Tuttle discussed the first team to represent Defiance in high school football. The article, published on August 8, 1963, stated the first team played in 1901.
"Sixty-two years ago a bunch of boys with a vision and a will promoted the first Defiance High School football team. Everything was on a volunteer basis. They had no paid coach, not even a football given them. They furnished their own uniforms. Most of the uniforms were made by the mothers of the boys.
This picture of the first Defiance High School football team was taken in 1901. The late attorney Richard H. Sutphen, better known as 'Dick,' was the coach.
In the picture are: From left, Langdon, who operates a drug store in Ottawa and Edward S. Speiser, reclining.
Second row, Claude Winn, Tom Garman, Julius Blair, Roy Cameron and Clayton L. Hutchinson;
Third row, Barton Harris, Murphy (son of the Baptist minister at that time), Jim Duerk, Earl Fuller, Hector Daoust and Olga Byron Smith.
The team had no regular schedule but picked up games whenever possible. Picture furnished by Clayton L. Hutchinson, 308 Washington Ave."
***
The Defiance Crescent News reported on the team's first game on September 30, 1901 with Van Wert, which they lost.
*It may be that the wrong date was reported on the photo above, as the names do not match those playing in 1901, as reported by the newspaper.
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