The 1899 University of the South (Sewanee) Tigers football team is one of the most remarkable stories in the history of college athletics. In a single six-day stretch, this team traveled by train across the South and defeated five opponents—shutting out each one—without the benefits enjoyed by modern teams. It’s a story of endurance, discipline, and a level of toughness that’s hard to fully appreciate today. And that was only part of the season…

In this episode, we walk through that legendary run—game by game—and place it in the broader context of the sport at the turn of the 20th century.

Sources

Jetmundsen, N., Jr., & Fecteau, K. D. (2024). Unrivaled: Sewanee 1899. Shakerag Hollow Press.

New Sewanee. (n.d.). History of the Domain and University heritage.

Register, W. (2016). Remembering ninety-nine iron: A historical perspective on the legendary football team that won five games in six days. Sewanee perspectives: On the history of the University of the South (2nd ed., pp. 345–404). The University of the South.

Sewanee Athletics. (2021). Sewanee traditions: The 1899 team.
https://sewaneetigers.com/sports/2021/4/28/sewanee-traditions-1899Team.aspx

Sewanee Athletics. (n.d.). Sewanee Athletics Hall of Fame.
https://sewaneetigers.com/honors/sewanee-athletics-hall-of-fame

University of the South. (2024). Sewanee Athletics celebrates 2024 Hall of Fame inductees.
Sewanee 1899 Project. (2024). Unsung hero: Cal Burrows.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). College football.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). University of the South.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Leonidas Polk.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Luke Lea.
Jetmundsen, N., Jr. (2026, April 8). Personal interview.

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