The team's quarterback, Edmond H. Barmore, went into the business of building steamships from 1881 to 1886 and later operated the Los Angeles Transfer Company for about 40 years.

The paper reprinted an editorial from the Ohio Wesleyan newspaper declaring, "It seems to us that there ought to be enough life among the students to get up an interest in the game and play rugby, at least, once in a while.

"[5] The Chronicle also reported that interest in sports was diminishing among the students at Cornell University (which became a football rival for Michigan in the late 1880s and 1890s), and that rugby had not been introduced there.

The Chronicle noted: "As Toronto is to play Harvard this fall, there is a possibility of our being able to arrange a match with the latter, and at last accomplish the long-talked of game with some eastern college.

The team arrived in Toronto on Friday night and stayed at the Rossin House Hotel in the city center.

Because of "damp and dismal" weather on Saturday morning, few of the players engaged in sight-seeing and the Toronto team proposed postponing the game until Monday.

[9] The Chronicle described the playing conditions: "[T]hroughout the whole of the first inning, the rain was increasing, and, joined with a cold wind from the north, soon drenched and all but froze both players and spectators.

The ground was slippery and muddy, the water stood in pools, the ball was soon heavy, and in short circumstances were decidedly against either good playing or enjoyment of it.

During the first inning, Michigan was aided by having the wind at its back and running downhill on a slightly sloped field.