Today's Tidbit... Dennis Mahan Michie

Dennis Mahan Michie, the son of an Army general and West Point professor, was a member of West Point's Class of 1892.

Michie learned football while attending Lawrenceville School and tried to start a team at West Point, but the powers that be opposed the idea, despite the Naval Academy having a team. Working behind the scenes, Michie succeeded in getting the Naval Academy to challenge West Point to a game in 1890. With West Point's honor at stake, the game went forward. However, with only a few other West Point players having played football before, Army's team went down to defeat, 24-0.

Michie also fullbacked and captained the 1891 team, scoring a second-quarter touchdown and kicking four extra points in Army's 32-16 season-ending win over Annapolis. Michie also punted that day, and as the Army fullback on defense, he returned numerous punts off the foot of Navy quarterback Worth Bagley.

Despite the erroneous headline, Army beat Navy in the second playing of the rivalry. ('Annapolis Defeat The West Point Cadets,' Philadelphia Inquirer, November 29, 1891.)

The 1891 Army football team. Michie holds the ball in the center. Note the tasseled and striped stocking caps some wore before leather headgear arrived on the scene. (USMA Archives)

After graduation, Michie remained at West Point to coach the 1892 team, leading them to a 3-1-1 record. He then held a series of posts, including time at Ft. Russell in Wyoming and at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he organized fort football teams for games against athletic clubs and colleges.

Washburn College won the 1897 game after the official timer gave Washburn extra time to score at the end of the first half. ('Win By A Double Play,' Leavenworth Times, October 17, 1897.)

By 1898, Michie was in Ohio with the 16th Infantry when the Spanish-American war broke out. He was sent to Cuba and became the aide-de-camp to Maj. Gen. Hamilton Hawkins, the Commandant of Cadets at West Point during Michie's time there. As commander of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps, Hawkins' unit played a crucial role in the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. Michie was standing alongside Hawkins early in the battle when Michie was struck by a bullet and killed.

Michie's remains were buried on the battlefield before being repatriated to the United States in November 1898, after which he was buried at West Point. 

Worth Bagley, who exchanged punts with Michie during the 1891 game, was the only U.S. Navy officer killed in the Spanish-American War when a Spanish shell struck his ship, the USS Winslow.

West Point honored Michie in 1924 when they dedicated their new football field, Michie Stadium, in his name.

Michie Stadium in 1924.

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