Rutgers Football History - This Day in The Targum 85 years Ago Today

[Source]

J. Wilder Tasker became a big fan of the “Rockne System” of football when he convinced the legendary Notre Dame leader to hold summer coaching camps in Virginia in 1925 and 1926. When Rutgers looked for Harry Rockafeller’s replacement in 1931, the search committee chose Tasker from about 50 candidates based heavily on the recommendation of one Knute Kenneth Rockne. The hiring was announced in the February 18, 1931 Targum. Six weeks later, Rockne died in a plane crash in Kansas after 13 seasons as Irish head coach. Tasker addressed Rutgers students that very night in Leupp Hall in the Quad, according to the April 1 Daily Home News, “… It was because Rockne lived, not for the salary he received every month, but for the people he served. The spirit of this tradition will be carried on no matter who succeeds Rockne, and I can’t imagine a tougher team to beat in the future than Notre Dame will be.”

According to the November 19, 1931 Daily Home News, “‘Knute Rockne was the greatest coach ever,’ said J. Wilder Tasker, coach of the Rutgers eleven as he addressed more than 1600 theatre-goers who crowded the RKO State Theatre last evening at the special ‘Rutgers Night’ performance of the showing of ‘The Spirit of Notre Dame.’ I consider Knute Rockne my friend,’ continued the Scarlet mentor, ‘because he was mostly responsible for my coming to Rutgers University.’”

 

[Ready to Rumble]

J. Wilder Tasker became a big fan of the “Rockne System” of football when he convinced the legendary Notre Dame leader to hold summer coaching camps in Virginia in 1925 and 1926. When Rutgers looked for Harry Rockafeller’s replacement in 1931, the search committee chose Tasker from about 50 candidates based heavily on the recommendation of one Knute Kenneth Rockne. The hiring was announced in the February 18, 1931 Targum. Six weeks later, Rockne died in a plane crash in Kansas after 13 seasons as Irish head coach. Tasker addressed Rutgers students that very night in Leupp Hall in the Quad, according to the April 1 Daily Home News, “… It was because Rockne lived, not for the salary he received every month, but for the people he served. The spirit of this tradition will be carried on no matter who succeeds Rockne, and I can’t imagine a tougher team to beat in the future than Notre Dame will be.”

According to the November 19, 1931 Daily Home News, “‘Knute Rockne was the greatest coach ever,’ said J. Wilder Tasker, coach of the Rutgers eleven as he addressed more than 1600 theatre-goers who crowded the RKO State Theatre last evening at the special ‘Rutgers Night’ performance of the showing of ‘The Spirit of Notre Dame.’ I consider Knute Rockne my friend,’ continued the Scarlet mentor, ‘because he was mostly responsible for my coming to Rutgers University.’”

How was Tasker as the Rutgers coach?

 

[zappaa]

Tasker was 31-27-5
In his years as head coach at RU

 

[knightfan7]

How was Tasker as the Rutgers coach?

Per wiki:

31-27-5 over 7 years but won 4 Middle Three Conference titles so he had that going for him.

 

[runrayrun]

So the Knute Rockne recommendation worked out better than the Bill Walsh recommendation.

 

[knightfan7]

Don't want to tarnish his image but he also coached football and basketball at UConn.

 

[Source]

You can also thank J. Wilder Tasker for starting another Rutgers football tradition that lasts until this very day.

The earliest known cannon firings at Rutgers games date to 1931 when a small cannon joined the staff of new head coach J. Wilder Tasker. The Rutgers Student Council eventually took charge of the “Little Brass Cannon” to shoot off at games until its 1940 donation as the Middle Three trophy. According to the October 29, 1943 Targum, “Twelve years ago the cannon was purchased by Bill Clover’32, cheerleader, upon the suggestion of J. Wilder Tasker, grid coach. Tasker recalled a Syracuse custom which he witnessed every time his William & Mary squad played on the Orange gridron.” The small field piece, painted scarlet, thenceforth backed defiance to Rutgers’ gridiron opponents after each Scarlet victory. It was also used for pep rallies. However, now and then the little cannon became stubborn and would not fire when the cord was pulled. At one such time when the cord was pulled, the cannon spun around and pointed itself at its firer. That unlikely fellow did not wait to see the results, but sped swiftly away.”

It looked a little like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1929-Vintage-CONESTOGA-Big-Bang-Cast-Iron-Toy-Cannon-Model-7FB-7FDB-Carbide-/181658167603?nma=true&si=mthPmGr433uGBXfMbBWYcl%2FmjWs%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

or even this:

http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144401&page=2

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

umm.. where is that brass cannon middle three trophy now?

 

[DJ Spanky]

umm.. where is that brass cannon middle three trophy now?

The consensus seems to be that it's somewhere at Lehigh.

 

[Source]

The cannon was lost in Lehigh’s possession when Rutgers won it back in 1958. The Monmouth County Rutgers Club replaced it in 1961. In some years, an All Middle Three team would be named.

 

[Source]

Head Coach: J. WIlder Tasker
1931: 4-3-1
1932: 6-3-1
1933: 6-3-1
1934: 5-3-1
1935: 4-5-0
1936: 1-6-1
1937: 4-5-0

 

[ecojew]

1931 was even before Rutgers Stadium was built (1938) so his teams played in a little high-school like field with wooden bleachers, IIRC. And for those who can't recall the "Middle Three," it was comprised of Rutgers, Lehigh, and Lafayette, which shows you where RU's athletic identity was at that point. Of course, we also had not yet become the full-fledged state university of NJ at that point either.