Under the 1902 system, the anticipated second-place team was automatically swept into the championship game without even playing a down while the expected first-place finisher had to fight its way through the brackets, effectively creating a cross between a traditional tournament and a "gauntlet-style" tournament for the first-place team.
Basketball and hockey were not yet major sports in New York, so O'Rourke decided to play to host a series of indoor football games.
The colleges refused due to increased pressure from the Amateur Athletic Association to stop participating in professional games.
For reasons not fully known, the best team in the nascent Ohio League, the Akron East Ends, were not invited.
The earthen surface also became sticky as the game progressed and made for some tough maneuvering, while the stands were right up to the playing field and proved to be a physical hazard.
Prior to the start of the series Syracuse signed three running backs from Watertown, along with Bemus and Hawley Pierce from the Carlisle Indian School and Bill Warner and his brother Glenn.
[3] The team was put together by Frank "Buck" O'Neill who conducted daily practices in preparation for the series.
Warner later suffered a head injury and was replaced by Blondy Wallace from the "New York" team later in the series.
The Watertown Red and Black, which refused entry into the tournament in 1902, put up $2000 in prize money ($1,250 for first place, $750 for second).
For that night's second game the Watertown Red and Black defeated the Oreo Athletic Club by a score of 5–0.
Fighting and rioting soon broke out between the Oreos and Watertown fans, before being contained by the New York Police Department.
[3] According to Dr. Harry March's often inaccurate book Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs, Frank Hinkey was a referee at the event.
As a result, the Franklin backfield agreed to run over the clean and sharply dressed Hinkley, purposely in jest, knocking him into the dirt.
Hinkley took the incident in good nature and Franklin's management agreed to pay his cleaning bill.
[3] Today the uniform worn from Harry Mason from the Syracuse Athletic Club is on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
[7] The Watertown Red & Black still exists today as members of the Empire Football League.