1904 Michigan Wolverines football team


The 1904 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1904 Western Conference football season. In the team's fourth season under head coach Fielding H. Yost, the Wolverines compiled a perfect 10–0 record and outscored opponents 567–22. The 1904 team was the fourth of Yost's legendary "Point-a-Minute" teams. Michigan's games were of varying length from 22½ minutes to 70 minutes. Over the course of ten games, Michigan played 476 minutes of football and averaged a point scored for every 50.3 seconds played. The team included future College Football Hall of Fame inductee Willie Heston, who scored 20 touchdowns for 100 points that season; touchdowns were worth five points under 1904 rules.

Schedule

Game summaries

Michigan 33, Case 0

Michigan opened the 1904 college football season on October 1 with a 33–0 win over Cleveland's Case School of Applied Science. The game was played in 20-minute halves, and the Wolverines scored 22 points in the first half. Numerous substitutions were made at half-time, and the backup players added 11 points in the second half. Fullback Frank Longman scored three touchdowns in the game, and Willie Heston, Walter Rheinschild, and Joe Curtis scored one touchdown each. Tom Hammond converted three extra point kicks. Heston's touchdown came on a 75-yard run. Case managed only one first down in the game.
The Michigan players appearing in the game were: John Garrels, Joe Curtis, Henry Schulte, Ted Hammond, Germany Schulz, Roy Beechler, Smull, Tom Hammond, Harry Patrick, Fred Norcross, Walter Becker, Willie Heston, William Dennison Clark, Ted Stuart, James DePree, Frank Longman, and Walter Rheinschild.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
LongmanFullbackYes30015
HestonLeft halfbackYes1005
CurtisLeft tackleYes1005
RheinschildFullbackNo1005
Tom HammondRight endNo0303
Total----63033

Michigan 48, Ohio Northern 0

In the second game of the 1904 season, Michigan defeated Ohio Northern, 38–0, in a game consisting of halves of 20 and 15 minutes. Willie Heston scored three touchdowns and had runs of 45, 32, 35 and 30 yards.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
HestonLeft halfbackYes30015
Tom HammondRight endYes05213
H. HammondFullbackYes20010
ClarkFullbackNo1005
Hal WeeksRight halfbackNo1005
Total----75248

Michigan 95, Kalamazoo 0

In the third game of the season, Michigan defeated Kalamazoo College, 95–0, in a game consisting of two 20-minute halves. Heston scored six touchdowns and had long touchdown runs of 65, 70, 85 and 65 yards.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
HestonLeft halfbackYes60030
H. HammondFullbackYes50025
Tom HammondRight tackleYes015015
PatrickLeft tackleNo20010
Hal WeeksRight halfbackNo1005
ClarkRight endNo1005
SchulteCenterYes1005
Total----1615095

Michigan 72, Physicians & Surgeons 0

In the fourth game of the season, Michigan defeated the Physicians & Surgeons team 72–0 in a short mid-week game lasting only 22½ minutes, a 15-minute first half and a 7½ minute second half. Quarterback Fred Norcross scored four touchdowns, and Heston scored three. Norcross had touchdown runs of 67, 35 and 90 yards.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
Tom HammondRight tackleYes212022
NorcrossQuarterbackYes40020
HestonLeft halfbackYes30015
CurtisLeft tackleYes1005
ClarkRight endYes1005
H. HammondRight halfbackYes1005
Total----1212072

Michigan 31, Ohio State 6

Michigan defeated Ohio State, 31–6, in a game consisting of 30-minute halves in Columbus, Ohio. Heston scored three touchdowns, bringing his season total to 16.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
HestonLeft halfbackYes30015
Tom HammondRight tackleYes03211
H. HammondRight halfbackYes1005
Total----43231

