1918

[9and4]

From the 1919 University of Nebraska yearbook about the 1918 football season, which opened in the middle of a World War, and which was suspended from Oct. 5's opener against Iowa until a Nov. 9 game against the Omaha Balloon School. The Huskers also had trouble starting fall practices in September because of a lack of healthy players who were not freshmen. A Missouri Valley Conference decision to allow freshmen to play alleviated some of that concern:

Were alibis necessary, Nebraska could claim, along with every other school in the Conference, that the unprecedented influenza epidemic made serious inroads on their team's progress. The plague caused an element of uncertainty in every game. Not alone in the personnel of the team, where changes were constantly being made necessary through the claim of the "flu" but also in the student body and in the other devotees of the game, was there an element of unrest and lack of interest. It was never surely known even on the eve of a game whether the teams would clash the following day or not, for bans on public gatherings were being enforced and lifted at all hours of the day and night.

(snip)

Just prior to the lifting of the freshman ban, the Government took over the control of the Valley sports, and so cut the Nebraska schedule, in order to eliminate the trips and curtail expense, that is was hardly recognizable after it was returned to us. The Syracuse game and the one scheduled with Morgantown, West Virginia, were both barred, and so the team had only one trip to look forward to through the entire season. The trip allowed was made to St. Louis, where Nebraska mixed with Dick Rutherford's Washington Pikers, December 7, 1918.

 

[huntered]

used to decorate graves with my grandfather back in the 1960's. my grandpa's sister was buried in a rural cemetary and one year close to her grave noticed 11 large grave stones all put there within a couple months of each other in 1918. grandpa told me about the killer disease and how all the gyms and churches were filled with cots. he said if you got sick there was a good chance you'd never get well. he was around 20 in 1918.

 

[spartanhusker]

used to decorate graves with my grandfather back in the 1960's. my grandpa's sister was buried in a rural cemetary and one year close to her grave noticed 11 large grave stones all put there within a couple months of each other in 1918. grandpa told me about the killer disease and how all the gyms and churches were filled with cots. he said if you got sick there was a good chance you'd never get well. he was around 20 in 1918.

This world is filled with enormous opportunities to learn... thank you for sharing!!!

 

[Pennsyhusker]

From the 1919 University of Nebraska yearbook about the 1918 football season, which opened in the middle of a World War, and which was suspended from Oct. 5's opener against Iowa until a Nov. 9 game against the Omaha Balloon School. The Huskers also had trouble starting fall practices in September because of a lack of healthy players who were not freshmen. A Missouri Valley Conference decision to allow freshmen to play alleviated some of that concern:

Were alibis necessary, Nebraska could claim, along with every other school in the Conference, that the unprecedented influenza epidemic made serious inroads on their team's progress. The plague caused an element of uncertainty in every game. Not alone in the personnel of the team, where changes were constantly being made necessary through the claim of the "flu" but also in the student body and in the other devotees of the game, was there an element of unrest and lack of interest. It was never surely known even on the eve of a game whether the teams would clash the following day or not, for bans on public gatherings were being enforced and lifted at all hours of the day and night.

(snip)

Just prior to the lifting of the freshman ban, the Government took over the control of the Valley sports, and so cut the Nebraska schedule, in order to eliminate the trips and curtail expense, that is was hardly recognizable after it was returned to us. The Syracuse game and the one scheduled with Morgantown, West Virginia, were both barred, and so the team had only one trip to look forward to through the entire season. The trip allowed was made to St. Louis, where Nebraska mixed with Dick Rutherford's Washington Pikers, December 7, 1918.

The Omaha balloon school? Lol. What the hell was that?

 

[9and4]

The Omaha balloon school? Lol. What the hell was that?

 

[9and4]

The Balloon School. From the Wiki people, so probably just a lot of hot air.

In 1907 the Army built a large steel hangar at Fort Omaha for use in experiments with dirigibles, a program that was abandoned in 1909. This program and its successor were part of the American Expeditionary Forces.[6] A balloon house was built in 1908, and in 1909 the first balloon flight took place. The military acquired additional space for training called Florence Field, at the corner of North 30th and Martin Streets in North Omaha.[7]

Shortly after the United States entered World War I, 800 men immediately enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. They were sent to the Fort Omaha Balloon School for training. They later provided forward observations for the artillery.[8][9] More than 16,000 airmen went through the Balloon School.

In 1917 the Army determined that weather conditions at Fort Omaha were not suitable for rapidly training balloon companies. The next year a contingent of officers and men from Fort Omaha were assigned to Camp John Wise in Texas. The Balloon School at Fort Omaha was soon ended.[10] Meanwhile, at the Florence Field site on 2 May 1918, two soldiers were burned to death and thirteen seriously burned when a Caquot-type balloon exploded.[11]

 

[Pennsyhusker]

The Balloon School. From the Wiki people, so probably just a lot of hot air.

