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BLAIR BUSINESS COLLEGE
(1897 - 1910)

Blair Business College Building
Spokane, Washington
Natatorium Park


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Created by it's namesake Hugh C. Blair as a school for "practical enducation", or in today's terminology, "technical college", Blair was aggressive in using the football team to market the Business College as the place to send young men to prepare themselves for gainful employment.

Though loosely considered a college, the football team that formed fell more in line with the "club" teams of the late 1800's, however, due to Spokane's relative isolation in eastern Washington, other collegiate and high school teams were the available opponents for the first few years.  That first team in 1898 featured Frank Clark scoring the first ever TD for BBC against Spokane High with Charles Smith kicking the goal after.

A scheduled game in 1900 with Idaho Univesity was canceled when many of the expected men failed to arrive on time.  Blair would not put a poor team on the field and opted out for the year, reorganizing the team for 1901.

P.S. McAllister was elected captain of the 1901 team, a former halfback at the University of Montana, while Joe Winston, quarterback of Washington State College became the coach.  Blair would lose both outings to Spokane High and the Spokane YMCA club team.

The 1905 game against Coeur d'Alene High ended in dispute as the high schoolers scored, but game officials declared time had expired before the runner crossed the goal line and Blair was awarded a 10-6 win, it's only victory of the season.  Had play been allowed to continue under today's timing rules, Blair would have lost the game 12-10.  A return game was canceled by Coeur d'Alene in protest.

The 1906 team featured a much improved defense, but offense struggled to punch in scores as evidenced by the four games ending in 0-0 ties.  The offense only scored once in the lone win against Cheney on October 6th.  Defensively, Blair gave up 17 points in two losses to Washington State and Seattle High.

Johnny Bender, a 5-time letterwinner with the Nebraska University team was hired to assist Coach Hawkins in 1907.  Bender was also coaching the Washington State Cougars and literally threw the BBC to HIS wolves on October 12th, 1907.  The Cougars destroyed Blair in one of the most lopsided affairs 86-0.  A month later, Benders' Cougars would crush the Spokane Athletic Club 70-0.  Following the drubbing by WSC, the team got better and played well winning it's final three games.  Blair men George Twedt, Will Hillman and Frank Lippert would be picked up by the Spokane Athletic Club in December.

Getting out to a good start in 1908, the Thanksgiving Day rivalry game with the Spokane YMCA turned into an "as-was" score after it was ruled Spokane used a professional player not associated with the YMCA.  This meant the 4-0 lead Blair had to end the 1st half is how the game would be recorded before the player in question entered the game.

1908 Blair Business College Team

 

1909 was a turning point for football as a nationwide banning effort was gaining steam due to a public health concern over debilitating injuries and some deaths from head injuries and internal bleeding.  Spokane, already a difficult area to drum up football support, dwindled as high schools banded together to only play "true" high school teams.  Star quarterback Jay Kennedy even returned to high school for the 1909 season after leading Blair to wins in 1908 as a teenager.

In a fiasco of epic proportions, Blair went ahead and canceled the Lewiston game in favor of cross-town rival Gonzaga College.  Gonzaga protested Cheeley and Powell playing, which Blair agreed to hold out of the game.  Still, Gonzaga wavered and said no to the game much to the frustration of H.C. Blair and Jimmy Irsfield who were already denied schedules with any local high schools to fill dates.

A lawsuit filed by Coach Irsfield for $400, the amount he felt remained owed on the $500 agreement before the season was canceled, soured Blair on football and he ended support for sponsoring the team in 1910.  In May, Blair won the court case which denied Irsfield payment for games not played.

The new rule changes governing football and the lack of similar teams to play can be attributed to the shut down of the Blair program after 10 seasons over 12 years, just as the success of the team was on the rise.

H.C. Blair announced the team was disbanding the Old Gold and Royal Purple franchise on November 2, 1909. 


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Founder Hugh C. Blair

 

1898 Players included:

Charles W. Smith (FB/Capt), George Fisher (QB), George Mains (HB), Frank Clark (E), Ellis Prather (C), Will Switzer (G), John McDonald (HB), W.A. Garber (G), George Archer (T), Carl McCoy (T), Will Swingler (E), Tracey, Yates, Keyser, Henry Axtell, Fred Lewelling, Will Hughes, Frank Butler, R.M. Johnson, Earl DeVoe, H.H. Smith

1899 Players

R.M. Johnson (FB/Capt), George Mains (E), Keenan (T), Maer (G), Earl DeVoe (C), Raub (G), Smith (G/T), George Arthur (E), Yates (QB), Henry Axtell (HB), Fawks (HB), Inman, White, LeHuquet, Pernell (T), Miller (G), Strang (G)

1901 Players:

 Sprague (C), Laird (G), Samuels (G), Noble (T), McCarther (T), Ashton (T), Hall (E), Stewart (E), Goodwin (QB), R. Toole (QB), Garshaw (HB), Ames (HB), P.S. McAllister (FB/Capt), Rolls (G), Johnson (E), Kruger (E), Mains (QB), Beckhair (HB), Amos (HB)  

1903 Players

Davis (E), Carter (T/G), Hays (G), Glindeman (C), Berland (G/T), Hains (G), Shepperd (E), Hammerlund (QB), George (HB), Tatro (HB/E), Scott (FB), Tracy (E), Johnson (T/FB), Wagner (T), Prather (T), Oehler (HB), Smith (HB)   1904 Players Ed Kennedy (Capt), Jay Fancy  

