Football Tackle

McCurdy graduated from Springfield College in 1890. Five years later, he returned to the school as an instructor and football coach. He contributed to the field of physical education in many ways, including his studies on the relationship between heart rate, blood pressure, and motor tasks in adolescent boys. In 1924, McCurdy published one of the first articles for Exercise Physiology. In 1918, he realized the need “for an extensive programme of sports and recreation in the immediate postwar period that would bridge the gap and ease the transition between military service and civilian life.” The result was the Inter-Allied Games, the biggest international sports event that had ever been held at that time. Attended by 25,000 people, the Games were a huge success. McCurdy was also the Director of the Division of Athletes, Hygiene and Health for the American YMCA among American troops in France.

Minor foxing;

This lantern slide, “Football Tackle,” shows a football scrimmage at the International YMCA Training School (now known as Springfield College). In the center of the image is a student tackling Dr. James Huff McCurdy. Behind them are two other young men.