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Lot # 997: 19th Century Football Scrapbook Compiled by Stanford Captain Paul Downing

Category: Football

Starting Bid: $300.00

Bids: 0 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Winter Classic 2022",
which ran from 2/13/2022 3:00 PM to
3/12/2022 10:00 PM



Presented is a marvelous 143-page scrapbook compiled by, and belonging to, Paul Downing, a four-year starting player on Stanford University's football team. Downing was well acquainted with Herbert Hoover, a student manager of the Stanford team who became President of the United States, and newspaper articles relating to Hoover are featured prominently in the scrapbook. Downing, a center who never missed a second of play in four college seasons, used a clipping service to secure news articles about football and about the 1894 football team he captained that won the National Championship. The first ten numbered pages are missing, but Pages 11-93 are filled with newspaper clippings predominately devoted to Stanford football, and often specifically discuss the "Big Game," the annual rivalry contest against nearby University of California at Berkeley. Included throughout the book are a few letters and telegrams, and three photos. Pages 94-153 of the scrapbook mainly feature the 1931 reunion of the 1894 Stanford National Champions at the residence of Herbert Hoover, such residence being the White House. The reunion was even covered by Time magazine. There are myriad news articles and news photos about this reunion, some with news photos of President Herbert Hoover enjoying his reunion with the team. The scrapbook measures 12.5" x 18", and it has sturdy covers. The news articles are remarkably preserved considering that many are more than 125 years old. The scrapbook provides a fascinating look into Nineteenth Century football and Paul Downing's association with President Hoover.

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