with the aggressive Westminster College eleven in their annual gridiron engagement on Forbes Field."
Early in the first period William McEllroy fumbled a punt and Westminster recovered on the Pitt seventeen yard line. The Pitt defense held and Westminster quarterback Buckley's field goal try missed. The Pitt offense capitalized with McEllroy completing a 40 yard pass to Hube Wagner. Then "consistent gains by Reese, Shof and Wagner carried the ball to the six yard line, and McEllroy tossed the ball to Wagner, who, in some mysterious manner had taken a position behind the goal line, and the first touchdown was recorded. Corboy kicked the goal and the score stood 7-0."
In the second quarter the Westminster offense advanced the ball into Pitt territory but finally lost the ball on downs. The Pitt offense "got their attack organized" with Philip Dillon racing 38 yards to the visitors 2-yard line as time was called to end the half.
Westminster had the ball in Pitt territory for most of the third quarter. They advanced the ball to the 5-yard line but were unable to score. At the start of the fourth period they had the ball on Pitt's 15-yard line. On first down Westminster halfback Cannon was thrown for an eight yard loss by Fred Ward. "With the ball on the 23-yard line, Buckley kicked a beautiful drop, and the Westminster contingent made themselves heard for the first time." Pitt 7 to Westminster 3.
In the fourth quarter, "With defeat staring them in the face, the Pitt backfield started to show some signs of aggressiveness and the Westminster eleven was kept in hot water all the time defending their goal." A series of line bucks and a 37 yard dash by Dillon put the ball in scoring territory but Ward missed the field goal. Westminster advanced the ball to the 41-yard line and turned it over on downs. Dillon dashed 38 yards to the three. McEllroy replaced Ward at quarterback and promptly threw a touchdown pass to Hube Wagner for the score. Pitt failed to kick goal. The final score read Pitt 13 to Westminster 3. Westminster would finish the season with a 3–6 record.
The Pittsburg Press noted: "Joe Thompson was in anything but a good humor after the game. "The fellows played like a bunch of novices." he said."
The Pitt lineup for the game against Westminster was Hube Wagner (left end), John Blair (left tackle), William Leahy (left guard), Carl Hockensmith (center), Wayne Smith, George Gehlert and Isadore Shapira (right guard), Mark Hoag and Enoch Pratt (right tackle), Harry Blumenthal and Justice Egbert (right end), William McEllroy, Fred Ward and William Connelly (quarterback), Frank Corboy and Philip Dillon (left halfback), Harry Shof and Mont Sanderson (right halfback) and Chuck Reese, Malcolm Smith and Roy Kernohan (fullback). The game consisted of ten-minute quarters.
Bucknell
On October 12 the Bucknell football team led by coach Byron W. Dickson arrived at Forbes Field to try to earn their first victory over the University of Pittsburgh eleven. Their wish was granted as the "University of Pittsburgh met its Waterloo at Forbes Field yesterday afternoon when the well trained and speedy Bucknell University eleven trounced "Joe" Thompson's pets to the tune of 6–0."
Bucknell gained their first possession on the Pitt 40-yard line. On first down they lost five yards for an offside penalty. On second down quarterback Cruikshank "tossed the ball and it came down in the arms of Sturgis" on the Pitt 4-yard line. The Pitt defense held and took over on downs. Frank Carboy punted and Cruikshank returned the ball to the Pitt 38-yard line. Cruikshank passed to Jordan who was tackled on the 3-yard line, but moved the ball over the goal line. A five yard penalty moved the ball back to the eight. The Pitt defense held again and punted out of danger. The first quarter ended with Bucknell in possession in their own territory.
Early in the second quarter the Bison advanced the ball to the Pitt 2-yard line. On fourth down Bucknell fullback "Topham had the ball but Hube Wagner got back of the line and tackled him for a loss of three yards." The rest of the half was a punting duel.
Pitt's first possession of the third quarter started on Bucknell's 14-yard line. Four running plays gained four yards and it was Bucknell's ball. The teams traded interceptions and resumed the punting duel.