Farmington High School 1915 football team. SUBMITTED PHOTO

FARMINGTON — On Saturday, June 5, 1902, a young George Pratt took the evening train from Farmington to Strong  to visit his parents when he was in a startling accident. Pratt was engaged in conversation when the train slowed up and he thought the train had reached the Strong station. He stepped out into the darkness onto what he thought was the station landing but it was the trestle that crossed the road a short distance below the station. Pratt went down about 18 feet and landed in the road. He was well shakenup but he soon recovered.

George Pratt was an 1896 graduate of Farmington High School and a 1901 Bowdoin College Graduate. At both institutions he excelled in academics and sports. At Bowdoin, as a pitcher, he shut out the University of Maine five times in four years. On that Saturday in 1902 Pratt, then a medical student at Bowdoin, was coaching Bowdoin’s “second baseball team.”

He and his team arrived in Farmington that day to play Farmington High School’s baseball team that needed a win to complete an undefeated season. Much to the chagrin of the Farmington team, Bowdoin prevailed by a score of 6-5.That evening, the Farmington H.S. team gave a reception and dance in Drummond Hall in honor of the visiting team. The young ladies of the Town turned out in force and the affair was enjoyed by all.

George Pratt graduated from the Maine Medical School, an affiliate of Bowdoin College, in 1904. He served his internship at Maine General Hospital in 1905. In 1906, during the horse and buggy days, Dr. Pratt came to Farmington to establish a medical practice and immediately became involved in Farmington High School’s football and baseball programs.

The first year Farmington H.S. played football was 1904. That year the team was winless. But the school yearbook reported that the first game, a 17 to 0 loss to Madison H.S., was a financial success. The high school cleared one dollar after paying off all their expenses! The next year Farmington did not field a team.

Dr. Pratt’s arrival as football coach in 1906 generated confidence, spirit, and enthusiasm for the future of the school’s football program. At that time few could have anticipated the successes that were to come due to Coach Pratt.

In his first year as coach, Dr. Pratt turned a winless record into a 2-2 record with 2 wins over Wilton Academy and 2 losses to Rumford Falls H.S. In 1907 Farmington played only three games. Two games against Skowhegan ended in 0-0 ties. The third game was against Lisbon H.S. on the Intervale (now home to UMF’s athletic teams), Farmington won the game 29-0.

By 1908 the team was garnering notable student and townspeople support. Rehearsals of School-yells were undertaken with great success. The Franklin Journal reported that students were yelling “Farmington High School!! Rah!!” “With volume sufficient to wake the echoes on Mount Blue.”

Fans were rewarded in 1908 as the team went undefeated with two wins over Skowhegan, a win against Kents Hill Seminary, and three wins versus the Abbott School. At this point the Farmington H.S. Alumni Association was making plans to convert the land behind the high school (now the site of the Mallett School) into an athletic field for students. This effort came to fruition and was eventually named “The Pratt Athletic Field” in honor of Dr. Pratt.

In 1909 Dr. Pratt’s team had a respectful 4-2 record by outscoring their opponents 91 to 0 in winning the first four games. They dropped the final two games to Skowhegan and the Abbott School. These losses were attributed to the absence of Captain Field due to an injury. Also, in 1909 the team’s playing field had moved from the Intervale to the new field behind the high school. During the previous spring the high school boys hauled in dirt and the girls leveled it. The boys added the finishing touch by erecting goal posts.

The 1910 season commenced with a surprising opening game, an upset 6-0 loss to Skowhegan H.S. The team then proceeded to win their final five games including a decisive 23-0 revenge victory over Skowhegan. Farmington allowed only two scores against them all season. In 1911, Farmington continued their dominance going undefeated, with one tie with Waterville H.S. They outscored their opponents 125 points to 5. Also, that year Dr. Pratt’s baseball team achieved an 8-1 record.

In 1912 Farmington enjoyed yet another remarkable football season that started with a 52 to 0 win over an up-start Kingfield H.S. team. In a return match-up Farmington again defeated Kingfield by a 65-0 score. In other games Farmington defeated Skowhegan twice, Kents Hill, and the Algonquin Club of Lewiston. The season ended with a game against intown arch rival, the Abbott School.

Farmington H. S. rooters marched to the Abbott School’s field (now part of Hippach Field) led by Wheeler’s Marching Band. At the conclusion of a Farmington 20-0 win, again led by the Band, players and fans marched to the high school midst music and cheering. It was another undefeated season for the Farmington eleven.

The 1913 season was also an undefeated season with 7 wins including a 62-0 victory over Kents Hill. By now Dr. Pratt, due to his medical practice demands and assuming the responsibility of county medical examiner (coroner), a position he was to hold for 51 years, had to back off from coaching football and baseball. However, his prior coaching would be influential in the school’s incredible successes to follow.

The 1914 season demonstrated that the high school’s football program was to continue to be one of the very best in the Maine high school ranks. The team lost only one game, to Gardiner. That year the football team was over-shadowed by the baseball team that was undefeated and won the state championship by downing Bangor H.S. in extra innings.

The 1915 sports year at Farmington H.S. was one to be remembered for decades. Thanks, in large part, to Dr. Pratt. The baseball team won the state championship for the second consecutive year by defeating Lawrence H.S. 6-0. The football team had an unbelievable season. Team members were Carr, Millett, Jordan, Hiscock, Emery, A. Dostie (captain), R. Dostie, Fortier, Belanger, Gray, Doble, Roberts, Sprague, Luce, Starbird, Small, Lawry, Stewart, and Gould. Their record follows:

F.H.S. 12…. Kents Hill Seminary 0

F.H.S….59…Wilton Academy 0

F.H.S…51… Skowhegan H.S. 0

F.H.S….120 Waterville H.S. 0

F.H.S. 107…Wilton Academy 0

F.H.S…. 0 Lewiston H.S. 3

F.H.S. 71 …. Morse H.S. 0

The last game of the season against Lewiston H.S., in Lewiston, was crazy and troubling. Farmington made a critical error before the game even started. The game needed a referee, and Farmington made  the mistake of agreeing to have one of Lewiston’s assistant coaches serve as referee. The referee proceeded to make one-sided outrageous calls all detrimental to Farmington.

The “fix” was on. Fans from both sides knew what was going on. Some Lewiston fans even considered Farmington to be the better team. Farmington players put up with it but by the fourth quarter they had enough of the obvious and walked off the field led by Captain Dostie. This action resulted in a game ending forfeit.

The severe penalties had taken the fight and spirit out of the Farmington eleven. Farmington challenged the Lewiston team to a re-match on a neutral gridiron. Lewiston refused to accept the challenge.

Despite the forfeit to Lewiston, the 1915 football team had a fantastic season. They outscored their opponents 420 to 3 points in only 7 games! This was accomplished without a coach. Captain Dostie served as both coach and star running back. He did this following the teachings and coaching of Dr. Pratt’s brand of play.

Dr. Pratt remained in Farmington until his death in 1967 at age 90. He was responsible for establishing the Franklin Memorial Hospital. Prior to that he had his own hospital on South Street. He was a member of the local school board; member and past president of high school alumni Assn; member and past commander of the Rodrick-Crosby American Legion Post; and many other organizations for the good of the community. A veteran of WWI, Dr. Pratt served in the medical corps in the European Theater. Dr. George L. Pratt, a life well lived.

Roger G. Spear, UMF V.P. Emeritus, is a well-known authority on local sports history (especially baseball.) He can be reached by email: 1943Grover1226@gmail.com