jcollingsworth
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Sunday Morning Coffee: October 07, 1922
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The large man stood at the window of his room that overlooked South High Street, not so far from the State Capital. He had risen early as he always did to run up to the Ohio State University Campus, and around the track of the new stadium, before returning to his room at the ‘Turner House’. The sun was just beginning to rise as he heard the clock behind him strike six.
He felt good. He’d be heading downstairs to the cafeteria soon to assure that he had a good seat for breakfast. Ole Nanna Dayton, an elderly African-American woman who ran the kitchen for the Turner family, was the best cook in these parts. Her pancakes were fluffy, light, and tasted so delightful with the extra sugar and buttermilk that she’d add. The extra thick sliced bacon was always cooked to perfection. It made him smile because he knew he’d always be satisfied whenever he stepped into Nanna’s kitchen. What he needed most of all though was a steaming cup of black coffee with two lumps of sugar.
Harry Steel pulled his sweaty tee shirt off, looking into the mirror next to his bed at his chiseled face. Harry was rapidly making a name for himself with the Ohio State Buckeyes Football team and Coach John Wilce. At six feet and two inches he was one of the bigger men on the team. He played both sides of the ball – defensively he was a tackle that wreaked havoc on the opposition. He loved this part of football. The aggression he often had savoring within him just spewed out in the competition. On the offensive side of the ball he was the center. So Harry endured contact on every play and often had the black and blue marks to show for it too.
The day before had been the opening day for the Buckeyes for the 1922 season, also serving as the first game to ever be played in Ohio Stadium. The seating capacity was numbered at 63,000. As games prior at Ohio Field, holding only 14,000 simply did not suffice the new hunger for football at OSU. But, unbeknownst to all logic, this opening game against Ohio Wesleyan only brought in around 22,000 people to witness a close battle that delivered no touchdowns.
John Wilce had his team prepared, spelling out his plan in his academic and often gentlemanly manner. So what happened? Junior Harry Workman, the quarterback, was an amazing athlete. His running skills were unmatched by anyone on the team. His passing attempts, often not perfect, were always and surprisingly successful. Harry Workman simply had a knack for making it happen. But his four fumbles, part of which was Harry’s fault at center, were lost each time to the eager Ohio Wesleyan defense.
Lloyd Pixley, the senior captain, ended up having the game of his life. He had forced a fumble of the Ohio Wesleyan Quarterback down on their thirty-two. The Buckeyes and Workman though failed to get a first down – only moving it seven yards in three plays. Workman, also the kicker, nailed the three point field goal from twenty-five yards out. The Buckeyes would lead 3-0 in the third.
The game went on with the back and forth grind that it ended up being. Neither the Buckeyes nor Ohio Wesleyan managed any favorable offensive results. Finally with less than three minutes remaining Lloyd Pixley again reappeared. From his defensive end position he hammered the running back and drove him into the end zone for a touch back. The Buckeyes got another two.
5-0 would be the final for the opening game for the 1922 season and the first game in the new stadium called Ohio Stadium. It was a win Harry surmised. A win is a win is a win! He chuckled. He looked forward to the next week when they were matched against Oberlin in the new stadium as well. He knew the fullback for the “O” Men who had scored the winning touchdown the year before at Ohio Field, defeating the Buckeyes 7-6. His nonsense of being the school of John Heisman – whatever that meant! – added to Harry’s thirst for the rematch
“Nanna!” Harry walked into the kitchen as the elderly woman approached him eagerly.
“Whip them Oberlin boys next week. How dare they beat my Buckeyes!” Nanna smiled as she embraced the large Harry Steel.
The aroma of coffee immediately gathered his interest.
“Black with two lumps of sugar!” Nanna smiled as she turned and headed to get him a steaming hot cup of coffee.
Harry smiled as he sat at the table. He loved this place.
The post Sunday Morning Coffee: October 07, 1922 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The large man stood at the window of his room that overlooked South High Street, not so far from the State Capital. He had risen early as he always did to run up to the Ohio State University Campus, and around the track of the new stadium, before returning to his room at the ‘Turner House’. The sun was just beginning to rise as he heard the clock behind him strike six.
He felt good. He’d be heading downstairs to the cafeteria soon to assure that he had a good seat for breakfast. Ole Nanna Dayton, an elderly African-American woman who ran the kitchen for the Turner family, was the best cook in these parts. Her pancakes were fluffy, light, and tasted so delightful with the extra sugar and buttermilk that she’d add. The extra thick sliced bacon was always cooked to perfection. It made him smile because he knew he’d always be satisfied whenever he stepped into Nanna’s kitchen. What he needed most of all though was a steaming cup of black coffee with two lumps of sugar.
Harry Steel pulled his sweaty tee shirt off, looking into the mirror next to his bed at his chiseled face. Harry was rapidly making a name for himself with the Ohio State Buckeyes Football team and Coach John Wilce. At six feet and two inches he was one of the bigger men on the team. He played both sides of the ball – defensively he was a tackle that wreaked havoc on the opposition. He loved this part of football. The aggression he often had savoring within him just spewed out in the competition. On the offensive side of the ball he was the center. So Harry endured contact on every play and often had the black and blue marks to show for it too.
The day before had been the opening day for the Buckeyes for the 1922 season, also serving as the first game to ever be played in Ohio Stadium. The seating capacity was numbered at 63,000. As games prior at Ohio Field, holding only 14,000 simply did not suffice the new hunger for football at OSU. But, unbeknownst to all logic, this opening game against Ohio Wesleyan only brought in around 22,000 people to witness a close battle that delivered no touchdowns.
John Wilce had his team prepared, spelling out his plan in his academic and often gentlemanly manner. So what happened? Junior Harry Workman, the quarterback, was an amazing athlete. His running skills were unmatched by anyone on the team. His passing attempts, often not perfect, were always and surprisingly successful. Harry Workman simply had a knack for making it happen. But his four fumbles, part of which was Harry’s fault at center, were lost each time to the eager Ohio Wesleyan defense.
Lloyd Pixley, the senior captain, ended up having the game of his life. He had forced a fumble of the Ohio Wesleyan Quarterback down on their thirty-two. The Buckeyes and Workman though failed to get a first down – only moving it seven yards in three plays. Workman, also the kicker, nailed the three point field goal from twenty-five yards out. The Buckeyes would lead 3-0 in the third.
The game went on with the back and forth grind that it ended up being. Neither the Buckeyes nor Ohio Wesleyan managed any favorable offensive results. Finally with less than three minutes remaining Lloyd Pixley again reappeared. From his defensive end position he hammered the running back and drove him into the end zone for a touch back. The Buckeyes got another two.
5-0 would be the final for the opening game for the 1922 season and the first game in the new stadium called Ohio Stadium. It was a win Harry surmised. A win is a win is a win! He chuckled. He looked forward to the next week when they were matched against Oberlin in the new stadium as well. He knew the fullback for the “O” Men who had scored the winning touchdown the year before at Ohio Field, defeating the Buckeyes 7-6. His nonsense of being the school of John Heisman – whatever that meant! – added to Harry’s thirst for the rematch
“Nanna!” Harry walked into the kitchen as the elderly woman approached him eagerly.
“Whip them Oberlin boys next week. How dare they beat my Buckeyes!” Nanna smiled as she embraced the large Harry Steel.
The aroma of coffee immediately gathered his interest.
“Black with two lumps of sugar!” Nanna smiled as she turned and headed to get him a steaming hot cup of coffee.
Harry smiled as he sat at the table. He loved this place.
The post Sunday Morning Coffee: October 07, 1922 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...