In 1907 the Army built a large steel hangar at Fort Omaha for use in experiments with dirigibles, a program that was abandoned in 1909. This program and its successor were part of the American Expeditionary Forces.[6] A balloon house was built in 1908, and in 1909 the first balloon flight took place. The military acquired additional space for training called Florence Field, at the corner of North 30th and Martin Streets in North Omaha.[7]

Shortly after the United States entered World War I, 800 men immediately enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. They were sent to the Fort Omaha Balloon School for training. They later provided forward observations for the artillery.[8][9] More than 16,000 airmen went through the Balloon School.

In 1917 the Army determined that weather conditions at Fort Omaha were not suitable for rapidly training balloon companies. The next year a contingent of officers and men from Fort Omaha were assigned to Camp John Wise in Texas. The Balloon School at Fort Omaha was soon ended.[10] Meanwhile, at the Florence Field site on 2 May 1918, two soldiers were burned to death and thirteen seriously burned when a Caquot-type balloon exploded.[11]

Ha. This is great. Had they played they probably would have beaten Nebraska

 

[phoenix4nu]

Ha. This is great. Had they played they probably would have beaten Nebraska

Too bad they're not on our schedule this year. I'm confident we could beat them in a close game.

 

[huskerfan66]

The Balloon School. From the Wiki people, so probably just a lot of hot air.

In 1907 the Army built a large steel hangar at Fort Omaha for use in experiments with dirigibles, a program that was abandoned in 1909. This program and its successor were part of the American Expeditionary Forces.[6] A balloon house was built in 1908, and in 1909 the first balloon flight took place. The military acquired additional space for training called Florence Field, at the corner of North 30th and Martin Streets in North Omaha.[7]

Shortly after the United States entered World War I, 800 men immediately enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. They were sent to the Fort Omaha Balloon School for training. They later provided forward observations for the artillery.[8][9] More than 16,000 airmen went through the Balloon School.

In 1917 the Army determined that weather conditions at Fort Omaha were not suitable for rapidly training balloon companies. The next year a contingent of officers and men from Fort Omaha were assigned to Camp John Wise in Texas. The Balloon School at Fort Omaha was soon ended.[10] Meanwhile, at the Florence Field site on 2 May 1918, two soldiers were burned to death and thirteen seriously burned when a Caquot-type balloon exploded.[11]

This is why we continue to release balloons

 

[Larry Hagman's Liver]

This thread delivers.

 

[bigboxes]

This is why we continue to release balloons

Good one, my friend.

 

[cornhead1]

one of the first schools to "air it out" The original "Air Raid"

 

[schuele]

used to decorate graves with my grandfather back in the 1960's. my grandpa's sister was buried in a rural cemetary and one year close to her grave noticed 11 large grave stones all put there within a couple months of each other in 1918. grandpa told me about the killer disease and how all the gyms and churches were filled with cots. he said if you got sick there was a good chance you'd never get well. he was around 20 in 1918.

Those are sobering experiences. A few miles west of St. Paul, Nebraska, there is a church and cemetery that were once part of the town of Paplin. The town was essentially wiped out by a diphtheria outbreak in 1892-93. Children had to be buried at such a rapid pace that their graves are on a hillside, marked by a single headstone.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

Too bad they're not on our schedule this year. I'm confident we could beat them in a close game.

I'm not. According to the OWH article after the game, the Omaha Balloon Club was a pickup team made up of a whole bunch of good players who had played college football, but were in Omaha for WWI training. If the same kind of game were played today, I could see the offense being unable to score and losing 3-10; or our offense lighting it up, but no defense and losing 46-48 after the OBC drove the field with 1:10 left to kick a field goal. Either way, post game HCSF would say the Cornhuskers will be good when the offense, defense and special teams all have a good day.

 

[huntered]

suspected of using helium in the football?

 

[9and4]

We went all Hindenburg on their asses, winning 19-0. Oh, the humanity.

(Too soon?)

 

[Baxter48]

We went all Hindenburg on their asses, winning 19-0. Oh, the humanity.

(Too soon?)

No just about right timing

 

[Red I 73]

The Balloon School. From the Wiki people, so probably just a lot of hot air.

In 1907 the Army built a large steel hangar at Fort Omaha for use in experiments with dirigibles, a program that was abandoned in 1909. This program and its successor were part of the American Expeditionary Forces.[6] A balloon house was built in 1908, and in 1909 the first balloon flight took place. The military acquired additional space for training called Florence Field, at the corner of North 30th and Martin Streets in North Omaha.[7]

Shortly after the United States entered World War I, 800 men immediately enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. They were sent to the Fort Omaha Balloon School for training. They later provided forward observations for the artillery.[8][9] More than 16,000 airmen went through the Balloon School.

In 1917 the Army determined that weather conditions at Fort Omaha were not suitable for rapidly training balloon companies. The next year a contingent of officers and men from Fort Omaha were assigned to Camp John Wise in Texas. The Balloon School at Fort Omaha was soon ended.[10] Meanwhile, at the Florence Field site on 2 May 1918, two soldiers were burned to death and thirteen seriously burned when a Caquot-type balloon exploded.[11]

Thanks for digging up the information!