Hominy Indians

Did You Know?

• The team accomplished a 28-game winning streak, ended by the Great Depression in 1932.
• When playing far away, the team would dress in traditional dancing clothes and perform a pow-wow dance to promote the game.
• The majority of players were from the Osage tribe, with many from the Haskell Institute.

Founding

In the early 1870s, a band of the Osage Tribe led by Blackdog was relocated to what is now Hominy, Oklahoma. The area was inhabited by extremely large natives, most over six feet tall and 200 pounds. The Hominy Indians were established in 1923, playing teams formed by American Legions in neighboring Kansas and Oklahoma. In 1925, Dick Rusk, Harry Bigeagle, Allison Webb, and Ed LaBelle bankrolled the team, providing uniforms and travel expenses.

History, rivalries and betting

Arthur Shoemaker noted that early opponents included Coffeyville, Elk City, and Fredonia in Kansas; Avant, Bartlesville, and Fairfax in Oklahoma; and Sarcoxie and Joplin in Missouri. The Indians had a significant rivalry with another Osage football team in Fairfax, whose wealthy oil-revenue players recruited from the NFL to win large bets. Hominy retaliated by recruiting John Levi from the Haskell Fighting Indians. Fairfax escalated by recruiting the entire Kansas City Cowboys for a secret game kept from NFL officials. Hominy won that game, and $500,000 of winning bets were used to build Haskell Memorial Stadium. Two months later, the Osage held an honor dance for John Levi. Hominy defeated the Giants 13–6 before about 2,000 fans.

Finances

From 1923, the team was successful but lacked resources for travel and equipment. In 1925, sponsorship from Dick Rusk, Harry Bigeagle, Allison Webb, and Ed LaBelle provided uniforms and travel expenses. Player salary rarely exceeded $150 per game and often dropped below that. At times, all game proceeds went to compensate the players.

Players

Pete Big Horse played right guard, and Otto Hamilton played center. Bill Shadlow played a pivotal role on the front line. John Levi could drop kick the heavier, rounder football through the goalposts from the 50-yard line and was said to make a 100-yard pass. Johnnie "Pepper" Martin later played baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. Jim Thorpe was rumored to have played for the team, but a magazine article titled "They might be the giants" proved this false; Thorpe coached his own team, the Oorang Indians. Joe Pappio played for Thorpe's Oorang Indians before returning to Hominy; film records show him hitting linemen so hard their helmets flew off.