October 1907 had arrived and players and fans of Hamilton’s football team were starting to get ready for the upcoming Big Four league season.
A little wet weather did not deter some Tigers to head to the Cricket grounds:
“If any person thought there was a lack of enthusiasm in the ranks of the Tigers, that person had only to go up to the football field last night and see a bunch of players working away like mud rats in the rain. Not only a few of the players, but almost all the members of the three teams, turned out and Captain Ballard put them through a good, stiff drill. The new men are taking right hold and have not missed a practice yet. That they will make some of the old players hump to keep their place on the team goes without saying.”
“Tigers in the Rain.”
Hamilton Times. October 04, 1907.
A controversy had arisen in connection with the Big Four league. Were the players in the league truly amateurs or were they receiving remuneration from the teams to play in the individual city.
The Tigers took no public position on the matter and decided to press ahead as they had done in the past in terms of attracting and keeping players. While most of the Tigers were Hamiltonians, occasionally a star player from the United States or a Canadian college might be attracted if the money was big enough.
The Tigers were a non-profit team, almost literally. The expenses of operating the team came almost exclusively from ticket buyers which would allow entry through the usually-closed gate of the Cricket grounds. There had been a modest grandstand in previous years but for the 1907, the team had invested in the building of a much bigger grandstand, as well as a few other grounds improvements.
An additional revenue source appeared when the management of the newly-opened Bennett’s theater and the board of the Tiger team came to a cross-promotion initiative:
“Next week will be Tiger week at Bennett’s when the Dominion gridiron champions will get a rake off on the gate receipts. Manager Driscoll has arranged for an especially fine bill in honor of the footballers and the Tigers will pretty much the ‘whole cheese’ about the theater next week.”2
2 “At Bennett’s.”
Hamilton Times. October 04, 1907.
On October 8, 1907, the start of Tigers’ Week, a number of representatives of the team were seated in a couple of the prime seating boxes:
“This is Tigers’ week at the Bennett theatre and an unusually good bill has been secured by Manager Drescoll for the champions and their followers, as well as the regular patrons of the house. The theatre has been nicely decorated in yellow and black – the Tigers’ colors – and at yesterday’s performances a number of the artists wore the colors of the terrors of the jungle.
“At the evening performance, a number of the officers of the club occupied two boxes and a large number of the kickers were in the dress circle. A strong football atmosphere permeated the house and a few hits were made on the champions.”3
3 “In the World of Amusement.”
Hamilton Times. October 08, 1907.
At the Cricket grounds, extensive and hectically-propelled work was being done to get ready for the Tigers season opening game:
“The football field looks like a circus ground just now, with the carpenters and the piles of lumber and the general bustle in preparation for the game on Saturday. Somebody apparently is quite satisfied that these stands will be used, for the expense of putting up this accommodation for the public must be considerable, and the Executive would hardly take a chance on it unless they felt they were warranted. It is said that the tickets for the reserved seats are printed, and just as soon as the official announcement is made these will be placed on sale in one of the city’ biggest stores, and the 2,000 seats will likely be sold during Friday.”4
4 “What Will the Tigers Do?.”
Hamilton Times. October 09, 1907.
On the Thursday before the home game against Montreal was to take place. Bad weather and poor field conditions at the Cricket Grounds did not determine the Tigers from having one more practice:
“Notwithstanding the rain and very inclement weather, the full Tiger team turned out last night and had a real strenuous practice under the watchful eye of Captain Ballard.”5
5 “Hamilton Tigers and Montreal Are Ready : Great Game Looked for at the Cricket Grounds.”
Hamilton Times. October 11, 1907.
The new grandstand, and other changes which had been made for spectators, were widely-known. There was an exceptionally strong interest in getting tickets for the big game:
“There is no doubt but that there will be an enormous crowd at the football game tomorrow. A lot of the reserved tickets have been sold already and today the sale was opened to the public. Of course, there are many who are buying only the admission tickets and who will take a chance on getting a good seat in the bleachers. There will be a seat for every ticket so that no one need fear to have to stand for the game. Absolutely no one but the officials will be allowed on the playing field, and after the game is underway, no one but the officials will be on the lines so that there is no danger of any person’s line of vision being blocked. The public has taken heartily to the increased price when they appreciate the tremendous expense the club is under and the sale today has shown that there is no valid or lasting objection to the necessary increase in prices. Stanley Mills have made every effort for the accommodation of ticket buyers so that there is no chance of having to wait long while securing the seats. A plan of the stands is prepared so that a person easily knows the location of the seats being bought. The Rooters’ Club will be stationed on the south side, opposite the old stand and under their energetic captain will entertain the crowd during any delays in the game, while the well-known Tiger yells will be given while the play is in progress. The boys are having a big practice tonight and they will be an entertaining feature of tomorrow’s game. Everybody who wants to join the boys is welcome to attend the practice tonight.
