What Is 1913 Presbyterian Blue Hose football

Overview

The 1913 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team represented Presbyterian College during the 1913 college football season. Competing as an independent program with no conference ties, the team played a modest schedule typical of smaller Southern colleges at the time.

Under the leadership of first-year head coach Walter A. Johnson, the Blue Hose compiled a 3–4 record. Though detailed game statistics are sparse, the season reflected the developmental stage of college football in the early 20th century, particularly for smaller institutions in the South.

• Walter A. Johnson began his tenure as head coach in 1913, leading the team for three seasons through 1915.
• The team finished the season with a 3–4 win-loss record, indicating a below-.500 performance.
• Presbyterian College, located in Clinton, South Carolina, fielded its football team independently of any athletic conference.
• Games were played on local fields with minimal media coverage, reflecting the amateur nature of early college football.
• The nickname "Blue Hose" originated from the team’s distinctive blue socks, a tradition dating back to the early 1900s.

How It Works

The 1913 season operated under the standard college football rules of the era, with slight variations from modern gameplay including fewer substitutions and different scoring systems.

• Term: The independent status meant the team scheduled games without conference obligations, allowing flexibility but reducing competitive structure.
• Each game consisted of four 15-minute quarters, totaling 60 minutes of play, shorter than today’s 15-minute quarters in later decades.
• Scoring in 1913 awarded 5 points for a touchdown and 3 for a field goal, differing from the modern 6-point touchdown standard adopted later.
• Coaching strategies were limited by minimal roster sizes and lack of specialized positions, with players often playing both offense and defense.
• Recruiting was largely local and informal, with no national scouting networks or athletic scholarships at the time.
• The season typically ran from September to November, aligning with the academic calendar and weather conditions in South Carolina.

Comparison at a Glance

Comparing the 1913 Blue Hose to other contemporary teams highlights differences in competitiveness, structure, and resources.

This comparison shows that while larger programs like Notre Dame and Michigan dominated with strong records, smaller schools like Presbyterian struggled with limited resources. The lack of a formal conference and smaller recruiting base contributed to inconsistent performance. Nevertheless, participation in intercollegiate football helped establish school identity and athletic tradition.

Why It Matters

The 1913 season is a small but significant part of Presbyterian College’s athletic history, marking the start of a coaching era and contributing to the evolution of Southern college football.

• The season helped lay the foundation for future program development, eventually leading to NCAA Division I participation in the 21st century.
• Walter A. Johnson’s leadership in 1913 began a period of organizational growth for the football program over the next few years.
• Early seasons like 1913 preserved the "Blue Hose" nickname, which remains in use today as a symbol of school pride.
• Independent scheduling in 1913 reflected the decentralized nature of early college football, before modern conference alignments.
• Historical records from 1913 contribute to archival research on the development of Southern athletics and collegiate culture.
• The team’s performance illustrates the competitive challenges faced by small private colleges in the early 1900s compared to larger state universities.

While the 1913 season may not stand out in national records, it represents an important chapter in the institutional story of Presbyterian College and the broader narrative of American college sports evolution.