Glenn Thistlethwaite was one of the first major coaches in
Northwestern's history. When he took over the team in 1922,
they hadn't had a winning season in 5 years. In his five
years of coaching, Thistlethwaite took his team from a mediocre
squad to Big Ten champions.
The team went 3-3-1 during Thistlethwaite's first year of coaching,
2-6 during his second, and 4-4 during his third. It was during
the 1925 season that Thistlethwaite's crew began winning --
they went 5-3 that season, with wins over Indiana, Michigan,
and Purdue. Center (and team captain) Tim Lowry was named to
that year's All-American team.
The jewel in Thistlethwaite's crown, of course, is his 1926
season, during which the team rolled over their conference foes,
not allowing any team to score more than 7 points against them:
|
Northwestern
|
34
|
South Dakota
|
0
|
| |
31
|
Carleton
|
3
|
| |
20
|
Indiana
|
0
|
| |
0
|
Notre Dame
|
6
|
| |
21
|
Indiana
|
0
|
| |
22
|
Purdue
|
0
|
| |
38
|
Chicago
|
7
|
| |
13
|
Iowa
|
6
|
The team also produced two All-Americans: halfback Ralph "Moon" Baker (the team's captain, later enshrined in the College Football
Hall of Fame) and tackle Bob Johnson. Walter Paulison describes
Baker:
Above all there was a halfback named Ralph "Moon"
Baker, a triple-threat football magician from Rockford who had
enrolled at Illinois originally and then transferred. He could
do everything and do it superbly well -- a true All-American.
It was the brilliance of the "Moon" that lighted Northwestern
to its first championship.
From the December, 1926 Alumni News:
Northwestern's purple banner will snap just a bit
more jauntily over Dyche stadium next fall; for it too can boast
of championships along with the Maize and Blue and the Orange
and Blue ...
For the first time in its history Northwestern is cherishing
a football championship, and its reception of the coveted
honor is somewhat after the manner of a youngster with a new
toy ...
It was mighty fitting that the Wildcats should win the title
this fall. Dedication of the new stadium [Dyche Stadium,
constructed after the 1925 season] with a championship
team was just about all that could be desired. In winning
the title the team defeated all five of its conference opponenets
by decisive scores. Saturday after Saturday the boys went
out, and each Saturday they turned in a win. There was no
mid-season let down when things were going good and they wound
up the season fighting just as industriously as when they
started early in the fall.
Northwestern's 1926 football team will go down in the school's
history as one if its greatest teams. It will always be known
as the team to bring the school its first football championship.
The boys on the team this fall are as fine a bunch of atheletes
as ever made up a football squad ...
To one man -- Coach Glenn Thistlethwaite -- must go the greater
share of the credit for bringing the campionship of Northwestern.
After the team's last game clinched their championship, Northwestern
students demonstrated what was to become a school tradition
-- massive enthusiasm over the rare success. Also from Northwestern's
Alumni News:
Chicago's loop district turned Purple at noon the
Monday after the Iowa game when 2,000 Northwestern students
staged a wild demonstration in the crowded city streets, as
a climax to the conference football championship celebration.
Reinforced by the downtown students, the Purple host formed
a gigantic parade on Michigan avenue and marched to Randolph
street where they turned west to State street. A thundering "loco" was given at State and Madison, led by Aplin from the
top of a street car, after which the march was continued to
the City hall where a cheer was given for Mayor Dever. Unfortunately
the mayor was not present to ackowledge the cheering ...
It was 3 o'clock Tuesday morning before the students finished
the second half of the celebration with a dance at Patten
gym. Earlier 5,000 rooters packed the gym auditorium to cheer
the Purple victory and listen to speeches by Northwestern
coaches, players, alumni and faculty members ...
The mob poured out of the gym onto Sheridan road and snake
danced down to Fountain square where a crowd of Evanstonians
led by Vice-President Dawes, joined in the celebration. Gen.
Dawes addressed the throng, climbing on a fire truck which
made an improvised speaker's stand.
"I know that the Wildcats have put Northwestern and this
city on the map," he said. "The thing to do now is to get
together and keep it on the map."
After his conference championship, Thistlethwaite moved on
to the head coaching position at Wisconsin.
...next...
