100 years ago: KU looking for rugby coach

From the Lawrence Daily World for Feb. 6, 1910: Union carpenters met here last night for dinner in the largest union gathering in local history. This union is by far the largest in the city and there were more than 160 at the banquet where they discussed future plans and perhaps prices to charge. . . . If a rugby team is started at the university, as the regents prefer, who would coach it? Certainly not football coach Bert Kennedy, who still has not been officially chosen for the 1910 season. He says football is his game and it would appear the officials should sign him up quickly despite opposition in some corners, including fraternity men who tried to take over the team last fall. Several players also have said Kennedy is too tough on them. But we can be sure he will be back for a seventh season — but only if he gets a raise in salary to something like $2,000.