Rudy Probst: Syracuse's 1912 captain, All-American from Archbald
Probst graduated from Wyoming Seminary.
To say the Syracuse football team was “down on its luck” in October 1912 would be an understatement.
After a 12-0 win against Hobart in its season opener, Syracuse suffered losses in three consecutive routs: 21-0, 33-0 and 62-0 against Yale, Carlisle and Princeton, respectively. Syracuse was a proud program with only one losing season in the previous 15 years.
“There is considerable blueness at Syracuse University,” one report said. “Things have never before broken so badly for the Salt City footballers. …
“Injuries and lack of good material is the cause of Syracuse’s downfall.”
Syracuse needed a gridiron hero to turn its season around — and it had two of them in running back Lew Castle and tackle Rudy Probst. While Castle did most of the scoring and garnered headlines in the ensuing games, Probst earned the credit by season’s end.
Probst, a Wyoming Seminary graduate born Jan. 7, 1889, in Archbald, was Walter Camp’s second-team All-American tackle.
“I am both delighted and surprised,” Probst said of his All-America selection. “I have worked hard for the honor. Both Walter Camp and Tad Jones told me in 1910 that I had a bright future before me and Camp stated that someday he would want to see me on the All-American team.”
Probst was also captain of Syracuse, which snapped the three-game losing streak and turned its season around by beating Michigan, 18-7. Michigan, coached by Fielding Yost, went 5-2, losing only to Syracuse and Penn. Syracuse finished with a 4-5 record.
Probst also played basketball at Syracuse. He was the football team’s line coach for at least one season in 1914. He answered the call to serve in World War I and attained the rank of Colonel.
Probst, 68, died in 1957.
Greater Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area All-American roll call
1894: Charles Gelbert, University of Pennsylvania (Hawley native, Scranton public schools)
1895: Alfred E. Bull, University of Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre native, Wyoming Seminary); Charles Gelbert, University of Pennsylvania (Hawley native, Scranton public schools)
1896: Charles Gelbert, University of Pennsylvania (Hawley native, Scranton public schools)
1903: Frank Piekarski, University of Pennsylvania (Nanticoke native, Wyoming Seminary)
1904: Tom Butkiewicz, University of Pennsylvania (Nanticoke native); James Cooney, University of Pennsylvania (Scranton native, School of Lackawanna); Frank Piekarski, University of Pennsylvania (Nanticoke native, Wyoming Seminary); Marshall Reynolds, University of Pennsylvania (Tunkhannock native)
1906: James Cooney, University of Pennsylvania (Scranton native, School of Lackawanna)
1909: Harry Vaughan, Yale University (Scranton native); George McCaa, Lafayette College (Wilkes-Barre native)
1910: George McCaa, Lafayette College (Wilkes-Barre native)
1912: Rudy Probst, Syracuse University (Archbald native, Wyoming Seminary graduate)