The Brown Jug
Since Michigan and Minnesota play this weekend (9/30/06), I thought it would be fun to post a little history about the trophy they play for... The Little Brown Jug.
Shanna and I ate at The Brown Jug restaurant after the Michingan/N. Illinois game in 2005.
The Little Brown Jug
Minnesota (22) 1919, 1927, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1977, 1986, 2005
Michigan (63) 1909, 1910, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Ties (3)1903, 1933, 1950
The Little Brown Jug is a traveling trophy passed between the football teams of the University of Minnesota's Golden Gophers and the University of Michigan's Wolverines. It was created after the two teams met up on October 31, 1903. The earthenware jug, originally used by Michigan coach Fielding Yost, is painted with the victories of each team. The name most likely originates in the 1869 song of the same name by Joseph Winner.
After Yost took over coaching the Wolverines in 1901, the team went on to win 28 straight games. In the meantime, Minnesota assembled one of the best teams in school history, so Gopher fans were excited about possibly ending the Wolverines' streak.
As Yost and the team came into Minneapolis, student manager Thomas B. Roberts was told to purchase something to carry water. Yost was somewhat concerned that Gopher fans might contaminate his water supply. Roberts purchased a five-gallon jug for 30¢ from a local variety store.
20,000 fans watched the matchup between the two teams in an overflowing Northrop Field. Minnesota held the fabled "point-a-minute" squad to just one touchdown, but hadn't yet managed to score a touchdown of their own. Finally, late in the second half, the Gophers reached the endzone to tie the game at 6–6. As clouds from an impending snowstorm hung overhead, pandemonium struck when Minnesota fans stormed the field in celebration. Eventually the game had to be called with two minutes remaining. The Wolverines walked off the field, leaving the jug behind.
The next day, custodian Oscar Munson brought the jug to L.J. Cooke, head of the Minnesota athletics department, and declared in a thick Scandinavian accent: "Jost left his yug." Exactly how Munson came to possess the jug is a bit of a mystery. Some accounts say that Munson purposely stole the jug in the chaos that ended the game, although most believe it was accidentally left behind. Thomas Roberts, writing in 1956, stated that the jug had served its purpose, so he intentionally left it sitting on the field.
Still, Cooke and Munson were excited to have this little bit of memorabilia, proceeding to paint it brown (it had originally been putty-colored) and commemorate the day by writing "Michigan Jug – Captured by Oscar, October 31, 1903" on the side along with the score "Michigan 6, Minnesota 6". Of course, in the spirit of the moment, Minnesota's score was written many times larger than that of Michigan.
Later, Yost wanted the jug back, and sent a letter asking it to be returned. Cooke wrote in response: "We have your little brown jug; if you want it, you’ll have to win it." Michigan did exactly that when the teams met up again in 1909, and repeated the performance in 1910. Minnesota and Michigan met up again in 1919 after Michigan rejoined the Big Ten Conference, marking the first year that Minnesota won the Jug outright.
Michigan has mostly dominated the series, particularly in the last four decades where Minnesota has only briefly held the Jug. However, Minnesota can claim the most recent honors, having defeated Michigan 23-20 in a matchup in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on October 8, 2005.
There is a restaurant and sports bar called The Brown Jug on South University Avenue in Ann Arbor, just by the corner of the Diag, popular with Michigan students and football fans.
Michigan (63) 1909, 1910, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Ties (3)1903, 1933, 1950
The Little Brown Jug is a traveling trophy passed between the football teams of the University of Minnesota's Golden Gophers and the University of Michigan's Wolverines. It was created after the two teams met up on October 31, 1903. The earthenware jug, originally used by Michigan coach Fielding Yost, is painted with the victories of each team. The name most likely originates in the 1869 song of the same name by Joseph Winner.
After Yost took over coaching the Wolverines in 1901, the team went on to win 28 straight games. In the meantime, Minnesota assembled one of the best teams in school history, so Gopher fans were excited about possibly ending the Wolverines' streak.
As Yost and the team came into Minneapolis, student manager Thomas B. Roberts was told to purchase something to carry water. Yost was somewhat concerned that Gopher fans might contaminate his water supply. Roberts purchased a five-gallon jug for 30¢ from a local variety store.
20,000 fans watched the matchup between the two teams in an overflowing Northrop Field. Minnesota held the fabled "point-a-minute" squad to just one touchdown, but hadn't yet managed to score a touchdown of their own. Finally, late in the second half, the Gophers reached the endzone to tie the game at 6–6. As clouds from an impending snowstorm hung overhead, pandemonium struck when Minnesota fans stormed the field in celebration. Eventually the game had to be called with two minutes remaining. The Wolverines walked off the field, leaving the jug behind.
The next day, custodian Oscar Munson brought the jug to L.J. Cooke, head of the Minnesota athletics department, and declared in a thick Scandinavian accent: "Jost left his yug." Exactly how Munson came to possess the jug is a bit of a mystery. Some accounts say that Munson purposely stole the jug in the chaos that ended the game, although most believe it was accidentally left behind. Thomas Roberts, writing in 1956, stated that the jug had served its purpose, so he intentionally left it sitting on the field.
Still, Cooke and Munson were excited to have this little bit of memorabilia, proceeding to paint it brown (it had originally been putty-colored) and commemorate the day by writing "Michigan Jug – Captured by Oscar, October 31, 1903" on the side along with the score "Michigan 6, Minnesota 6". Of course, in the spirit of the moment, Minnesota's score was written many times larger than that of Michigan.
Later, Yost wanted the jug back, and sent a letter asking it to be returned. Cooke wrote in response: "We have your little brown jug; if you want it, you’ll have to win it." Michigan did exactly that when the teams met up again in 1909, and repeated the performance in 1910. Minnesota and Michigan met up again in 1919 after Michigan rejoined the Big Ten Conference, marking the first year that Minnesota won the Jug outright.
Michigan has mostly dominated the series, particularly in the last four decades where Minnesota has only briefly held the Jug. However, Minnesota can claim the most recent honors, having defeated Michigan 23-20 in a matchup in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on October 8, 2005.
There is a restaurant and sports bar called The Brown Jug on South University Avenue in Ann Arbor, just by the corner of the Diag, popular with Michigan students and football fans.
6 comments:
Judging from how lopsided the series is, maybe it should be changed to the "Little Brown Woodshed."
I know. Can you imagine losing to a team for 20 some years in a row... oh wait, I'm a Vandy fan. But we finally ended that streak against the Vols!
Oh, we can imagine. Ouch. Minnesota beat Michigan last year, right??
Yes. Minnesota won last year. I believe it was a 4th quarter lead they took. Shame on them. Payback will be rough this year for Minnesota.
I'm pretty sure you're right. I remember the pain. Lawrence Mulroney cost me wins in the fourth quarter last year at least twice with Michigan and Purdue.
The jug resides back in Ann Arbor! Good victory for Michigan yesterday.
Revenge against ND
Revenge against Wisconsin
Revenge against Minnesota
Coming up at the end of the year... Revenge against Ohio State
Post a Comment