In the game of football, a penalty flag
is thrown when a rules infraction occurs during a game. The creation of
that penalty flag was in Youngstown, Ohio more than 60 years ago.
It was created by former Youngstown State University coach, Dwight Dike
Beede on Oct. 17, 1941. The flag was first used in a game against
Oklahoma City University at the Youngstown’s Rayen Stadium. Today the
penalty flag is used in every competitive football game throughout the
world.
Before the introduction of the penalty flag, the officials used horns
and whistles to signal a penalty. This made it difficult for fans and
the media to know that there was an infraction on the field because they
could not hear the signal.
Beede said, "I always disliked the fish horn signal, figured it was a
nuisance, irritating to the ears."
Jack McPhee, who was an official during the first game the penalty flag
was used said, "Through the use of the signal flag, everyone in the
stadium knows that something is wrong. It’s been a big help."
Beede came up with idea of the flag and had his wife sew it together.
His wife, Irma Beede, later became known as the ‘Betsy Ross of Football’
because she sewed the first flags together. He asked her to make a flag
that had a bright color (red) with white stripes. The flags were put
together using pieces of the Beede’s daughter’s old Halloween costume
for the red part of the flag and an old sheet for the white part. She
used some lead sinkers from Beede’s fishing tackle box to weigh it down.
It was 16 inches square with the weight all at one end of the flag. The
flag has been modified over the years and today it is yellow cloth that
has sand in it to weigh it down.
Beede came to an agreement with Oklahoma City Coach Os Doenges to use the
flags as an experiment. Beede proceeded to ask the game officials to use
the flag.
"Do me a favor boys, instead of using the horns, try dropping these flags
on violations. The fans never hear the horns. Besides its just an
experiment."
The four game officials Hugh McPhee, Jack McPhee, Bill Renner, and Carl
Rebele all agreed to use the flag.
Jack McPhee later used the flag at the Ohio State-Iowa game which happened
to have the league’s commissioner, Major John Griffith, as a spectator
at the game. He became very curious why the officials were throwing
"rags" in the air when a penalty was called. Griffith was impressed with
the idea after McPhee explained what was going on after the game.
The flag was officially introduced at the 1948 American Football Coaches
rules session.
McPhee carried the original flag for many contests including games of
Princeton-Yale and various Ohio State games until it faded. He made his
way to the Rose Bowl, where the flag was tossed in front of 100,000
fans.
Two of the original flags are on display in Mosure Hall on the fourth
level in Stambaugh Stadium. |
