The Birthplace of Black College Football
The game was played in the snows of Salisbury, North Carolina on the front lawn of Livingstone College, December 27, 1892. Their opponent was Biddle College which eventually changed it's name to Johnson C. Smith University.
The Livingstone Blue Bears were formally organized in the fall of 1892. According to an historical account of that first team published in the college's 1998 homecoming program, the elevens included JW Walker (captain), WJ Trent (manager), RJ Rencher, Henry Rives, CN Garland, JR Dillard, JBA Yelverton, Wade Hampton, Charles H Patrick JJ Taylor and FH Cummings.
According to an account in the college's newspaper's 1930 edition, team members chipped in and purchased a regulation football and uniforms. The players outfitted their street shoes with cleats, taking them off after practice.
"The uniforms for the first game was made by the young women of the industrial department out of 10-ounce white duckling cloths," said Trent in a 1958 interview. He later became a Livingstone College President.
The teams played two 45 minute halves in that first game played on Livingstone College's front lawn.
Interestingly, it was Trent who scored Livingstone's only touchdown on a fumble recovery. But by then the snow had covered the fields markings and Biddle contended that the fumble was recovered out of bounds. The official ruled in Biddle's favor. allowing them to keep the 5-0 lead that they had established early-on and giving the visitors the win.
