SLU: First Legal Pass

St. Louis Post-Dispatch photograph of Brad Robinson throwing a forward pass, November 28, 1906.

Many may not know that St. Louis University holds an interesting football record. Yes, football – no… not soccer. We’re talking “American Football”.

SLU fielded a football team from 1899 to 1949. At some point, the Jesuits determined it was too expensive to run a football team. However, years before that, SLU became known as the first school to complete a legal pass or “forward projectile pass” as they first called it.

Until 1905, NCAA football was quite brutal. There were often injuries and even deaths in the sport. So, a forward pass became part of the game. In 1906, SLU coach Eddie Cochems instructed medical student and quarterback, Brad Robinson, to attempt a pass. It worked and the first legal pass was caught by Jack Schneider.