"The Big House" book review

So on Thursday I used a power failure to finish up reading The Big House: Fielding Yost and the Building of Michigan Stadium. I thought I would share a couple of thoughts about the book.

Let me begin by saying that I do think that if you have any interest in the history of the Michigan football program, this book is a definite must read. The prose lacks a certain lyrical flow, but it is more than made up for in the exceptional level of research done. Drawing from Yost's letters as coach, AD, and his personal correspondence, along with extensive excerpts from The Michigan Daily, Dr. Soderstrom gives the reader an exceptional view of what it was like to be a Michigan football fan in the 1920s.

Which leads me to one of my favorite things I drew from the book: In 85 years, Michigan football fans (and college football in general) has changed immensely and at the same time, very little. There were academic wailings about the quality of student that was brought in to be a part of the football team, concerns about a stadium "arms race" among colleges, the concerns over professionalism and its impact upon the sport, concerns about student rowdiness at games and on road trips, the concerns about students using football games as an excuse to get drunk, and my personal favorite, the Daily repeatedly calling out the Ferry Field crowd for its lack of vocal and enthusiastic support for what were some great Michigan teams. So much of college football handwringing today is really nothing more than variations on a theme.

I also enjoyed the insight into Fielding Yost. We need never question where the popularity of the phrase "Michigan man" came from. It's clearly a Yostism. In dozens of letters and speeches, his focus was on the "Michigan man" (and woman, Yost's willingness to embrace a co-educational university and equality in physical education for women is a recurrent theme in the book.) I was also impressed with Yost's tirelessness, particularly in his advocacy for building Michigan Stadium, and the obstacles he was compelled to overcome to build it. Indeed, even the reminder that before it was Yost Ice Arena, it was Yost Field House is worth the time devoted to it, the first Field House in the country.

All in all, I enjoyed the book because I have an interest in the subject area, and the level of research more than made up for any other failings of the book.

Have a good weekend.

The Vault: Michigan Stadium Dedication 1927

Michigan fans know that while Ohio Wesleyan was the first opponent in the Big House, the stadium was dedicated during a game against tOhio State with a 21-0 victory on October 27, 1927.

Noted YouTube poster WolverineHistorian posted this newsreel clip, enhanced by some classic work by what sounds like Michigan's men's glee club and old-timey piano, that really must be seen. So watch the clip, and then I will have some notes after the jump, and you are strongly encouraged to post your own notes.

* Like Simpsons writer John Schwartzwelder, I have an abiding affection for old-timey Americana. This clip has SO MUCH OF IT! The use of "Varsity", complete with what looks like a pep rally, is just icing on the cake.

* It's just amazing to see people filing into Michigan Stadium, a building that looks no bigger than 40 feet off the ground, from an empty field. No concrete to be seen anywhere. And yet, the stairways and the tunnel are pretty much the same today as they were 80 years ago.

* "Today's aerial footage was provided by a biplane!"

* Look at how close the field is to the first row. I know older Michigan fans always think that the lower rows are a nightmare because of the pre-1990 arrangement, but you can really see it there.

* Suits. Everywhere suits. I know that northern weather makes this an impossible, but I like the idea that you dress for a game, as some Southern schools do.

* No yard numbers on the field, narrow band sidelines, no end zone decorations.

* Lots of footage of the cheerleaders, but no footage of the MMB. Disappointing.

* Speaking of cheerleaders, I wonder if this is the game where the live Wolverine mauled the cheerleader, leading Michigan to permanently abandon the mascot concept.

* Hey, you can see people shredding their Michigan Football Guides and tossing them into the air after a score. Some things never change. I wonder what the 1927 version of Punt/Counterpunt was like...

* On the last play of the footage, you can see that even 80 years ago, Michigan had problems containing a mobile Buckeye quarterback and finishing their tackles.

* By the way, Michigan went unscored upon in its first three games in the Big House. Navy scored 12 in the fourth game at Michigan Stadium to become the first opposing team to find paydirt at Michigan Stadium.