SIAP: Original ‘Spalding Trophy’ found on PSU campus

[HailToPitt725]

I apologize for this being about a month old, but I only found the Tweet tonight.

Back in June, a Twitter user by the name of ‘Collegiatestdms’ claimed to have been cleaning out building on the Penn State and discovered the Spalding Trophy, which was given to the winner of the Pitt-Penn State football game from 1908-1915.

There appears to have been two separate Spalding Trophies made for the winner, with the trophy in question being the first one. This link is from a 1910 student newspaper clipping that shows what it looked like before it deteriorated.

The user says it is now in an archive room, which I’m assuming is on PSU’s campus. Does @CrazyPaco @Chris Peak or anyone else have any additional information on this trophy? Perhaps why they stopped issuing it or where it’s appeared over the years?

 

[pittdan77]

Well, it's pretty easy. Even then, Penn State knew they were better than Pitt so they decided to stop acknowledging Pitt as a rival. Or something.

 

[Dan1911]

Even back then, they kept lots of things in the closet.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Well, it's pretty easy. Even then, Penn State knew they were better than Pitt so they decided to stop acknowledging Pitt as a rival. Or something.

What I find interesting about the trophy is that it has the ‘University of Pittsburgh’ engraved on it. I believe the city was still spelled Pittsburg at the time of this trophy, though?

 

[runshadyrun]

looks like the Unversity refursed to drop the H when it was done...

The Naming of Pittsburgh​

Originally Fort Duquesne, the earliest known reference to the new name, Pittsburgh, is in a letter sent from General John Forbes to William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham, dated November 27, 1758. This letter notified Pitt that his name had been given to the place, spelled "Pittsbourgh." In the city charter, granted on March 18, 1816, the Pittsburgh spelling is used on the original document, but due to an apparent printing error, the "Pittsburg" spelling is found on official copies of the document printed at the time.

Pittsburgh Loses Its "H"​

In 1891 the United States Board on Geographic Names adopted thirteen general principles to be used in standardizing place names, one of which was that place names ending in -burgh should drop the final -h. At this time the city's name was rendered "Pittsburg."

The Board supported its decision to rename Pittsburgh by referencing the printed copies of the 1816 city charter which featured the spelling Pittsburg rather than Pittsburgh. Based on those copies, the Board claimed that the official name of the city had always been Pittsburg. However, the members of the board seem to have been unaware that the original 1816 charter specified the name of the city to be Pittsburgh, and that only the copies of the charter featured the erroneous spelling "Pittsburg."

The "H" is Back!​

The new official spelling was resisted by many people in the city. The Pittsburgh Gazette refused to adopt the Board's decision, as did the Pittsburgh Stock Exchange and the University of Pittsburgh. Official city documents continued to use the old spelling. Responding to mounting pressure, the Board reversed the decision on July 19, 1911, and the Pittsburgh spelling was restored after 20 years of contention.

 

[HailToPitt725]

looks like the Unversity refursed to drop the H when it was done...

The Naming of Pittsburgh​

Originally Fort Duquesne, the earliest known reference to the new name, Pittsburgh, is in a letter sent from General John Forbes to William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham, dated November 27, 1758. This letter notified Pitt that his name had been given to the place, spelled "Pittsbourgh." In the city charter, granted on March 18, 1816, the Pittsburgh spelling is used on the original document, but due to an apparent printing error, the "Pittsburg" spelling is found on official copies of the document printed at the time.

Pittsburgh Loses Its "H"​

In 1891 the United States Board on Geographic Names adopted thirteen general principles to be used in standardizing place names, one of which was that place names ending in -burgh should drop the final -h. At this time the city's name was rendered "Pittsburg."

The Board supported its decision to rename Pittsburgh by referencing the printed copies of the 1816 city charter which featured the spelling Pittsburg rather than Pittsburgh. Based on those copies, the Board claimed that the official name of the city had always been Pittsburg. However, the members of the board seem to have been unaware that the original 1816 charter specified the name of the city to be Pittsburgh, and that only the copies of the charter featured the erroneous spelling "Pittsburg."

The "H" is Back!​

The new official spelling was resisted by many people in the city. The Pittsburgh Gazette refused to adopt the Board's decision, as did the Pittsburgh Stock Exchange and the University of Pittsburgh. Official city documents continued to use the old spelling. Responding to mounting pressure, the Board reversed the decision on July 19, 1911, and the Pittsburgh spelling was restored after 20 years of contention.

Great tidbit- thanks for sharing this. Glad we didn’t cave!

 

[pittdan77]

What I find interesting about the trophy is that it has the ‘University of Pittsburgh’ engraved on it. I believe the city was still spelled Pittsburg at the time of this trophy, though?

I've heard the story behind the "h" several times and I assume that some people never quit using it. Probably something like the script on the helmet. Someone thought it was a good idea to take it away and the people in charge finally relented and put it back.

 

[WillyDavis33]

no way the yinzer forefathers stopped using the h n@

 

[CrazyPaco]

I apologize for this being about a month old, but I only found the Tweet tonight.

Back in June, a Twitter user by the name of ‘Collegiatestdms’ claimed to have been cleaning out building on the Penn State and discovered the Spalding Trophy, which was given to the winner of the Pitt-Penn State football game from 1908-1915.

View embedded media

There appears to have been two separate Spalding Trophies made for the winner, with the trophy in question being the first one. This link is from a 1910 student newspaper clipping that shows what it looked like before it deteriorated.

The user says it is now in an archive room, which I’m assuming is on PSU’s campus. Does @CrazyPaco @Chris Peak or anyone else have any additional information on this trophy? Perhaps why they stopped issuing it or where it’s appeared over the years?

Yes, I have seen pictures of this trophy in old publications and yearbooks and always wondered what happened to it. It was last used in the early 1900s. It just sort of disappeared. I believe it originally was only supposed to be for a three game series..not an annual trophy. But if they had instead made it into an annual trophy, it would have been one of the oldest in college football. Like around the age of the little brown jub. PSU ruining traditions again.

See here: https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt:1910e49702/viewer#page/136/mode/1up

There's supposedly another version that was introduced later: https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press-second-spalding-tro/127978129/