Historical Narrative Extract – (BYA Football & a Misidentified Joseph Smith Letter)
A Chaotic Christmas Football Match, 1897
In the closing years of the 19th century, American football was still forming its identity—rough, unregulated, and far removed from the structured collegiate sport known today. Brigham Young Academy, the educational precursor to Brigham Young University, fielded a team during this era when football resembled rugged rugby more than modern athletics. Local clubs, civic groups, academic institutions, and neighborhood organizations routinely played against one another in loosely organized matches.
On December 25, 1897, the Brigham Young Academy football team traveled to the University of Utah campus for a winter match against the Crescent team, a local club. The day was bitterly cold, snow-covered, and tense. A contemporary newspaper report from the Salt Lake Herald Republican (December 26, 1897) described the game as “muddled and dismal.” It noted confusion on the field, brawls among spectators, and escalating conflict that overshadowed the sport itself.
A crucial moment occurred near the goal line when both teams claimed possession of the ball. The umpire—who did not have authority to make that call—awarded the ball to the Crescents. The referee, who at that exact moment was engaged in a scuffle on the sidelines, eventually returned, reversed the umpire’s decision, and gave possession to the Provo team. This reversal inflamed the crowd. Several supporters of the Crescent side physically confronted the referee, and disorder broke out to the point that Brigham Young Academy withdrew from the field entirely. The contest ended abruptly, marked by controversy, violence, and chaos—an example of how volatile early football culture could be in Utah and throughout the United States.
Church Leaders Voice Concern
In the aftermath of the game, the incident drew the attention of Latter-day Saint educators and leaders. On December 27, 1897, a letter was sent to the First Presidency—President Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith—expressing deep concern about football culture at Church schools.
The writer described embarrassment upon witnessing Latter-day Saint institutions publicly participating in an environment characterized by:
rowdy crowds
profanity
drinking
fighting
and unruly “college yells”
He argued that such conduct was incompatible with the spiritual atmosphere expected of Church-run academies. Football, he believed, carried with it social behaviors that damaged the public reputation of Latter-day Saint education. He encouraged the First Presidency to consider prohibiting the sport altogether.
The Outcome for BYA/BYU Football
In the years following these concerns, football was discontinued at Brigham Young Academy (and later at BYU) during the early 20th century. The sport eventually returned once American football became more regulated, standardized, and safer. The temporary suspension highlights the tension educators felt between adopting modern athletic culture and maintaining the moral environment they believed appropriate for Church schools.
A Misidentified “Joseph Smith” Letter: A Study in Historical Error
Another historical topic addressed in the episode concerns a letter believed by a family to have been written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1842. Though the document was authentic as a 19th-century letter, closer examination revealed it could not have been written by the Prophet.
The letter was postmarked Alexandria, Virginia, referenced names such as “Samuel Smith,” and was signed “Joseph Smith.” But several issues immediately arose:
1. Joseph Smith’s Verified Whereabouts in 1842
Joseph Smith Papers documents show that the Prophet was in Nauvoo, Illinois, deeply involved in legal struggles surrounding Missouri’s attempt to extradite him after the assassination attempt on former governor Lilburn Boggs. He was not traveling in Virginia.
2. Signature Analysis
The reverse side of the letter bore a signature resembling Joseph Smith’s stylized autograph—suggesting someone attempted to imitate it.
The signature on the front page, however, did not match known Joseph Smith signatures.
3. Commonality of the Name
“Joseph Smith” was extremely common in 19th-century America. This fact alone makes it highly plausible that the letter was written by another man of the same name.
Thus, historians concluded:
The letter is a genuine historical artifact,
but not a letter from the Joseph Smith, the Prophet.
It stands as a reminder of how easily historical misidentification can occur—and how important it is to rely on verified records, such as those in the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
Listen to the full podcast here: