Bill Pierce’s prep almanac

Lewis and Clark was having a great football season in 1923. Its record went to 5-0 with a 21-0 win on the road against Walla Walla on Nov. 10. Little did the team foresee what that victory would bring.

Scott High School of Toledo, Ohio, was recognized as one of the top high school football teams in the country in 1923. It wanted to host a strong team from the west, and sportswriters from Oregon and Washington had selected Walla Walla for that honor.

After LC beat Wa-Hi on Nov. 10, the Wa-Hi coach sent a wire east, cancelling the game against Scott, and recommending an invite to the Tigers instead. The Spokane School Board sanctioned the trip and coach Leonard Elder, 20 players, and a small support staff boarded a train in Spokane for the trip east.  

Nearly 4,000 fans saw the team off with cheers, chants and snake dancing at the train depot. Lending their support was the North Central team, which would face LC in their annual Thanksgiving Day game to close the season.

The trip east took three days, with stops along the way for workouts. In Toledo, Scott students met the team and escorted them to their hotel. The next day, the boys saw a show, got an automobile tour of the city, and finished the day watching a local high school football game.

The game was witnessed by a crowd estimated at 10,000. Scott had won 15 in a row and although the Bulldogs dominated the statistics, the Tigers were competitive.

Midway through the final quarter LC was trailing only 14-10. Scott scored another late touchdown to win 20-10, making it one of their closest games of the year.

In Spokane, telegraph connections had been set up and the play by play was sent back to thousands gathered at different locations, including the Davenport Hotel.  Although LC wasn’t successful in its upset bid, it earned praise for its strong play, both at home and in Ohio.

Perhaps the trip was a bit too draining for the young men as their final game against underdog North Central wound up in a 0-0 tie.