Weeks into Buffalo’s struggle with the flu epidemic in 1918, even though the number of new cases were dropping in the city and surrounding areas, Buffalo Health Commissioner Dr. Franklin C. Gram banned travel for football. Outside teams weren’t being allowed to come into Buffalo and Buffalo teams weren’t being allowed to leave to play.
“Football got an awful wallop from Spanish influenza today when the health authorities declined to permit the playing of games between the local high school elevens and out of ton school teams,” reported the Buffalo Enquirer. “The Buffalo Boys…. Are deeply disappointed, but appreciate the necessity of complying with the health laws in order to stamp out the epidemic.”
“He does not place a ban on games between Buffalo teams, but frowns upon them,” reported the Buffalo Commercial.
“Dr. Gram believes keeping people standing about or sitting in bleachers, without exercise, would have a bad effect on the epidemic,” reported The Buffalo Evening News.
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Canisius College immediately canceled a game against the soldiers at Fort Porter. The men training on the army base that is now the site of the Peace Bridge Customs plaza were preparing to join the fighting in the World War in Europe.
The way the University of Buffalo found around leaving people disappointed with the decision to play football was to play exhibition games as fundraisers for the ongoing Victory Bond drives that were paying for American efforts in World War I.
During the same week UB canceled instruction for all students because of the flu pandemic, the school also announced plans to fill the hole in its football lineup caused by Dr. Gram’s order.
Thiel College was set to visit UB until teams from outside the area were banned, so instead, the school turned to the Curtiss Aeroplane football team. The Curtiss factory team was made up mostly of recent college football stars – but the Buffalo Times noted they were not well practiced and out of playing shape, leading UB to a 6-0 win.
UB would play teams from Canisius and Niagara that shortened season, but also against the Rochester Jeffersons – a semipro team that two years later would join the pro league that eventually became the NFL. Talk of a game against Masten High was scuttled when Masten’s captain and best player went into the service.