Vintage Tech Football Photo #2...

J

JollyGoodFellow90GT#1

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GO JACKETS!
 
JollyGoodFellow90GT#1 said:
It may have been taken with a zoom lens from back of the end zone. Tech's opponent appears close to the goal line.

I wonder what school Tech was playing that day....

GO JACKETS!
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Wreck 'em will figure it out. That guy knows everything.
 
Think that's Wade Mitchell #11. He played QB and Safety from 1953-56.

Single bar face mask was invented by Paul Broun in 1953 and then was pretty standard on NFL helmets by 1955.
 
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From the south looking north vs UGag... the old GTAA Bldg is in the left background and the Heisman Gym behind the old North Stands.

It was also a cold weather game as Mitchell (?) is wearing the white three-stripes (just like on the sleeves) stirrup (baseball style) socks we wore in cold weather games in the late '60s.

Probably '53 or '55...... Wade Mitchell lettered four times from 1953 through 1956 & we play UGag at Grant Field in odd-numbered years.

ADDED: But if it was '57 & #11 is Fred Braselton, this is the infamous Droughtbreaker game & this shot probably didn't need a zoom lens. The UGag QB was #17 Charlie Britt & behind him Theron Sapp the UGag FB. The much larger North stands didn't go in til the following '58 season.

MORE: Examining the stance of the UGag RT & the GT alignment, this may well be on the GT Goal Line in '57. In fact the splits between the GT DLs, #11 up in the line, would indicate this is a Goal Line defense & possibly the "before" shot of Sapp's play.
 
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Architorture23 said:
Think that's Wade Mitchell #11. He played QB and Safety from 1953-56.

Single bar face mask was invented by Paul Broun in 1953 and then was pretty standard on NFL helmets by 1955.
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If indeed the 1953 season then it includes Pepper Rodgers and Frank Broyles
 
DeepSnap said:
From the south looking north vs UGag... the old GTAA Bldg is in the left background and the Heisman Gym behind the old North Stands.

It was also a cold weather game as Mitchell (?) is wearing the white three-stripes (just like on the sleeves) stirrup (baseball style) socks we wore in cold weather games in the late '60s.

Probably '53 or '55...... Wade Mitchell lettered four times from 1953 through 1956 & we play UGag at Grant Field in odd-numbered years.

ADDED: But if it was '57 & #11 is Fred Braselton, this is the infamous Droughtbreaker game & this shot probably didn't need a zoom lens. The UGag QB was #17 Charlie Britt & behind him Theron Sapp the UGag FB. The much larger North stands didn't go in til the following '58 season.

MORE: Examining the stance of the UGag RT & the GT alignment, this may well be on the GT Goal Line in '57. In fact the splits between the GT DLs, #11 up in the line, would indicate this is a Goal Line defense & possibly the "before" shot of Sapp's play.
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Thank you, DeepSnap, for the historical background you provided! However, if the picture is from the '57 game against the BullFrogs I wish I had never discovered it! :facepalm: By the way, thank you, too, for the information you provided about the 1971 photo (I posted last week). It's awesome you played football for Tech in the early 70s!

GO JACKETS!
 
DeepSnap said:
From the south looking north vs UGag...
MORE: Examining the stance of the UGag RT & the GT alignment, this may well be on the GT Goal Line in '57. In fact the splits between the GT DLs, #11 up in the line, would indicate this is a Goal Line defense & possibly the "before" shot of Sapp's play.
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Yes sir, I believe you're correct. Here's the more famous after shot from the Droughtbreaker game. Thanks for the great details on this one.

0027470-xfio-1280x720.jpg
 
JoltinJacket said:
Yes sir, I believe you're correct. Here's the more famous after shot from the Droughtbreaker game. Thanks for the great details on this one.

0027470-xfio-1280x720.jpg
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Thanks... doing a bit of (painful) research, it was a bitterly cold, sub-freezing, windy & gray day. Sapp had recovered a GT fumble near midfield & then carried the ball nine times during the drive. The 4th & 1 final play of the drive in the 3rd quarter is pictured above. Braselton, a 6-2 190# SOPH QB/DB from Corpus Christie, evidently got caught up inside on the play.

One of the fun things in doing some of this is the oddities you find,e.g., GT had not one but two All-American Centers on that team and they both played at Bessemer HS outside of Birmingham, Don Stephenson and Maxie Baughan. Don was the SR starter & A-A in '57 & Maxie the 3rd stringer in '57 would follow-suit in '59. The 2nd team center, Foster Watkins from Columbus-Baker, would be the team captain in '58
 
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DeepSnap said:
Thanks... doing a bit of (painful) research, it was a bitterly cold, sub-freezing, windy & gray day. Sapp had recovered a GT fumble near midfield & then carried the ball nine times during the drive. The 4th & 1 final play of the drive in the 3rd quarter is pictured above. Braselton, a 6-2 190# SOPH QB/DB from Corpus Christie, evidently got caught up inside on the play.

One of the fun things in doing some of this is the oddities you find,e.g., GT had not one but two All-American Centers on that team and they both played at Bessemer HS outside of Birmingham, Don Stephenson and Maxie Baughan. Don was the SR starter & A-A in '57 & Maxie the 3rd stringer in '57 would follow-suit in '59. The 2nd team center, Foster Watkins from Columbus-Baker, would be the team captain in '58
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Was Maxie a two way player? I thought Maxie was a middle LB.
 
stingmeyall said:
Was Maxie a two way player? I thought Maxie was a middle LB.
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Yep, single platoon football from mid '50s to mid '60s. A change of quarters allowed 11 man swaps, but this is how you ended up with guys like Martin & Davis, McNames, Toner, Williamson and Lothridge in the early '60s playing on both sides of the ball. Remember, Chick Graning was assaulted by a Bammer player while covering a "whistle has blown, fair caught punt."