1905 Players:

Borleske (HB/Capt), Davenport (FB), Condon (C), Twedt (T), Fotheringham (FB)   1906 Players Fred Twedt (C), Langdon (G), Stevens (G), Holloway (T), Weythman (T), Callahan (E), Englebert (E), Mullvehill (QB), Broadhead (HB), D. Fotheringham (HB), Fred Hahn (FB), Brugger (E), Will Nowlin (HB/E), Newton (G), B. Fotheringham (E)  

1907 Players

Fred Twedt (C/Capt), George Twedt (G), Trainer (G), Frank Lippert (T), Dial (E), Wannacott (E), Ralph Williams (QB), Taylor (T), Pressley (HB), Frank Thomas (HB), Will Hillman (FB), Waneka (E), Mulkey (E)


 1908 Players

George Twedt (C), Thompson (G), Wright (G), Lauritson (T), Frank Lippert (T), Smith (E), Morley (E), Jay Kennedy (QB), Frank Thomas (HB), Will Hillman (HB/K/Capt), Fred Hahn (FB)

1909 Players:

Blakely (E), Frank McGee (T), Frank Lippert (G), George Twedt (C/Capt), Wilson, G, Taylor (T), Powell (E), Williams (QB), Kennedy (HB), Fred Hahn (HB), Cheeley (FB)




1898
Spokane City League
Record: 2-1-1
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager Hugh C. Blair
Coach


1899
Spokane City League
Record: 0-2
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach



1900
Spokane City League
Record: 0-0
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach



1901
Spokane City League
Record: 0-2
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach Joe Winston



1902
Spokane City League
Record: 0-0
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach J. Fink Giboney



1903
Spokane City League
Record: 1-4
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach Dale Strong



1904
Spokane City League
Record: 2-1-1
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach D.B. Hodgeman



1905
Spokane City League
Record: 1-1-2
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach Mortimer



1906
Spokane City League
Record: 1-2-4
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach Hawkins



1907
Spokane City League
Record: 3-3-1
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach Hawkins
Asst Johnny Bender



1908
Spokane City League
Record: 4-2
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach



1909
Spokane City League
Record: 1-0
Sponsor: Blair Business College
Manager H.C. Blair
Coach Jimmy Irsfield



Schedules and Results
Date Opponent Score
1898 Nov 5 Spokane High 6-0
1898 Nov 12 Spokane High 23-0
1898 Dec 10 Gonzaga College 0-0
1898 Dec 17 Gonzaga College 0-5
     
     
1899 Nov 11 Cheney Normal College 0-4
1899 Nov 25 Washigton Ag College Cancel
1899 Nov 30 Spokane YMCA 0-2
     
     
1900 Oct 13 Idaho University Cancel
     
     
1901 Nov 23 Spokane High 0-40
1901 Nov 28 Spokane YMCA 0-12
     
     
1902 Dec 25 Spokane High Cancel
     
     
1903 Oct 24 Davenport Athletic Club 12-2
1903 Oct 31 Cheney Normal College 0-36
1903 Nov 7 @ Davenport Athletic Club PPD
1903 Nov 14 @ Cheney Normal College 0-11
1903 Nov 21 Spokane High 0-15
1903 Nov 26 Company H Militia 6-21
     
     
1904 Oct 1 @ Cheney Normal College 11-0
1904 Oct 8 Spokane High 5-5
1904 Oct 15 @ Washington State College Cancel
1904 Oct 22 Cheney Normal College 21-0
1904 Nov 4 @ University of Idaho Cancel
1904 Nov 19 Spokane High Cancel
1904 Nov 24 Cheney Normal College Cancel
     
     
1905 Oct 28 Spokane High 0-23
1905 Nov 4 Brown's Pharmacy 0-0
1905 Nov 11 Coeur d'Alene High 10-6*
1905 Nov 18 Idaho University Prep 0-0
1905 Nov 30 @ Coeur d'Alene Cancel
     
     
1906 Sep 29 @ Coeur d'Alene High 0-0
1906 Oct 6 Cheney Normal College 6-0
1906 Oct 13 @ Washington State College 0-11
1906 Oct 20 Spokane Athletic Club 0-0
1906 Oct 27 Spokane High 0-0
1906 Nov 17 Cheney Normal College Cancel
1906 Nov 21 Spokane Athletic Club 0-0
1906 Nov 24 Seattle High 0-6
     
     
1907 Oct 12 @ Washington State College 0-86
1907 Oct 22 @ Gonzaga College 0-0
1907 Oct 26 Spokane High 0-12
1907 Nov 9 Cheney Normal College 0-6
1907 Nov 11 Spokane College 49-0
1907 Nov 20 Coeur d'Alene High 11-4
1907 Nov 23 Cheney Normal College 5-0
     
     
1908 Oct 17 Cheney Normal College 5-0
1908 Oct 23 Coeur d'Alene High 29-0
1908 Nov 7 Univerity of Idaho JV 10-0
1908 Nov 14 @ Wilbur Athletic Club 0-14
1908 Nov 21 Gonzaga College 5-12
1908 Nov 28 Spokane YMCA 4-0*
     
     
1909 Oct 16 Cheney Normal College 18-0
1909 Oct 28 Lewiston Normal College Cancel
1909 Oct 28 Gonzaga College Cancel
1909 Nov 20 University of Washington Cancel
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
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