Michigan 72, American Medical School 0

For its sixth game of the season, Michigan played a short mid-week game against the American Medical School. The game consisted of a 20-minute first half and a 3½ minute second half. Right halfback Clark led the scoring with four touchdowns. Weeks scored three touchdowns. Heston was limited to a single touchdown.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
ClarkRight halfbackYes40020
Hal WeeksFullbackYes30015
CurtisLeft tackleYes15010
MagoffinLeft halfbackNo1207
CarterRight guardYes1005
HestonLeft halfbackYes1005
RheinschildLeft endNo1005
PatrickLeft tackleNo1005
Total----137072

Michigan 130, West Virginia 0

The most lopsided score in Michigan football history. In a game consisting of 25 and 20-minute halves, the Wolverines scored 22 touchdowns and 20 extra points. Joe Curtis alone accounted for 49 points with six touchdowns and 19 extra points. The undefeated 1904 team won Michigan's fourth national championship and scored 567 points in 476 minutes of football, averaging a point every 50.3 seconds. For the first time in the 1904 season, Heston did not score.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
CurtisLeft tackleYes619049
NorcrossQuarterbackYes50025
ClarkFullbackYes30015
MagoffinRight halfbackYes21011
GrahamRight tackleYes1005
PatrickRight tackleNo1005
H. HammondRight endYes1005
SchulteLeft guardYes1005
CarterRight guardYes1005
BeckerQuarterbackNo1005
Total----22200130

Michigan 28, Wisconsin 0

Michigan played its first full-length game of the season against Wisconsin. Michigan won the game, 28–0. Heston and Carter each scored two touchdowns, and Norcross added another.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
HestonLeft halfbackYes20010
CarterRight guardYes20010
NorcrossQuarterbackYes1005
Tom HammondRight halfbackYes0202
CurtisLeft tackleYes0101
Total----53028

Michigan 36, Drake 4

In its ninth game, Michigan defeated the team from Drake by a score of 36–4. The game was played in two 25-minute halves. Curtis led the scoring with 16 points on two touchdowns and six extra point kicks. Willie Heston did not play in the game.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
CurtisLeft tackleYes26016
CarterRight guardYes20010
StuartRight endYes1005
Tom HammondRight halfbackYes1005
Total----66036

Michigan 22, Chicago 12

Michigan concluded an undefeated season with a 22–12 win over the University of Chicago on November 12. The game, played in 35-minute halves, featured several College Football Hall of Fame inductees, including Walter Eckersall and Hugo Bezdek for Chicago and Willie Heston and Germany Schulz for Michigan. Heston, Eckersall and Bezdek each scored single touchdowns, but the lead scorer was Michigan's Tom Hammond with 17 points on three touchdowns and two extra points. Heston finished the season with 20 touchdowns for 100 points.
PlayerPositionStarterTouchdownsExtra pointsField goalsPoints
Tom HammondRight halfbackYes32017
HestonLeft halfbackYes1005
Total----42022

Players

Varsity letter winners

The following 13 players received varsity "M" letters for their participation on the 1904 football team:
PlayerPositionGames
started
Hometown
Charles B. CarterRight guard8Lewiston, Maine
William Dennison ClarkLeft end
Right end
Fullback
Right halfback
2
2
1
1
Detroit, Michigan
Joe CurtisLeft tackle10Brooklyn, New York
Walter D. GrahamRight tackle6Chicago, Illinois
Harry S. HammondRight end
Fullback
Right halfback
4
2
2
Chicago, Illinois
Tom HammondRight tackle
Right end
Right halfback
3
3
3
Chicago, Illinois
Willie HestonLeft halfback9Grants Pass, Oregon
Frank LongmanFullback4Battle Creek, Michigan
Fred NorcrossQuarterback10Menominee, Michigan
Henry SchulteLeft guard
Center
7
3
Jefferson Barracks, Missouri
Germany SchulzCenter
Left guard
Right guard
5
3
2
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Ted StuartRight end
Right halfback
1
1
Chariton, Iowa
Harold WeeksFullback
Left end
3
2
Allegan, Michigan

Scoring leaders

Reserves