I played from '68-'71 & we could only sub two players each play unless there was a change of possession.

Maxie made his rep as a LB, but at Tech he also had to play C.
 
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DeepSnap said:
Yep, single platoon football from mid '50s to mid '60s. A change of quarters allowed 11 man swaps, but this is how you ended up with guys like Martin & Davis, McNames, Toner, Williamson and Lothridge in the early '60s playing on both sides of the ball. Remember, Chick Graning was assaulted by a Bammer player while covering a "whistle has blown, fair caught punt."

I played from '68-'71 & we could only sub two players each play unless there was a change of possession.

Maxie made his rep as a LB, but at Tech he also had to play C.
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God bless Don Toner !
 
DeepSnap said:
From the south looking north vs UGag... the old GTAA Bldg is in the left background and the Heisman Gym behind the old North Stands.

It was also a cold weather game as Mitchell (?) is wearing the white three-stripes (just like on the sleeves) stirrup (baseball style) socks we wore in cold weather games in the late '60s.

Probably '53 or '55...... Wade Mitchell lettered four times from 1953 through 1956 & we play UGag at Grant Field in odd-numbered years.

ADDED: But if it was '57 & #11 is Fred Braselton, this is the infamous Droughtbreaker game & this shot probably didn't need a zoom lens. The UGag QB was #17 Charlie Britt & behind him Theron Sapp the UGag FB. The much larger North stands didn't go in til the following '58 season.

MORE: Examining the stance of the UGag RT & the GT alignment, this may well be on the GT Goal Line in '57. In fact the splits between the GT DLs, #11 up in the line, would indicate this is a Goal Line defense & possibly the "before" shot of Sapp's play.
Click to expand...
I think Mitchell is who it is.
 
I wish somebody would write something explaining how football worked when guys played both offense and defense and what the rules were. I've listened to some Tech radio broadcasts of games from those days on YouTube (I think) and I picked up just enough insights from them to be thoroughly confused. They did have some substitution rules I just don't understand. Did this system benefit Tech?
 
CiraldoForever said:
I wish somebody would write something explaining how football worked when guys played both offense and defense and what the rules were. I've listened to some Tech radio broadcasts of games from those days on YouTube (I think) and I picked up just enough insights from them to be thoroughly confused. They did have some substitution rules I just don't understand. Did this system benefit Tech?
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Here ya go, again.... this is in general, if you want more detail, go to the NCAA website & dig out the year-by-year rules changes.

In a nutshell:

Single platoon football, with its roots in the game's origins, ran in various fashions up to the '40s & WWII. From early to mid '50s the rules went back & forth up to the mid '60s had a lot of tweaks in the transition to open substitution. A change of quarters allowed 11 man swaps, but this is how you ended up with guys like Martin & Davis, McNames, Toner, Williamson and Lothridge in the early '60s playing on both sides of the ball. Remember, Chick Graning was assaulted by a Bammer player while covering a "whistle has blown, fair caught punt." You could always replace an injured player.

I played from '68-'71 & we could only sub two players - usually me and the punter or PK for FGs (PATs were open subs) & whoever was the QB on the field was the Holder - each play unless there was a change of possession. 1st, 2nd & 3rd downs? Two players max whatever you were trying to accomplish.

About '73 or '74, some guys named Archie Griffin, Dan Marino & Tony Dorsett (DORS-ett, NOT dor-SETT), Pat Haden & Lynn Swann, et al changed the game. NO ONE wanted to see them on the field blocking for or holding for PATs & FGS, nor covering punts & kickoffs. You'll find a lot of "other official" reasons, but that's how it played out.
 
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DeepSnap said:
Here ya go, again.... this is in general, if you want more detail, go to the NCAA website & dig out the year-by-year rules changes.

In a nutshell:

Single platoon football, with its roots in the game's origins, ran in various fashions up to the '40s & WWII. From early to mid '50s the rules went back & forth up to the mid '60s had a lot of tweaks in the transition to open substitution. A change of quarters allowed 11 man swaps, but this is how you ended up with guys like Martin & Davis, McNames, Toner, Williamson and Lothridge in the early '60s playing on both sides of the ball. Remember, Chick Graning was assaulted by a Bammer player while covering a "whistle has blown, fair caught punt." You could always replace an injured player.

I played from '68-'71 & we could only sub two players - usually me and the punter or PK for FGs (PATs were open subs) & whoever was the QB on the field was the Holder - each play unless there was a change of possession. 1st, 2nd & 3rd downs? Two players max whatever you were trying to accomplish.

About '73 or '74, some guys named Archie Griffin, Dan Marino & Tony Dorsett (DORS-ett, NOT dor-SETT), Pat Haden & Lynn Swann, et al changed the game. NO ONE wanted to see them on the field blocking for or holding for PATs & FGS, nor covering punts & kickoffs. You'll find a lot of "other official" reasons, but that's how it played out.
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Actually, Coach Dodd lobbied against the change to one platoon. He was one of the best at identifying guys who specialized in playing a certain position.
 
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