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Peabody football began in 1892 but the first few years were unregulated and scattered. The teams had only volunteer coaches�if any�and games were played at fields on Sutton or Lowell Streets. Because there were no referees or officials at the games, a non-playing player or fan would need to officiate, sometimes resulting in confrontation. With no official lines drawn on the field, boundaries were instead roped off; should the ropes happen to break, the field simply got wider.
The Peabody team played Salem, Beverly, and Danvers often; the teams met as many as three times in a season. However, the students were willing to play any team which resulted in matches against YMCAs, prep schools, amateur athletic teams, and colleges. Salem Normal School, now Salem State, and Burdett Business School played Peabody on a regular basis.
Some years the students decided not to field a team and other years the team would disband partway through the season. Despite this lack of leadership and formalities, though, between 1892 and 1909, the team complied a 30-30-9 record. The team hired their first official coach in 1914.
 
Peabody's 1911 football team
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