JSHN On This Day ā November 6, 1869
Rutgers vs. Princeton ā The Birth of College Football
It was a clear Saturday in New Brunswick. About a hundred students gathered on a rough patch of ground across from Rutgersā Queens Campus, curious to see something entirely new.
Shortly after noon, Princetonās team arrived by train, greeted by a mix of cheers and playful taunts from Rutgers students.
The two sides met to agree on the rules, a blend of English soccer and rugby, where players could only kick or bat the round ball forward, never carry it. The first to reach ten goals would win.
Rutgers captain William J. Leggett had his men tie scarlet ribbons around their heads to distinguish them from their rivals. It was the first use of scarlet as Rutgersā color. Princetonās William S. Gummere, later Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, served as referee.
When play began, the student newspaper, the Targum, described āheadlong running, wild shouting, and frantic kicking.ā Students surged up and down the uneven field, the ball skipping through mud and trampled grass.
By the time the final goal was scored, Rutgers led six to four. It was the first victory in intercollegiate football history.
That night, the two teams gathered together for what the Targum called a āfine supperā ā singing, laughing, and toasting the day.
Rutgers hosted warmly; Princeton, the paper noted, was āgallant in defeat,ā boarding the train home āthirsting to beat us next time, if they can.ā
A week later, they would, but the legacy was already secure.
From this small college field, the game of American football had begun.
