When did Rutgers spring football become an annual event?

[Source]

The arrival of head coach Howard Gargan began the era of annual spring football. The March 31, 1909 Daily Home News reported, “…Rutgers will start spring football practice on next Monday, and the work will be done under the direction of Capt. Tad Smith and Howard Gargan, the new football coach.” The April 6 edition continued, “Yesterday afternoon enough football candidates reported to the call of Capt. Smith at Neilson Field to form a team. As yet many of last year’s men have not come out due to the fact that they are busy with baseball. Many new faces were seen arrayed in the scarlet, and if everything pans out well, they should make some of the guard hustle to keep their positions next fall…Capt. Smith was well pleased with the number of men who came out, and thinks that from now on, spring practice will be the rule at Rutgers.”

 

[mdk01]

But as mentioned players of spring sports weren't involved. My guess is that it didn't become an event until the 80s. And I think Schiano 1.0 took it to a different level.

 

[JDNB]

The arrival of head coach Howard Gargan began the era of annual spring football. The March 31, 1909 Daily Home News reported, “…Rutgers will start spring football practice on next Monday, and the work will be done under the direction of Capt. Tad Smith and Howard Gargan, the new football coach.” The April 6 edition continued, “Yesterday afternoon enough football candidates reported to the call of Capt. Smith at Neilson Field to form a team. As yet many of last year’s men have not come out due to the fact that they are busy with baseball. Many new faces were seen arrayed in the scarlet, and if everything pans out well, they should make some of the guard hustle to keep their positions next fall…Capt. Smith was well pleased with the number of men who came out, and thinks that from now on, spring practice will be the rule at Rutgers.”

Were the public, and reporters allowed to watch practice?

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Hoping we go back to giving out Free Rutgers Football T shirts this year, in addition to magnets and posters.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Hoping we go back to giving out Free Rutgers Football T shirts this year, in addition to magnets and posters.

Doubtful they've put much effort into marketing.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Doubtful they've put much effort into marketing.

Well, to be fair, we only have 4,973 people in the Athletic Department.

 

[Source]

Was the public, and reporters allowed to watch practice?

Yes. It was the following head coach, Foster Sanford, that tried to keep the practices as private as he could in pre-season. Spring football was still open to fans. In fact, fans turned out to watch the return of alumnus Paul Robeson in 1919 and 1920 put on the old uniform and play against the varsity.

 

[beaced]

The arrival of head coach Howard Gargan began the era of annual spring football. The March 31, 1909 Daily Home News reported, “…Rutgers will start spring football practice on next Monday, and the work will be done under the direction of Capt. Tad Smith and Howard Gargan, the new football coach.” The April 6 edition continued, “Yesterday afternoon enough football candidates reported to the call of Capt. Smith at Neilson Field to form a team. As yet many of last year’s men have not come out due to the fact that they are busy with baseball. Many new faces were seen arrayed in the scarlet, and if everything pans out well, they should make some of the guard hustle to keep their positions next fall…Capt. Smith was well pleased with the number of men who came out, and thinks that from now on, spring practice will be the rule at Rutgers.”

I thought I remembered it as1910.Well what's one year among friends?

 

[RUPete]

The arrival of head coach Howard Gargan began the era of annual spring football. The March 31, 1909 Daily Home News reported, “…Rutgers will start spring football practice on next Monday, and the work will be done under the direction of Capt. Tad Smith and Howard Gargan, the new football coach.” The April 6 edition continued, “Yesterday afternoon enough football candidates reported to the call of Capt. Smith at Neilson Field to form a team. As yet many of last year’s men have not come out due to the fact that they are busy with baseball. Many new faces were seen arrayed in the scarlet, and if everything pans out well, they should make some of the guard hustle to keep their positions next fall…Capt. Smith was well pleased with the number of men who came out, and thinks that from now on, spring practice will be the rule at Rutgers.”

Love this and love the old school writing style back in the day!

 

[dconifer]

And Rutgers Day in general, which is a pretty great time!

 

[knightfan7]

Doubtful they've put much effort into marketing.

I agree. Being they're gifting T's to season ticket holders, I doubt they'll just give them away to others too.

 

[Scarlet Blind]

Didn't it become an event in the first year of the Terry Shea error after the roster lost to a team of alumnis who only played football together for an hour?

In 1996, Rutgers played its alumni and lost

Perhaps the most Rutgers of Rutgers stories.

www.sbnation.com

 

[MrsScrew]

It used to be the Scarlet and White game. Admission was a $5 donation and all monies collected were split between the pediatric wards of RWJUH and St. Peter's. The presidents or some representative of each hospital were usually the honorary captains or at least part of the coin toss to start the game.

 

[Source]

When Rutgers lobbied to get in on the formation of the Ivy League in the 1950s, RU decided to emulate Ivy League practices even though they never were admitted. That included the stopping of spring football practices.

But in the the April 19, 1967 Targum, it was reported, “Last December, the upcoming seniors on the football team went to see Dr. John Bateman, the Knight football mentor. They asked him if it would be possible to have spring football practice. What they asked for however, was not the usual type of spring practice. As Dr. Bateman stated, ‘The players knew from the start that they couldn’t have practices while school was in session because it would interfere with spring sports which they did not want to do; they volunteered to give up the first 10 days of their summer vacation…. the fellows took the initiative and are going to be doing it on their own time; this shows dedication.’” Spring practice within the school year returned in April of 1974.

And the varsity vs. Rutgers alumni games were played before the spring ban. The varsity won in 1953 and evened the series with the Alumni at two wins apiece.