Historic Hood River
Football Circa 1912
9-21-2011
Notes
Remember the questions we had about the strange objects hanging around the necks of the Hood River High football team of 1908? Here we have the solution to the mystery. Many of the players wore nose guards. At least three of the players seem to be adjusting the guards, so they must not have stayed in place very well. It seems like this protection traded the risk of a broken nose for the risk of a fractured cheek bone.
This was probably an adult football team. Notes describe this field as being at “12th and Belmont.”
Connie
🙂 I especially love that this was a game between "shirts" and "coveralls". How fun!
l.e.
The history behind adult football would be interesting.
I wonder, what was the purpose of the high, board fence?
Arthur
There were adult teams in football and baseball both downtown and in the heights. The field was also used for baseball, so the high fence was probably a good idea.
Charlott
Though not in this particular era, that I know of, various clubs, etc. had football teams and used to play each other. The Dalles may very well have had club organized teams and they may have played back and forth. The Hood River area has always been a football mecca, especially high school football when there were the two schools, Hood River and Wy’east.
Bill Pattison
Thus the origin of the term "nose guard" used today in many ways