President Oscar Craig was busy managing numerous responsibilities, trying to build a thriving University. Construction on the University Main Hall and the Science Building began in 1898. Professor Smith, the chair of the Chemistry department, couldn’t devote the time necessary to repeat as coach. He was still involved in helping to organize the team. Both men remained in agreement that athletics would play an important role in the University’s growth. However, do do it correctly they needed someone to lead athletics at the University.
A man named B.F. Searight, a sergeant at Fort Missoula, was on the top of the list. He was a member of the 3rd Reserve Troop, which would later become known as Grisby’s Cowboys. During the Spanish-American War, they were connected to Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, although they did not accompany the American hero into battle. President Craig and Professor Smith sought out Searight because he held a degree from Stanford, where he also played for the Cardinal football team.
To secure Searight, money would need to be raised. At the outset of the fall semester, a team meeting was held to discuss options. The students responded quickly and enthusiastically. $110 was raised to secure Searight’s services for the season.
Montana’s first game was in Helena against Helena High School. Coach Searight made bold predictions for a victory and viewed the game as a warm-up for tougher matches ahead. Rumors had begun to circulate that a possible game with the University of Idaho and a team from Spokane might be in the mix. There is some debate about exactly when the game with Helena took place; the Helena Independent Record stated the game took place on Friday, October 14th.
In 1898, rules stated that a touchdown and a field goal were worth 5 points. New in 1898, teams were allowed to kick a field goal for an extra point.
Helena advanced down the field on the first drive, scoring a touchdown and successfully converting the first known extra point in Montana. The rest of the game was fought to a stalemate. Helena defeated Montana by a score of 6 – 5.
The defeat was a blow to the pride of the new coach and the University. The University Eleven, along with faculty and staff, took issue with the makeup of the Helena Team. The Helena High School team consisted of pickup members who were well past the schooling age. Helena, Butte, and Anaconda were well-known for their quality Athletic club teams. Those teams were packed with former standouts from schools like Cornell, Princeton, and Yale who found their way to Montana as a part of the Copper industry. Athletic Clubs were gaining in popularity. That same year, Charlie O’Brien founded the Morton Athletic Club team in Chicago. That team would go on to become the Racine Cardinals and become a founding member of the National Football League. Today, they are known as the Arizona Cardinals. In 1898, the lines between professional and amateur play in football had not yet been defined.
Ultimately, Montana changed the record books to reflect a 5 – 6 loss to the Helena Athletic Club.
Originally, the Helena team was to travel to Missoula the following weekend for a rematch. Sour grapes lingered, and community support was low. This resulted in a lack of ticket sales and interest to help pay for the team to travel to Missoula. Not wanting to miss out on an opportunity to play, Sidney Ward reached out to the Anaconda Athletic Club. Community support instantly grew, and Montana was able to arrange a deal to bring over the team from the Anaconda Athletic Club. The game against Anaconda took place on Friday, October 28th, 1898. Montana was no match for Anaconda, which soundly defeated the varsity team with a score of 18-0.
Montana took another embarrassing loss to an Athletic Club. Faulty was ready to force a decision on the idea of amateurism versus professional athletes. Some schools felt it was fine to fill out their roster with pickup players, while other institutions felt teams should be made up of only Students from the university. The faculty at Montana voted that, going forward, Montana could only compete with schools whose players all attended the institution.
The season focus turned to the budding rivalry with the State Agriculture College in Bozeman. The Farmers had split games with Helena, losing most recently by a score of 11-0. Montana was confident it could even its record by taking both scheduled games.
The first game took place in Bozeman. Montana received a stiff battle. Both teams held steady on the lines, bucking and pushing each other around, not allowing either time to move the ball offensively. Finally, on one of the final drives of the game, Dan Heyfron broke free for a 50-yard run for a touchdown. George Kennett made the extra point. Montana was victorious 6-0 over the Honyockers from Bozeman.
Searight had started the season full of bluster. His confidence may have exceeded his ability to lead. Maybe he overestimated his team’s athleticism. The season had not gone the way Searight, Craig, or Smith anticipated. It had quickly become apparent that the next game might be the last.
The Varsity football team hosted Bozeman on Thanksgiving Day, November 25th, 1898. The mood in Missoula was excited. The mood was apprehensive. A rivalry was forming, and it brought a sense of anticipation. Missoulians saw their University as the premier academic institution in the state; they had no interest in sharing the stage. Helena had its Montana Club. Butte and Anaconda had their Kings of Copper. Missoula had the Mercantile and the University. Missoulians were eager to show they were the better institution.
A November 22nd issue of the Missoulian wrote: “The fact that the University team defeated the college once last Saturday, a week ago, by a close score of 6 to 0, will add greatly to the interest in the present contest. The college pig skin kickers will come to town with blood in their eyes and a determination to win the much-coveted laurels of a Thanksgiving match. The two institutions are legitimate rivals of all colleges and schools in the state and have been so in football ever since the game was played between the two schools.” After 3 games, the rivalry was established.
The atmosphere was electric as spectators filled the stands. Those in attendance unanimously declared it was the finest performance the Missoula boys had ever delivered on the field. Defensively, George Kennett was a standout performer. John Latimer also received praise for his exceptional play, although team captain Sidney Ward later noted that he did not participate in the game.
The turning point came after Montana recovered a fumble. Dan Heyfron would then run the ball 22 yards for the first score. With a successful extra point, Montana took an early lead of 6-0. Offensively, Charles Allard of Ravalli proved to be the most consistent player. Allard was both fullback and kicker. At the end of the half, his field goal attempt ricocheted off the uprights and fell through for a 5-point score. At halftime, the score was 11 to 0 in favor of Montana.
Montana maintained its dominance in the second half. Hugh Kennedy, Lawrence Heckler, and Laurence Ebert were effective running the ball as Montana’s line play was superior. The team managed to secure another touchdown but missed the extra point attempt. The final score reflected Montana 16, Honyockers 0.
Searight and his team were eager to have a rematch with Helenda. Helena agreed to travel to Missoula for a highly anticipated game. They also agreed to fill their roster with students. The Missoula Democrat newspaper penned “Lovers of Football should not overlook the great game that is to occur here Saturday afternoon … Coach Searight is billed to appear in the contest and the determined expressions of the town boys indicate that the game is to be for keeps even though it take a leg or two to win it.” The Helena club had beaten the teams in Butte, Anaconda, and Bozeman. This final game was billed as a game for the state championship. The community showed up in droves as the game kicked off on Saturday, December 3rd. After only a few minutes of play, the team from Helena walked off the field. They had been called for a penalty they argued was unfair. Students at the Montana Kaimin argued they realized they were outmatched. They were looking for a way out. The Missoulain reported “The Helena’s left the field after only a few minutes of playing and displayed an element of rowdiness and unsportsmanlike character never equalled.”
Following the event, it was apparent the season was over. Winter was setting in. Craig and Smith met to review the outcome of the season and the state of athletics. They ultimately told Searight there was no guarantee of a paid position next year; the three decided to part ways. Montana would end its second season with a record of 2 – 2. While not a failure, it certainly fell short of expectations.
