Good read. The whole article is full of interesting stories, but I'll give the Cliffs Notes here.
At the turn of the 20th century, Pop Warner coached at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School when Jim Thorpe was shipped away there by his father ("far enough away that he'd never find his way home"). It was a small school that catered to Native Americans, with about 1,000 total students between the ages of 12 and 25.
A few rule changes were coming into effect around that time. Most importantly: (1) Yardage necessary to make a first down was changed from five yards to ten yards; and (2) The forward pass was legalized (although an incomplete pass was a 15-yard penalty).
The Indians were undersized, but fast, and Warner was extremely innovative in fitting his offense around their skills.
In 1912, Carlisle was to play Army -- "the soldiers" -- led by future President Dwight Eisenhower. A victory by Army would probably put them number one in the polls. The Indians had installed a new offense full of trick plays and misdirection and had been practicing it all season, but were waiting for this game (the twelfth of the season) to unveil it. This was just the second meeting between the Indians and Army since the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 (where the U.S. Army killed 300 members of the Sioux tribe). Pop Warner didn't need to give any motivational speeches: "I shouldn't have to prepare you for this game. Just go to your rooms and read your history books."
At the turn of the 20th century, Pop Warner coached at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School when Jim Thorpe was shipped away there by his father ("far enough away that he'd never find his way home"). It was a small school that catered to Native Americans, with about 1,000 total students between the ages of 12 and 25.
A few rule changes were coming into effect around that time. Most importantly: (1) Yardage necessary to make a first down was changed from five yards to ten yards; and (2) The forward pass was legalized (although an incomplete pass was a 15-yard penalty).
The Indians were undersized, but fast, and Warner was extremely innovative in fitting his offense around their skills.
In 1912, Carlisle was to play Army -- "the soldiers" -- led by future President Dwight Eisenhower. A victory by Army would probably put them number one in the polls. The Indians had installed a new offense full of trick plays and misdirection and had been practicing it all season, but were waiting for this game (the twelfth of the season) to unveil it. This was just the second meeting between the Indians and Army since the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 (where the U.S. Army killed 300 members of the Sioux tribe). Pop Warner didn't need to give any motivational speeches: "I shouldn't have to prepare you for this game. Just go to your rooms and read your history books."
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I read that article when I received my SI. Probably the best article I've read in a long, long time.
