Who Really Did Invent the Forward Pass

   Many innovations in sports history have been made over the years. Proper credit for these innovations especially those of many decades ago are very difficult for even the best of historians. All one has to do is read the book "Baseballs Game of Inches" by Peter Morris and you will clearly understand what I am saying here.

     Today we are marking the anniversary of one possible innovator in the sport of football. On February 4, 1877 Eddie Cochems was born in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. His claim to fame was that while coaching at Saint Louis University, he was said to have invented the forward pass. Many will dispute this, even his quarterback Brad Robinson put in his claim to fame. Others who have claimed to have made the innovation include Amos Alonzo Stagg and Knute Rockne.

     The biggest problem with these innovations is that at the time they are made no one really knows how important an innovation will become at the time that they are developed. As a result proper documentation is never done at the time. Although I have never done an oral interview of an older sports legend, those that have frequently describe problems with athletes and their memories. A player will claim that they did particularly against a given opponent. When the facts are checked later, it is frequently found to not be the case or a player may have done well, but not quite as well as claimed. We will never know the exact truth about who really did invent the forward pass, but it does make some good reading, I hope that you enjoyed it.

    Tomorrow we will look at a trio of high scoring basketball games, before on Sunday we will look at a true American sports legend.