c.1890 Oberlin football player cabinet

 Oberlin College began playing other teams in 1891.  They were an early powerhouse in Ohio before Ohio State gained traction. In 1892 they had coach John Heisman and went on to have a perfect 7-0 season.  I am unsure who this player is.  I believe he may have played on a class team and not the full varsity team.

1896 Walter McCornack Dartmouth Football Cabinet

 Walter McCornack was the quarterback and captain of the 1895-96 Dartmouth football team.  During both of those seasons they were champions of the Triangular Football League Conference.  In his 1896 season he was named the first Dartmouth football player to receive all American recognition.  

After graduation he went on to coach Dartmouth from 1901-02 and then Northwestern from 1903-05.  His 26-5-2 record at Northwestern is the highest winning percentage in Northwestern history.  

Henry Grant 1874 Cabinet Photo First Captain of Harvard Football Team

 Here is a class of 1874 Harvard graduation cabinet of Henry Grant.  The team played its first game May 14, 1874 in Cambridge against Mcgill under Boston rules which was a more association soccer style of play.  They won this game 3-0.  The next day on May 15, 1874 they agreed to play the first rugby style game in the United States which ended in a tie.

c.1890s tintype football photo

 I wanted to show an example of a football tintype.  Tintypes are extremely rare for football images.  Here is an example of an early 1890s tintype with 3 players wearing period football uniforms.

1887 Yale football team cabinet photo

 This is one of my favorite Yale images I own.  The 1887 Yale football team went 9-0 on their way to a championship season.  The captain of the team was QB Harry Beecher who is credited as being on the first football card, the 1888 Goodwin Champion.

c. 1893 cabinet photo with Thomas Bruce

 Thomas Seth Bruce was a starter on Bates College football team from 1894-1898.  During his senior year Bates had one of their best seasons going 6-0.  Bruce broke the color barrier and was an early black football player for a predominately white college.  

What is interesting about this photograph is that he appears to be the captain of the team since he is holding the football.  I believe this photo is from Nichols Latin School which was a prep school for Bates College.  An NLS is seen on another players uniform in the image.

After graduation Bruce went to seminary school in Newton Massachusetts.  He played on the Newton Athletic Clubs football team who actually played Yale that season.  I believe he is one of the first black players on a major athletic club team.

Early 1880s Columbia football team cabinet

 There are very few early Columbia football team images circulating out there.  This is perhaps the earliest I have seen.  Based on a name on the back I attribute this image to around 1881.