Lawson Fiscus
Encyclopedia
Ira Lawson Fiscus was one of the first professional football
players. He attended Princeton University
, where his outstanding play at offensive guard earned him the title Samson of Princeton, before going on to play professionally with the Allegheny Athletic Association
in 1891 and the Greensburg Athletic Association
in 1893. His brothers Ross
and Newell also played for Pittsburgh-area athletic clubs and were highly regarded as players.
as the son of a farmer. He was just one of sixteen children. All of his brothers were athletic and big. However Lawson was considered the toughest of family.
) in the late 1880s. By 1891, he and Ross were good enough to receive "liberal expense money" to go to Pittsburgh and play for the Allegheny Athletic Association. In 1892, Lawson was recruited to play football at Princeton University. At the time, college football was considered more prestigious than professional football. While at Princeton, Fiscus played guard and excelled at the position. However he dropped out of school and returned home after the 1892 season.
. Lawson became a teacher in South Fork
in 1894.
However Greensburg secretly offered him $20 a game to play with their Athletic Association. Fiscus quickly took job, making Greensburg the third football team in three years to hire professionals. Greensburg then enjoyed their best season to date. Their only loss to a club from Altoona
was avenged with a 6-4 victory at home on Thanksgiving Day. Other wins came over the Kiski Kiskiminetas, Indiana Normal, West Virginia University
, the Carnegies of Braddock, Holy Ghost College (now Duquesne University
), and the Jeannette Athletic Club
.
reported that he tripped the guy and "purposely tramped on his neck." Either way Jeannette immediately petitioned the referee to expel Fiscus from the game, while Greensburg defended Fiscus' actions. The arguments continued through to the second half of the game. Finally, either Jeannette or Greensburg stormed off the field in protest and the game was declared a scoreless draw.
. For the longest time sports historians were convinced that pro football had begun in 1895 when the Latrobe Athletic Association
to offered to pay John Brallier
$10 to play against Jeannette. However just before his death in 1949, Fiscus announced he was paid by Greensburg $20 a year earlier and believed himself to have been the first pro football player.
Today Fiscus is known to be the sixth player known to have been openly paid to play football. However after looking at the list of the first several professional football players, Fiscus seemed to unaware that some of his 1893 Allegheny Athletic Associtaion teammates had been salaried.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
players. He attended Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, where his outstanding play at offensive guard earned him the title Samson of Princeton, before going on to play professionally with the Allegheny Athletic Association
Allegheny Athletic Association
The Allegheny Athletic Association was an athletic club that fielded the first ever professional American football player and later the first fully professional football team. The organization was founded in 1890 as a regional athletic club in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which is today the North...
in 1891 and the Greensburg Athletic Association
Greensburg Athletic Association
The Greensburg Athletic Association was an early organized football team, based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, that played from 1890 until 1900. The team began as an amateur football club in 1890 and was composed primarily of locals before several professional players were added for the 1895 season...
in 1893. His brothers Ross
Ross Fiscus
Ross Fiscus was an early professional football player and coach in the United States. He was one of the first pro players on record.-Playing history:...
and Newell also played for Pittsburgh-area athletic clubs and were highly regarded as players.
Early life
Fiscus grew up in Indiana County, PennsylvaniaIndiana County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 58,077 registered voters in Indiana County .* Democratic: 26,653 * Republican: 24,159 * Other Parties: 7,265 -County commissioners:*Rodney Ruddock, Chairman, Republican...
as the son of a farmer. He was just one of sixteen children. All of his brothers were athletic and big. However Lawson was considered the toughest of family.
Princeton
Lawson may have played some informal football at Indiana Normal School now (Indiana University of PennsylvaniaIndiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...
) in the late 1880s. By 1891, he and Ross were good enough to receive "liberal expense money" to go to Pittsburgh and play for the Allegheny Athletic Association. In 1892, Lawson was recruited to play football at Princeton University. At the time, college football was considered more prestigious than professional football. While at Princeton, Fiscus played guard and excelled at the position. However he dropped out of school and returned home after the 1892 season.
Professional football
In 1893, Lawson played for both the Allegheny Athletic Association and the Greensburg Athletic Association. Both clubs were thirty miles apart. While Allegheny used Fiscus on the offensive line, Greensburg placed him at halfbackHalfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
. Lawson became a teacher in South Fork
South Fork, Pennsylvania
South Fork is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1894.
However Greensburg secretly offered him $20 a game to play with their Athletic Association. Fiscus quickly took job, making Greensburg the third football team in three years to hire professionals. Greensburg then enjoyed their best season to date. Their only loss to a club from Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
was avenged with a 6-4 victory at home on Thanksgiving Day. Other wins came over the Kiski Kiskiminetas, Indiana Normal, West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, the Carnegies of Braddock, Holy Ghost College (now Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
), and the Jeannette Athletic Club
Jeannette Athletic Club
The Jeannette Athletic Club, also referred to as the Jeannette Indians, was an early football team, based in Jeannette, Pennsylvania from 1894 until around 1906. The team is best known for its role in the Latrobe Athletic Association's hiring of John Brallier, who became the first player to openly...
.
The Jeannette incident
During the first half was of the Jeannete game Fiscus got into an altercation with an unknown Jeannette player. Several accounts of the incident describe Fiscus kicking the Jeannette player in the face. However the Pittsburgh PressPittsburgh Press
The Pittsburgh Press is an online newspaper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper...
reported that he tripped the guy and "purposely tramped on his neck." Either way Jeannette immediately petitioned the referee to expel Fiscus from the game, while Greensburg defended Fiscus' actions. The arguments continued through to the second half of the game. Finally, either Jeannette or Greensburg stormed off the field in protest and the game was declared a scoreless draw.
1896
In 1896 Lawson and his brother Ross Fiscus manned the halfback slots for Greensburg, while is other brother Newell became the team's offensive tackle. The team accumulated a 5-0-0 at the end of October, and had a final record of 6-1-1. This was the best finish for Greensburg since they began playing football in 1890. In 1897 Fiscus helped Greensburg win the Western Pennsylvania football championship.Post-football
Fiscus continued to play football with Greensburg for the next several years. He was later involved in businesses throughout the years. Still later, he became a police chief in Youngwood, PennsylvaniaYoungwood, Pennsylvania
Youngwood is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,138 at the 2000 census. It was the hometown of the late George Blanda - former NFL quarterback and placekicker.-History:...
. For the longest time sports historians were convinced that pro football had begun in 1895 when the Latrobe Athletic Association
Latrobe Athletic Association
The Latrobe Athletic Association was a professional football team located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, from 1895 until 1909. The team is best known for being the first football club to play a full season while composed entirely of professional players...
to offered to pay John Brallier
John Brallier
John Kinport "Sal" Brallier was one of the first professional American football players. He was nationally acknowledged as the first openly paid professional football player when he was given $10 to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association for a game against the Jeanette Athletic Association in...
$10 to play against Jeannette. However just before his death in 1949, Fiscus announced he was paid by Greensburg $20 a year earlier and believed himself to have been the first pro football player.
Today Fiscus is known to be the sixth player known to have been openly paid to play football. However after looking at the list of the first several professional football players, Fiscus seemed to unaware that some of his 1893 Allegheny Athletic Associtaion teammates had been salaried.