Original 1909 Madison High School, Madison, Wisconsin football team Real Photo Postcard (RPPC), personally written and signed on the reverse by legendary coach Thomas E. “Tom” Jones.
Jones refers directly to the pictured team in his handwritten message:
“On the opposite you will see ‘the’ champions for 1909.”
The contemporary Madison High Tychoberahn yearbook documents the 1909 football roster and a 5–1 season, with Madison outscoring opponents 131–27. Later biographical documentation identifies the 1909 Madison High squad as a state championship team.
The team included several athletes and coaches who went on to remarkable careers:
Thomas E. “Tom” Jones — Coach: Later the legendary longtime University of Wisconsin track and cross-country coach, member of the 1948 U.S. Olympic track coaching staff, University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Famer and Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Famer. Wisconsin Badgers
Justin M. “Sam” Barry — Left End: Three-sport Madison High star who became one of America's great multi-sport collegiate coaches. At USC he coached basketball, baseball and football, helped lead USC baseball to the 1948 NCAA championship, and became USC's winningest men's basketball coach. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979 and USC Athletics Hall of Fame. USC Athletics
Albert H. Tormey — Quarterback: Member of Madison High's 1909 state championship football team and a key player on Wisconsin's 1912 Big Ten championship team. He also set a reported world record of 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and was selected for the Madison Sports Hall of Fame. Madison Central High School Obituaries
Harold Lampert — Captain / Fullback: Captain of the 1909 team, documented by the contemporary yearbook.
Carl Harper — Left End: Madison High athlete under Jones and later a Madison Sports Hall of Fame inductee. Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club
Jones's handwritten message also discusses his departure from Madison for the University of Missouri, giving the postcard an additional connection to the beginning of his collegiate coaching career.
An exceptional piece of early Wisconsin football history combining a 1909 championship team RPPC, handwritten correspondence and signature of Hall of Fame coach Tom Jones, Naismith Hall of Famer Sam Barry, Albert Tormey, Carl Harper, and contemporary yearbook documentation.
Yearbook images shown are historical reference images only and are not included in the sale.
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