William Rainey Harper, the scholar benefactor John D. Rockefeller brought in to launch the school, believed sports could play an important role in establishing the University of Chicago. Among Harper’s early hires was Amos Alonzo Stagg, who served as football coach and was credited with innovations such as the reverse, man in motion, lateral pass, tackling dummy and numbered jerseys.
So much for Chicago’s Big Ten team: 75 years ago, the University of Chicago told the conference it wanted out
