Did You Know?: Thomas J. Smull transfers to Michigan, helps Wolverines win 1904 national title

June 11, 2020

Thomas J Smull, the "Father of ONU Athletics", transferred to Michigan for his senior season at the request of legendary coach Fielding Yost and helped the Wolverines win the 1904 national title.

Smull returned to Ohio Northern and founded the athletics department as a faculty member in 1905.

The following story appeared on ONUSports.com in 2002 and was written by John Holinka:

Whenever ONU old-timers used to gather to talk about past days or near athletic glory, one tale is bound to be told. It's been told so many times that it comes close to being a legend.

It concerns one Fielding Yost from Michigan, an all-time giant of the sport, who swooped down on the Polar Bear campus in 1904 to steal away team captain Tommy Smull for his national championship team.

The year before, the rock-muscled, 195-pound Smull had made a strong impression on the Michigan coach as he repeatedly tumbled Wolverine ball carriers to the turf. Despite Smull's efforts however, Michigan defeated Ohio Northern 65-0.

Smull is much better known in Ada today as former Dr. Thomas Smull, retired professor, former Dean of engineering, and former business manager in Ada. He was, however, one of the standout performers of an all time great 1904 team at Michigan which included such standout members of the football hall of fame was Willie Heston and German Schultz.

The most painful victory of the season for young Tom Smull was the one he helped Michigan negotiate over his old ONU teammates, 48-0. When asked how it felt to be playing across the line against his old teammates of the previous football season, Smull related that "no doubt it was a battle of mixed emotions, but he knew his teammates expected him to be tough, and he would try to live up to their expectations.

"It was a great football team we had at Ann Arbor that year," Dr. Smull recalls. "I can remember the scores of every game just as if they were played last week."

"We beat Ohio State, 31-6, Case Tech, 33-0, Kalamazoo, 95-0, Physicians and Surgeons College, 72-0, American Medical and Surgery, 72-0, West Virginia, 130-0, Wisconsin, 28-0, Drake, 36-4, and Chicago, 22-12."

Although Smull played in every game for Yost that year, he never suffered any serious injuries; though he admits the game then was more brute strength than science, "We didn't know anything about the forward pass, the flying wedge and tackle back plays being our main ground gainers."

Both a civic and university leader, Dr. Smull was selected as Ada's Man of the Year in 1958, for which the latter part of his citation reads: "Champion of the students - sole confessor for many...a man who has truly gone the second mile, always putting service before self..."

From 1905 to 1908, while a member of the faculty, Northern's athletics were under his sole direction. In 1908, at Dean Smull's recommendation, the ONU Athletic Board was organized. He was chairman of this body for five consecutive years, when at his own request he was relieved for the chairmanship.

The need of his influence and wise counsel being felt, he was made honorary president and adviser. From the beginning Dean Smull's one ambition was to obtain recognition for ONU athletics at the hands of the large schools.

He argued that proper home support was the first essential to such a condition. To obtain this he began by abolishing the unsatisfactory system of raising money by subscriptions among business men.

He then initiated a policy of paying all debts at the close of the year, though maintain this he was often compelled to secure notes with his own signature at local banks.

To strengthen his position with the students he provided for students representation on the Athletic Board. with these reforms enacted and an established record for clean athletics, success was certain.

Dean Smull's efforts endure in the hearts of all who are familiar with ONU history and by them he will always be regarded as Father and Founder of athletics at ONU.