Haven't done one of these in awhile. I'll let this hang around a day or two and check in periodically before revealing the answers. Unless, of course, the Board in its collective wisdom gets them first!
1. What two Rutgers football players have been pictured on U.S Postal stamps?
On January 20, 2004, Paul Robeson was featured on a 37 cent stamp as part of a Black Heritage series. On August 11, 2009, Ozzie Nelson was featured with his wife Harriet on a 44 cent stamp as part of an Early TV Memories series.
2. Who was the first Rutgers football player with a song on the Billboard charts? Who was the first to hit #1?
The first Rutgers football player to chart a song on Billboard was Paul Robeson in 1925. His "Steal Away" reached #39. Three years later "Old Man River" reached #7. In 1935, Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra reach #1 with "And Then Some." Ironically, the name of the recording label company was Brunswick Records.
3. What two Rutgers football players have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Paul Robeson was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 9, 1978.
Ozzie Nelson was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.
4. The NFL started in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association. What player in the Rutgers Hall of Fame was the first to appear in a game that inaugural season?
On October 10, 1920 APFA (a.k.a. NFL) the Akron Pros defeated the Columbus Panhandles 37-0 at Akron League Park. Bob “Nasty” Nash played left end for Akron. His teammate at left halfback was Brown star Fritz Pollard. Nash's Rutgers teammate Budge Garrett joined him on the team later in the season.
5. Who is the only Rutgers football player to have played in the NFL and Major League Baseball?
Walter French who won football letters at Rutgers in 1918 and 1919 and then Army the next two years. He played for the 1922 NFL Rochester Jeffersons and the 1925 NFL Pottsville Maroons. He also played on Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics teams in 1923, 1925-29. He was the seventh player to do both in the same calendar year.
6. Who was the first Rutgers football player to appear on a trading card?
Homer Hazel (1916, 23-24) was the first Rutgers player to be immortalized on a football card. The 1926 Spalding Champions set featured 210 cards of stars from various sports including 14 cards of college football players - all but two wound up in the College Football Hall of Fame. There are only a handful of Homer Hazel cards that are known to exist.
7. Has a Rutgers football player ever been head coach of an NFL team?
Alfred Tennyson “Budge” Garrett became the first Rutgers player to become an NFL head coach. He went 2-1-3 with the 1922 NFL Milwaukee Badgers before turning the duties over to Jimmy Conzelman who went 0-3. Fritz Pollard also did some coaching. Garrett was a player-coach.
8. Has Rutgers ever played a game on Friday the 13th?
No.
9. How much was the first admission fee to a Rutgers football home game?
The Rutgers Athletic Association put up a fence around College Field and charged 25 cents to watch the November 21, 1879 game with Stevens Institute of Hoboken.
10. What Rutgers head coach endorsed a scientific football board game called “The Stadium?”
G.L. Seibel of Easton, PA put out a spinner board game in 1923. Part of its advertisement included, "...Every American Home…Should have our exciting, use-your-head Games! Played and recommended by the leading coaches and players, such as Walter Camp, Glen Warner, Hugo Bezdek, Bob Folwell, J.B. Sutherland and Foster Sanford for the foot ball game..."
11. What Rutgers football player has a tomato named after him?
Paul Robeson
12. This team was on the schedule in the undefeated 1961 and 1976 seasons and every season Rutgers went to a bowl game before joining the Big Ten Conference. Name the team.
Connecticut
1. What two Rutgers football players have been pictured on U.S Postal stamps?
On January 20, 2004, Paul Robeson was featured on a 37 cent stamp as part of a Black Heritage series. On August 11, 2009, Ozzie Nelson was featured with his wife Harriet on a 44 cent stamp as part of an Early TV Memories series.
2. Who was the first Rutgers football player with a song on the Billboard charts? Who was the first to hit #1?
The first Rutgers football player to chart a song on Billboard was Paul Robeson in 1925. His "Steal Away" reached #39. Three years later "Old Man River" reached #7. In 1935, Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra reach #1 with "And Then Some." Ironically, the name of the recording label company was Brunswick Records.
3. What two Rutgers football players have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Paul Robeson was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 9, 1978.
Ozzie Nelson was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.
4. The NFL started in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association. What player in the Rutgers Hall of Fame was the first to appear in a game that inaugural season?
On October 10, 1920 APFA (a.k.a. NFL) the Akron Pros defeated the Columbus Panhandles 37-0 at Akron League Park. Bob “Nasty” Nash played left end for Akron. His teammate at left halfback was Brown star Fritz Pollard. Nash's Rutgers teammate Budge Garrett joined him on the team later in the season.
5. Who is the only Rutgers football player to have played in the NFL and Major League Baseball?
Walter French who won football letters at Rutgers in 1918 and 1919 and then Army the next two years. He played for the 1922 NFL Rochester Jeffersons and the 1925 NFL Pottsville Maroons. He also played on Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics teams in 1923, 1925-29. He was the seventh player to do both in the same calendar year.
6. Who was the first Rutgers football player to appear on a trading card?
Homer Hazel (1916, 23-24) was the first Rutgers player to be immortalized on a football card. The 1926 Spalding Champions set featured 210 cards of stars from various sports including 14 cards of college football players - all but two wound up in the College Football Hall of Fame. There are only a handful of Homer Hazel cards that are known to exist.
7. Has a Rutgers football player ever been head coach of an NFL team?
Alfred Tennyson “Budge” Garrett became the first Rutgers player to become an NFL head coach. He went 2-1-3 with the 1922 NFL Milwaukee Badgers before turning the duties over to Jimmy Conzelman who went 0-3. Fritz Pollard also did some coaching. Garrett was a player-coach.
8. Has Rutgers ever played a game on Friday the 13th?
No.
9. How much was the first admission fee to a Rutgers football home game?
The Rutgers Athletic Association put up a fence around College Field and charged 25 cents to watch the November 21, 1879 game with Stevens Institute of Hoboken.
10. What Rutgers head coach endorsed a scientific football board game called “The Stadium?”
G.L. Seibel of Easton, PA put out a spinner board game in 1923. Part of its advertisement included, "...Every American Home…Should have our exciting, use-your-head Games! Played and recommended by the leading coaches and players, such as Walter Camp, Glen Warner, Hugo Bezdek, Bob Folwell, J.B. Sutherland and Foster Sanford for the foot ball game..."
11. What Rutgers football player has a tomato named after him?
Paul Robeson
12. This team was on the schedule in the undefeated 1961 and 1976 seasons and every season Rutgers went to a bowl game before joining the Big Ten Conference. Name the team.
Connecticut
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