Offensive Line Greats and Early Legends: The Football History of October 19
October 19 is a date dedicated to the unsung heroes of the trenches, celebrating the birthdays of two College Football Hall of Fame offensive linemen! We honor the birth of Jim Dombrowski (born 1963), the unanimous All-American tackle from Virginia who became a foundational player for the New Orleans Saints. We also celebrate Max Starcevich (born 1911), the All-American guard who led the Washington Huskies to the Rose Bowl and helped an All-Star team upset the defending NFL Champion Packers. Beyond these birthdates, this day is marked by record-breaking streaks, like when Notre Dame’s 39-game undefeated run was snapped in 1946. Dive into the biggest milestones and forgotten legends of October 19!
Podcast of October 19 football history
October 19 Football History Headlines
- October 19, 1873 – Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York City – American College football is first organized. The very first rule change in American football history occurred in preparation for the season that would start in November. According to football historian Parke H. Davis, Princeton University members started an organization of intercollegiate football league rules, a predecessor of the NCAA, and this was the group’s initial meeting. Representatives from Princeton, Columbia, Harvard, Rutgers, and Yale were invited; only Harvard declined the invitation. The group decided to reduce players from 25 to 20 men per side and play on a specific size field, 400 feet long x 250 feet wide, with goal posts set at 25 feet apart, and a coin toss would decide who would possess the ball first.
- October 19, 1975 – Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado – Cleveland Browns’ Don Cockroft kicks a club record 5 field goals (later to be broken by Phil Dawson). The game was a defensive struggle as the 2-2 Broncos hosted the winless Browns. Late in the fourth quarter, according to fs64sports.blogspot.com, the Browns were holding a lead of 15-13. Denver moved the ball into Cleveland territory, and it all came down to the last play. 34-year-old Bronco’s kicker Jim Turner trotted out onto the field and kicked a 53-yard field goal, lifting the Broncos to a dramatic 16-15 victory.
- On October 19, 1991, the longest NCAA football game (up to that time) ever took place. The game was between Rhode Island University and Maine University. The teams went into six overtimes, with Rhode Island edging out Maine. The game ended after 3 hours and 52 minutes of playing, according to a post by Zachary Kaye on the website thedeclarationatcoloniahigh.com. This record was broken a couple of times since then, with the new record on September 26, 1998, season, when the Bethune-Cookman vs. Virginia State football game went to a new record 8 overtime sessions to decide a winner, as B-CC pulled it out 63-57.
- On October 19, 1991, Lonnie Glieberman purchased the Ottawa Rough Riders from the CFL for the price of $1.00. The other part of the equation was that he had to absorb more than $1 million in franchise debt. Glieberman was both a football savior and a franchise killer. Lonnie and his father Bernie owned teams in Ottawa in 1992-93 and 2005 when they created the Renegades, but bailed for Shreveport, La., in 1994 and folded the Renegades franchise in 2006. An October 13, 2012 post on the Ottawa Sun’s website interviewing Glieberman, tells us that his biggest regrets and probably items that upset the apple cart of the CFL franchises was his decision to bring banished a NFL star Dexter Manley to Ottawa and the much-ridiculed Mardi Gras promotion that stated it would give cash to the lady that would expose herself and collect the most beaded necklaces. Not a great combination to win the fans over.
October 19 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- Max Starcevich
- Jim Dombrowski
Conclusion
October 19 stands as a tribute to the power and durability of the offensive line, recognizing College Football Hall of Famers like Jim Dombrowski and Max Starcevich, who paved the way for rushing attacks across different eras. Beyond celebrating these foundational athletes, this date also marks a significant shift in college football power, commemorating the day the mighty Notre Dame Fighting Irish finally saw their legendary 39-game undefeated streak come to a decisive end. The combined legacy of these iron-willed players and historic milestones ensures that the 19th of October remains a key checkpoint for fans studying the evolution and high drama of American football.
You might be interested in the gridiron history of October 18, as we do this every day of the year!
