Years of Operation: 1899; 1901

Overall Record:  2-5

First Game: Nov 30, 1899 vs Blair Business College

First Win: Nov 30, 1899 vs Blair Business College

Final Game: Oct 29, 1911 vs Cheney Normal

League Affiliation:  

Indepedents (1899; 1901)

Team Headquarters:

Spokane, Washington

Colors: Red and White

Sponsor: Young Men's Club of America

General Manager: A.J. Carroll (1899), C. Hale Kimble (1908)

Coaches: C.C. Holzell (1899), Joliffe (1908); Tommy Drumheller (1910)

Home Field(s):

Titles Won: 

None

The Spokane Athletic Club shut down, the Spokane Business College had a new rival in the Blair Business College, which won out, so C.C. Holzell grabbed his players and some SAAC guys and started up under the YMCA banner.

1899 Players included:

Hague (E), Bullivant (T), Davis (G), Griffith (C), Buck (G), Epley (T), Luelling (E), Schulz (QB), Eastman (HB), Richards (HB), Crismann (FB/Capt), Fancy, Grant, Leyonnais, Brown

J.E. Griffith (Univ of Kansas) anchored the line.

The YMCA got the best of the Blair team when Hague tackled the punter in the endzone for a safety.

There was no team for 1900 as the Spokane Athletic Club resumed operation of their team and men migrated over to the athletic club including Griffith who was elected captain. Fancy returned for the 1901 team, a squad put together solely to play the Business College.

1901 Players included:

Strang (C), Thayer (G), L. Davis (G), Dow (T), Morton (T), Fancy (E), Waller (E), Jobes (QB), Eastman (HB), Crismann (HB), Epley (FB/PK)

Strang and Thayer, Spokane high schoolers, snubbed their team to play for the YMCA team and in return, High teachers refused to help them with school work after hours and Spokane High refused to play the "Y" team.

The YMCA would stow away the pads until 1908 when C. Hale Kimble rekindled interest.

During the 1908 game with the Blair Business College, two players, Parvis and Clarence Roberts, catcher with the Spokane Indians were deemed professionals.  YMCA Director C. Hale Kimble relieved Coach Jolliffe and Captain Dickey of duties for knowingly utilizing players who were not even members of the club.  The YMCA won the game, but Kimble awarded the 4-0 victory to Blair, the score at the end of the first half.

The rules changes and public outcry against football in 1909 along with the "pro" scandal, kept the "Y" off the field that year, but returned under a new coach in 1910.  Grumblings regarding "sanctioning" games within the association caused a call for breaking away from the YMCA parent organization.  This again shelved a promising season.

1899 Schedule/Results (1-0):

Photos

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