1917 Camp Custer football team

The 1917 Camp Custer football team was an American football team made up of United States Army officers from the 85th Infantry Division stationed at Camp Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan. The Camp Custer officers played games against professional football teams (the Fort Wayne Friars and Detroit Heralds) as well as other service teams.

1917 Camp Custer football
ConferenceIndependent
Record6–1
CaptainWilliam Jennings Gardner
1917 military service football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Mare Island Marines   –  8 –0 –0
Mineola Aviation Station   –  3 –0 –0
Camp Dix   –  2 –0 –0
Camp Jackson   –  2 –0 –1
Allentown Ambulance Corps   –  5 –1 –0
Camp Custer   –  5 –1 –0
Camp Gordon   –  5 –1 –0
Charlestown Navy Yard   –  3 –1 –0
Camp Funston   –  7 –3 –0
Camp Lewis   –  5 –2 –1
Newport Naval Reserves   –  5 –2 –1
Camp Grant   –  3 –1 –0
Camp Taylor   –  2 –1 –0
Great Lakes Navy   –  4 –3 –0
Camp Devens   –  1 –3 –2
Camp Meade   –  1 –2 –0
League Island Marines   –  1 –3 –0
Camp Upton   –  0 –1 –0

Harry Costello, who won All-Southern honors while playing for Georgetown, was the team's quarterback. The team's backfield also included former Michigan Agricultural College stars Blake Miller and Neno DaPrato. William Jennings Gardner was the captain.

Fielding H. Yost of Michigan coached the Camp Custer team in the week leading up to the game with Camp Grant. Amos Alonzo Stagg and Fred J. Murphy coached the Camp Custer team.[1] Ring Lardner attended the Camp Grant game and wrote a column describing the spectacle.[2]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 7at Fort Wayne FriarsFort Wayne, INW 9–0[3]
October 20Great Lakes Navy
W 7–0[4][5]
October 24KalamazooBattle Creek, MIW 34–7[6]
October 28at Flint IndependentsFlint, MIW 34–33,000[7]
November 3at Camp HarleeGrand Rapids, MIW 34–0[8]
November 11Detroit Heralds
  • Navin Field
  • Detroit
W 13–015,000[9]
November 24at Fort Niagara
Cancelled[10]
December 1vs. Camp Grant
L 13–14[11]

Season overview

Game 5: Detroit Heralds

On November 11, Camp Custer defeated the Detroit Heralds, a professional football team starring Birtie Maher, Norb Sacksteder, Ray Whipple, Joe Windbiel, and Lou Usher, and that began playing in the National Football League in 1920. The game drew a crowd of close to 15,000 persons at Navin Field. Camp Custer won by a 13-0 score. Right end Thompson scored a touchdown in the second quarter, and quarterback Harry Costello drop-kicked two field goals. Walter Eckersall was the referee.[9]

References
  1. "Mentors Put Camp Grant Men In Shape". The Rock Island Argus. November 27, 1917. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Ring W. Lardner (December 2, 1917). "In the Wake of the News". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Camp Custer Team Beats Fort Wayne Friars, 9 to 0". The Indianapolis Star. October 8, 1917. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Camp Custer Eleven Defeats Jackies, 7-0". Chicago Tribune. October 21, 1917. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Army Beats Navy Eleven in Fine Game". Detroit Free Press. October 21, 1917. pp. 19, 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Kalamazoo Game by Game Results". September 7, 2015. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  7. "Officers' Team Much Too Good for Flint Boys". Detroit Free Press. October 29, 1917. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Camp Custer Slams Jackies". Detroit Free Press. November 4, 1917. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "'Pro' Champs Are Beaten by Officers". Detroit Free Press. pp. 11–12 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Camp Custer Game Is Declared Off". Buffalo Courier. November 24, 1917. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Grant Goes Over Top Against Custer". Chicago Tribune. December 2, 1917. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.


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