Today's Tidbit... Making 15 Field Goals In A Game
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) record book shows Alfred Griggs of Exeter High School in California scoring 18 points in a 1915 game, having made 15 of 17 extra point attempts and one field goal. By their count, that puts Griggs seventh all-time among high school players behind the leader, who scored 27 points in a game. The question is whether Griggs scored 45 points in a game or if the NFHS account is correct.
Griggs began getting attention after leading Exeter High to a 121-0 victory over Hanford High when he reportedly made 15 of 17 field goal attempts for 45 points, the most points ever scored by kicking in a football game. In the game's aftermath, reports of his feat hit the wires and appeared far and wide.
All but one report indicated that Griggs had kicked 15 field goals in the game. The contrarian report appeared in a local newspaper as part of a preview of the San Joaquin high school championship game late in the season. It stated that Griggs had made 15 extra points and one field goal in the Hanford game. Which account is correct?
The 1916 Spalding's Foot Ball Guide included a list of top football performances of 1915 compiled by Parke H. Davis. That list showed Griggs' 15 field goals in one game and one season as world records.
A local newspaper report appearing shortly after the Spalding's Guide was issued reiterated the claim that Griggs kicked 15 field goals in a game and mentioned that he kicked others during the season, so the season record listed in Spalding's should have been higher. (The article did not mention the correct figure.)
After graduation, Griggs attended Pomona College before transferring to St. Mary's, where news of him joining the Gaels' football team in 1917 led to the following headline:
References to Griggs' being a record-setting kicker continued over the next few years when he quarterbacked and captained his hometown American Legion football team to a state championship, but as his playing time ebbed, so did mention of his kicking prowess.
His last hurrah came when he appeared in Ripley's Believe It Or Not competitor, Strange As It Seems, in 1932.
After that, Griggs, who had settled in a career running orange and grapefruit packing houses in the Exeter area, goes unmentioned in the football record world other than his appearance in the NFHS record book.
So, there appears to have been one contemporary source that questions his 45-point records, while all others indicate he made those kicks or did not specify the record he set, only that he set a record. Of course, if he kicked 15 field goals in a game, he would still sit atop the record books.
Unfortunately, we may never know which story is correct, but I find his scoring 45 points a more appealing story, especially since he accomplished his feat as a straight-ahead kicker.
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Controversy makes the game of football that more interesting! Parke H Davis was an avid record keeper and an original football historian, but alas he made quite a few questionable claims. I lean towards believing the 15 XPs due to the big score.
Great coverage Len of all the days events. You are definitely earning some frequent flyer miles in the time machine!