They Fought Like Wildcats Centennial (1914-2014): McKale professed American history with vigor

FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER!

[rps-paypal]

[ezcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]

[/ezcol_1half]

[ezcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]

Clipping of actual L.A. Times article published Nov. 8, 1914

Excerpt from L.A. Times, Nov. 8, 1914, authored by Bill Henry:

“Arizona’s cactus-fed athletes, despite heroic efforts on the part of their two halfbacks, (Asa) Porter and (Franklin) Luis, went down to defeat before the Occidental Tigers yesterday afternoon, the tally with all precincts heard from being 14 to 0 in favor of the Tigers.
Confident of rolling up a big score, the Tigers took the field with grins on their faces, but before the game was 10 seconds old they knew they had a battle on their hands.
The Arizona men showed the fight of wild cats and displayed before the public gaze a couple of little shrimps in the backfield who defied all attempts of the Tigers to stop them.”

This site will conduct a countdown in a 100-day period, leading up to Arizona’s 2014 football season-opener with UNLV on Aug. 29 at Arizona Stadium. The 100 Days ‘Til Kickoff countdown will include information daily about the historic 1914 Arizona team that helped create the school’s nickname of “Wildcats” because of how they played that fateful day against Occidental.

[/ezcol_1half_end]

[ezcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]

J.F. “Pop” McKale

When Arizona lured J.F. “Pop” McKale from Tucson High School in 1914, he was not only a burgeoning coach and athletics administrator. He was establishing himself as an esteemed American historian.

He majored in history at Albion (Mich.) College. He taught U.S. history courses at Tucson High, and he was very active with history clubs at Arizona during his career there from 1914 to 1957.

[/ezcol_1half]

[ezcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]

[/ezcol_1half_end]

According to various reports, McKale had a rich admiration for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. He wrote a 16-page pamphlet about Lincoln in 1957 titled “Abraham Lincoln: The Politician”, which was published by the Arizona’s Alumni Association.

Of Lincoln, McKale wrote: “It seems to me that the lesson in the life of Abraham Lincoln is that the love of a great heart, whether for an individual or a native land, is the greatest thing in the world.”

The 1914 Arizona football team that earned the honor of being named the first “Wildcats” was composed of (front row, left to right): Verne La Tourette, George Seeley, Leo Cloud, Richard Meyer, Asa Porter. Second row: Franklin Luis, Lawrence Jackson, Ray Miller, J.F. “Pop” McKale (coach), Turner Smith, Harry Hobson (manager), Orville McPherson, Albert Crawford, Ernest Renaud. Back row: Albert Condron, Emzy Lynch, Charley Beach, Vinton Hammels, Bill Hendry, George Clawson, Harry Turvey.
(AllSportsTucson.com graphic/Photo from University of Arizona Library Special Collections)

[ezcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]

What they were talking about on this day in 1914

Saturday, July 4, 1914

Major-league baseball on the Fourth of July featured doubleheaders in every matchup in the American, National, Federal and Coast Leagues. … In the 31st Wimbledon Women’s Tennis championship, Dorothea Chambers of Great Britain beats fellow countrywoman Ethel Larcombe (7-5 6-4). All but three of the competitors are from Great Britain. In the 38th Wimbledon Men’s Tennis title match, Australian Norman Brookes of beats Anthony Wilding of New Zealand (6-4 6-4 7-5). Almost 75 percent of the field is from Great Britain.

[/ezcol_1half]

[ezcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]

[/ezcol_1half_end]

J.F. “Pop” McKale’s book about Abraham Lincoln was published in 1957

McKale’s fervor for Lincoln included criticism of Arizona for not appropriately honoring the president. According to a Tucson Daily Citizen report, only four months before he passed away from a heart attack in 1967, McKale’s fiery attitude was still strong about Lincoln and matters that were important to him.

He was 79 but had the same vigor he showed when he was not fond of the school up north upon his hiring as football coach and athletic director in 1914.

“There is not a forest, mine, village, town, city or railroad siding; a mountain valley, pass, desert or mesa; a river, lake, creek or wash after the man (Lincoln) who signed the declaration making Arizona a Territory of the United States on Feb. 24, 1803,” McKale told the Tucson Rotary Club in February of 1967 according to the Tucson Citizen.

Because of his ability to inspire with his oratory skills, McKale often spoke to clubs and organizations in the state.

In one of his speeches at Casa Grande in 1954, three years before he retired as Arizona’s athletic director, McKale talked about how stronger sports builds a stronger America. The Casa Grande Dispatch wrote about McKale’s speech at an annual high school basketball banquet.

“Even in our land of equality for all, some men are born with more advantages socially or economically than others, but in athletics, race, creed, color or finances have no bearing at all,” McKale said seven years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball.

“The formula for our nation’s continued strength is more and still more gymnasiums, athletic fields and competitors.”

ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He also writes articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.