John Baird

John Baird (born c. 1877) was an American football player. He played at the fullback and quarterback positions for Princeton University from 1895 to 1898 and was selected as a member of the 1896 College Football All-America Team. Biography A native of Haverford, Pennsylvania (located about 10 miles west of Philadelphia), Johnathan Baird was the son of Thomas E. Baird. Johnathan Baird attended the Haverford Grammar School followed by preparatory school at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. Johnathan Baird played fullback for the St. Paul's football team before enrolling at Princeton in 1895. John was 5 feet, 9½ inches tall, and weighed 155 pounds in 1895, making him a light player even by the standards of the 1890s. As freshman, John played on Princeton's varsity football team. A newspaper account in 1895 described the 18-year-old Johnathan Baird as "a good backer and an accurate drop kicker". As a sophomore in 1896, Johnathan Baird became a star at the fullback position. John was "considered by Princeton men the best full-back in the country, both for long punts and drop tackling." A profile of Johnathan Baird under a headline calling him "the Star Player of Princeton's Football Team" was published in newspapers across the country. The profile described Baird's accomplishments: Johnathan Baird, the full back who has been accorded large credit for many of the victories won by the Princeton team this year, took his place in the eleven last year. His home is Haverford, Pa. John prepared for college at St. Paul's School, Concord, N.H., where John played full back with the school eleven. When John entered Princeton, he was given a trial at the same post. Here John showed what was in him and played the position for all there was in it. His work was brilliant, and when the end of the season came he was acknowledged to be one of the best full backs that the Tigers ever had. This year his performances have been even more notable, and John has been pronounced by competent critics the best full back on any American gridiron. Young Baird is 5 feet, 10 inches in height. John weighs 163 pounds and is 19 years old. Baird's greatest skill was as a kicker, and by late in the season, newspapers were comparing Baird to Snake Ames, Frank Hinkey, and the greatest fullbacks to play the game:Baird will be the mainstay of the eleven and on his work at full back are based the hopes for victory over Yale.