“The Tigers are going to have quite a nice surplus from the sale of tickets at the Bennett Theatre this week. They take the opportunity of thanking their many friends who have put themselves to inconvenience sometimes to get tickets at stations where they are sold to the club’s advantage. There was a big house last night and the Tigers think over half of it was with tickets bought through their agency and on which they will get a commission. Patrons of Bennett’s this week should remember that the club gets no credit for any tickets sold at the box office of the theatre. It would be well therefore to get the tickets at some of the many places where they are on sale for the club’s benefit.
“The tickets for the football game will be on sale until noon tomorrow. Those who leave it after that will have to take their chance on getting what they can without seeing the plan at the ticket office at the grounds. There are a lot of good seats left and it is best to get in today to get what you want.
“The Rooters’ Club will meet tonight at 8 o’clock at the Ramblers’ Club for final rehearsal, and to get their seat choices. 6
6 “Hamilton Tigers and Montreal Are Ready : Great Game Looked for at the Cricket Grounds.”
Hamilton Times. October 11, 1907.
The early Saturday afternoon edition of the Hamilton Times had an item about
“Owing to the Montreal Express being delayed by connections in the east, the Montreal team did not arrive at 9 o’clock as expected. Word was received that the train was four hours late and wouldn’t arrive till one o’clock. That will give the players and followers time to get luncheon and dress for the game at 2:45.
“The Montreal team will make their headquarters at the Royal Hotel. They are accompanied by about 75 rooters. There are indications that there will be an immense crowd at the Cricket Grounds when the first match of the Big Four series will be played.”
“All Ready for the Kick Off This Afternoon.”7
7Hamilton Times. October 12, 1907.
The Cricket grounds had been completed and the grandstand was ready, the Hamilton fans had turned up in an unusually high number and they were ready. However, the Tigers seemed not to be fully ready to start the season:
“It was not on Saturday afternoon that you heard those hungry tigers roar – at, least not with their usual ferocity, and not subsequent to 5:05 p.m., when the sound of the referee’s whistle proclaimed Montreal victorious over the champions of four successive seasons, and left 4,000 people working out excuses and theories as to how it happened. But the same hungry tigers did not take to the jungle. They are not that sort. Their roar will be heard again, and the old familiar refrain will be sung as lustily as ever, and some team will know that the hungry Tigers of Hamilton were out for blood and gore – and maybe it will be the selfsame Montreal bunch of huntsmen who went gunning on Saturday and captured a great bag of the genuine big game.” 8
“Lost First Game in Five Years on Saturday : Their Combination Was Not Perfect in This Match.”
Hamilton Times. October 14, 1907.
In reaction to the loss to Montreal, a poet submitted the following to the Times for publication:
Football !
Lets see – yes
Hamilton used to play it,
Come to think of it,
Played it pretty well, too,
Yes, it did !
Ever hear of the Tigers?
Of course; who hasn’t?
Kings of the Rugby jungle,
Lords of the football wastes!
Mighty on the gridiron,
Game from snout to tip,
Ringtail roarers,
Breathing glory,
Football!
Rah!
Where were their opponents?
N.B. – Look within,
They fattened on them,
Ate up all offering;
Ate them raw,
Flesh, bones, hide, claws;
Licked their chops and cried
“More!”
Then they hibernated – almost,-
Acquired adipose,
Loved case,
Became over-confident, Went out to seek prey
And were preyed upon,
Their hides were clawed,
Their tails knotted,
Their claws clipped,
Howl, O ye Varmints!
10 to 2!
How did it happen?
Arnica and oil,
Bandages and salve!
Lash those tails some,
Exercise those muscles,
Grind sharp those tusks
And point those claws afresh.
Prepare a strong diet –
Vitriol and shingle nails
Cayenne and asafetida salad,
Dynamite desert,
Wear off fat,
Or there’ll be
Hides on the fence,
Think deeply,
Work hard,
Then roar.”9
9 “A Gridiron Monody.”
Hamilton Times. October 14, 1907.
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