Long before radio, television and the Internet connected the world, the Minneapolis Tribune’s “sporting department” constructed an ingenious device to give football fans live updates of college games. An “electric football score board” affixed to the front of the Tribune building made its debut on Saturday, Oct. 3, 1908, for the University of Minnesota’s game against plucky Lawrence University of Appleton, Wis.

A photograph in the paper the next morning showed more than 100 people gathered outside the building, watching the screen, which appears to have been about 15 feet wide and 10 feet high. Lights were used to indicate an injury, a drop kick, a place kick, a punt, a penalty and a fumble (but not an interception). The live updates probably arrived at the Tribune by phone, but it’s not clear who operated the board — or how.

The scoreboard’s oddest feature: Roman numerals were used for “yards to gain,” penalty yards and scores. Roman numerals were probably easier to manage than Arabic numerals with the limited technology of the time. The Gophers ruled the X’s, O’s, I’s and V’s that first afternoon, beating Lawrence VI-0.

A graphic showing the layout of the scoreboard dominated the Tribune’s front page. Hey, what’s with that 55 yard line?

THE TRIBUNE’S ELECTRIC FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

Undoubtedly the greatest feature the Minneapolis world of sports has known has been the electric baseball score board which has been operated by The Tribune on Fourth street during the summer, and which will again be operated when the series for the world’s championship is on.

The success and popularity of this board has been proven by the daily crowds which have not only been able to follow the Minneapolis team on the road, but have also had the pleasure of seeing several of the big league teams in action.

Believing that the enthusiasts of Minneapolis appreciate the effort The Tribune is making to furnish them with the very latest and best facilities for getting the details of all news quickly and accurately, the sporting department has prepared another unique feature, which, it believes, will prove an interesting and fascinating as the baseball board. This new device is an electric football score board, made after much the same general idea as the baseball board, but more elaborate in every detail and with many improvements and additions which were not possible on the first-named device.

The above photograph of the football board shows the general idea of it, and gridiron enthusiasts will readily understand its operation. A miniature gridiron is shown and combinations of lights are so arranged as to depict practically every play know to the college game.

Down the center of the grid iron is a row of lights from one goal to the other, and three lights show the position of the ball. When Minnesota has the ball, the lights above the word “Minnesota” will remain lighted, and the same is true of the opposing team. The “first half” light will show throughout the first half and all scores except “safety” are indicated by lights within the field of play.

Above the field are indicated the gains, the plays, the downs, a fumble and a score through a safety. The yards to gain are indicated by Roman numerals, just as were the scores on the baseball board, and the scores of each team and the penalties are indicated in a like manner.

For instance, if Minnesota has the ball on her own 35-yard line, the Minnesota lights and the 35-yard lights will be on. Then, if she tries a line play and makes three yards, the play light will show, with seven yards to gain and also the down indicated at the top. Should Minnesota punt, the punt line will show and the distance of the punt will immediately be indicated by the lights in the center of the field. As soon as Minnesota punts, the Minnesota lights will be extinguished, and should the opposing team [get] the ball, the opposing team lights will show, with the position of the ball indicated by the center lights. Then should the punt be run back up the field these same lights will mark its progress.

One or two minor details have been omitted from the board through fear that it might become too complicated and thus lose much of its value to the fans and rooters. In action a change or two may be found necessary, and if so these will be made, but The Tribune believes it has completed a device which, as it is, will be a source of intense pleasure and enjoyment of the enthusiasts.

The new board will be operated for the first time on Saturday, when Minnesota meets Lawrence at Northrop field, and football enthusiasts who find it impossible to see the actual game are invited to follow the play on the football scoreboard which will be operated on Fourth street in front of the Tribune building.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 5th, 2006 at 9:28 pm and is filed under Gadgets, Main, Muscle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.