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Eckersall’s Last Game
Nebraska vs Chicago 1906
November 24, 1906 brought to a close the playing career of one college footballs brightest stars. Simply put, Walter Eckersall was the best player of his time. He only weighed 142 pounds, but in spite of his small size, ‘Ekie’ was a giant on the field. He was a gifted athlete, a great kicker and a brilliant leader who knew how to bring out the full potential of his team. |
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Walter Eckersall was named to Walter Camp’s All-American team three times, and led the Maroons to the national championship in 1905.
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Eckersall had been a legend since high school, when he led Hyde Park of Chicago, the western high school champions, to a lopsided win over Brooklyn Prep, the champions of the east. Hyde Park defeated the eastern champions 105 - 0. His career in college, as the quarterback for the of University of Chicago, had been just as impressive. Three times he was named to Walter Camp’s All-American team. In 1905, he led the Maroons to the national championship. The Maroons went undefeated and ended the 1905 season with a win over Michigan, snapping the Wolverines 56 game unbeaten streak.
Nebraska had the unenviable task of trying to contain Eckersall in his final game. In the first decade of the twentieth century, Nebraska was emerging as a power in midwestern football. Under the leadership of Walter ‘Bummy’ Booth, Nebraska set new standards of excellence. The Cornhuskers schedule was upgraded to include teams such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. By the time the Cornhuskers faced Chicago in 1906, ‘Bummy’ Booth was no longer at Nebraska. After the 1905 season Booth moved to New York to practice law. The man who had to follow him was Amos Foster. |
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The coaching change at Nebraska paled in comparison with changes in the game itself. There were a number of rule changes designed to reduce the violence of the sport. A neutral zone was established at the line of scrimmage, and the forward pass was legalized. The introduction of the forward pass was just the first step in it’s evolution. Severe restrictions on the forward pass limited its usefulness. Never the less, the spreading out of the players, vertically with the neutral zone, and horizontally because of the threat of the forward pass would lead to a more wide open game. In anticipation of the more open offense, the distance needed for a first down was increased from five to ten yards.
The Chicago Maroons were the biggest challenge a Nebraska team had ever faced. The defending national champions featured two future Hall of Fame players, Walter Eckersall and Walter Steffen, and were coached by one of the immortals of college football, Amos Alonzo Stagg. As if the gap in talent was not enough, the Maroons were a motivated team. Chicago entered the game with two goals in mind: to give Eckersall a grand sendoff, and to out do Minnesota’s 13 - 0 victory over Nebraska. Minnesota was a common opponent for both Nebraska and Chicago. In addition to beating Nebraska, the Gophers had also beaten Chicago, 4 - 2. Minnesota beat Chicago early in the year, on a wet field. It was the only loss in two years for the defending champions. The loss to had stuck in the craw of the Chicago players. They sought to get a measure of revenge at Nebraska’s expense.
Eckersall was in perfect shape going into his final game. The weather in the windy city was fair, with lots of sunshine. The largest crowd of the season was on hand. They were there to see Eckersall, and they were expecting him to play the game of his life. Before the game even Nebraska’s coach knew that his team’s chances were not good. Amos Foster said: “We do not have any serious hopes of winning, but the score will be small, and I think we will be able to put it over on Chicago in many ways... ... a defeat by anything less than twenty points will not be a disgrace.”
The Cornhuskers watched ‘Ekie’ like a hawk. It had been widely publicized before the game that Eckersall was going to be the center of the attack, and that Stagg had designed special plays to showcase his star. Nebraska spoiled that part of the festivities. Not once was Eckersall able to break completely into the open. Even though Nebraska managed to hold Eckersall’s running in check, the little field general led his team to two early touchdowns. Throughout the game he showed that he could excel in the new more open style of football. Nebraska stopped many of Chicago’s drives, but Eckersall proceeded to put on an exhibition with his foot, drop-kicking five field goals. |
It was ‘Ekie’s’ day. At half-time he was lifted onto a small platform near the sidelines and speeches were made in his honor. He was presented a special watch as a gift from his fellow students. On the face of the watch, in place of numbers, were the faces of the Chicago team, with Eckersall at six o’clock, and the kind face of Amos Alonzo Stagg at twelve o’clock.
Eckersall saved his most spectacular play for last. Late in the game, after Nebraska fumbled away a chance to score, Chicago had the ball near their own goal post. The Cornhuskers only sent one man out to cover the halfback when he was discovered crouching low off on his own. Eckersall whipped the ball straight to the waiting arms of Walter Steffen at the ten yard line. Steffen sidestepped the lone defender, leaving no one between him and the end zone. The entire Nebraska team followed in hot pursuit, vainly trying to catch the fastest halfback in the west. Steffen had touch the ball down, and trotted back to the twenty yard line before he met any of his pursuers. Amos Foster’s pre-game hopes of a close score were not realized. Nebraska was handed the worst beating in school history, 38 - 5. |
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| At half-time he was lifted onto a small platform and speeches were made in his honor. |
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For the Cornhuskers it was their one and only game against the Maroons, but the first of many visits to the University of Chicago. As Nebraska made the transition from a regional to a national power, no trip east was complete without a stopover in Chicago, and a workout under the watchful eye of Amos Alonzo Stagg.
For Eckersall it was a fitting end to a great career. After the game he was carried off of the field on the shoulders of his admirers. Thousands of cheering fans fought to get near him. He was taken to the gymnasium where more speeches were made in his honor. The Chicago Tribune noted: “Then the famous captain became an ordinary American citizen, but none the less a hero, whose fame will last as long as the game or the institution he has represented so well.” The University of Chicago gave up football in 1939 and the illustrious career of Walter Eckersall faded into history.
Walter Eckersall was finished as a player but he would remain a prominent figure in football for years to come. Eckersall would go on to have a successful dual career as a sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune, and as a referee. As an official, Eckersall was considered one of the best. He officiated at many high profile games. Highly regarded as an authority on football, he selected the Chicago Tribune’s all star team. His ‘All Western Eleven’ carried a lot of prestige. Today he is more remembered as a writer and a referee than as a player. His place in history is largely as a footnote in the story of Knute Rockne, and the well documented history of Notre Dame, because of his presence at many of their games. |
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