1901 Georgia Tech football team

1901 Georgia Tech football
ConferenceIndependent
Record4–0–1
Head coach
CaptainHope Hudson[a]
Home stadiumPiedmont Park
Seasons
← 1900
1902 →
1901 Southern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Southwestern Louisiana Industrial     2 0 0
Stetson     1 0 0
Georgia Tech     4 0 1
Marshall     2 0 1
Kentucky University     7 1 1
VPI     6 1 0
Nashville     6 1 1
Virginia     8 2 0
Texas     8 2 1
Davidson     4 2 0
Baylor     5 3 0
Gallaudet     4 2 2
Sewanee     4 2 2
William & Mary     2 1 1
Navy     6 4 1
VMI     4 3 0
Oklahoma     3 2 0
West Virginia     3 2 0
Delaware     5 4 0
Georgetown     3 3 2
Kendall     2 2 0
Spring Hill     0 0 1
Wilmington Conference Academy     2 2 0
Oklahoma A&M     2 3 0
South Carolina     3 4 0
Arkansas     3 5 0
Add-Ran     1 2 1
Furman     1 2 1
Chilocco     2 5 0
North Carolina A&M     1 2 0
Texas A&M     1 4 0
Maryland     1 7 0
Richmond     1 7 0
Florida Agricultural     0 1 0
Louisiana Industrial     0 2 0
Tusculum        

The 1901 Georgia Tech football team represented the Georgia School of Technology during the 1901 college football season. The team was known as the Blacksmiths during the season.[1]

On May 16, Georgia Tech notified that it had been suspended by the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association amidst charges of professionalism during the 1901 baseball season.[2] While Georgia Tech disagreed that it had done anything against the association's rules, its president, Lyman Hall, proposed that the faculty would take hold of the management of the athletic teams to get reinstated to the SIAA.[3] However, the SIAA would not make a permanent decision until following the football season, which meant that SIAA teams were unable to schedule football games against Georgia Tech until the matter was decided. The SIAA did not approve Georgia Tech's full reinstatement into the association until at its annual meeting on December 21.[4]

Georgia Tech entered the 1901 season on a fourteen-game losing streak. The previous year was a financial failure, raising concerns that Tech would not be able to field a baseball or football team in 1901.[5] However, money raised by The Atlanta Journal and through the Georgia Tech Athletic Association made it possible to secure the upcoming season.[5][6] In a January 1901 meeting, Andrew Pittman was picked to continue as football manager and Hudson, 1900's left guard, was named as captain.[6] However, by March, Pittman resigned and Stephen Snowden was elected in his place.[7] By the time the season started, B. R. Pringle would become the team's manager.[8]

On July 31, John McKee, former player at North Carolina and coach at North Carolina A&M, was announced as Georgia Tech's new head coach.[9] McKee arrived in Atlanta on September 15 and the team began practice two days later. Expectations were high that McKee would keep tight control of the team and that the season would be a success.[10] Georgia Tech was considered to have a heavy team, a strong line, and fast backs.[11]

Coach McKee said of the team late in the season, "you may say that Tech has the strongest team she has ever put on the gridiron".[12] The season was a great success following three straight winless seasons. The Blacksmiths finished with a 4–0–1 record and was scored against only one time. However, low attendance was still an issue, which led to the program being in debt, though not as extensively as the previous two seasons.

Following the end of Georgia Tech's season, Coach McKee accepted an invitation to assist the Georgia team in preparing for its game against Auburn.[13] A dispute with Georgia Tech over his salary payment continued into the next summer and was only resolved after McKee threatened to file a lawsuit and the supporters of Tech's athletic association raised money to settle the matter.[14] He did not return to the team in 1902.


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  1. ^ "Techs to Meet Gordon Cadets This Afternoon". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. October 12, 1901.
  2. ^ "Fight on the Techs Comes from Nashville". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. May 16, 1901.
  3. ^ "Yow May Return to Tech and Good Team Expected". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. August 26, 1901.
  4. ^ "Tech Is Reinstated by the Association". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. December 21, 1901.
  5. ^ a b "Journal Heads Subscription to Aid the Tech's Athletics". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. December 7, 1900.
  6. ^ a b "Techs Elect Their New Athletic Officers: Great Dramatic Benefit to Pay Old Debts". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. January 14, 1901.
  7. ^ "Tech Student Body Elects Athletic Officials". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. March 11, 1901.
  8. ^ "First Game Will Be October 12". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. September 26, 1901.
  9. ^ "Tech Will Return Many Old Football Players". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. July 31, 1901.
  10. ^ "Under Coach McGee Tech Commences Practice Today". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. September 17, 1901.
  11. ^ "A Surprise Will Be Tech". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. October 1, 1901.
  12. ^ "New Men in Tech's Line-Up Play Good Practice Game". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. November 7, 1901.
  13. ^ "Coach McKee Goes to Athens to Help Train Georgia Team". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. November 23, 1901.
  14. ^ "Coach M'Kee Paid and Suit Is Withdrawn". The Atlanta Journal. Atlanta, Georgia. June 25, 1902.