Bill Hickok (football)
Encyclopedia
William Orville Hickok III (August 23, 1874 – September 4, 1933) was an American football
player and industrialist. Inevitably nicknamed "Wild Bill
", and also known as "Hickey", he starred at Yale
in track
as well as football and was eventually inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
. After his athletic career, he became the president of his family's manufacturing business.
Hickok was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, to William Orville Hickok, Jr., and Louisa Harrison Anderson Hickok. The family was prominent in Harrisburg civic life through his grandfather's machinery business, W.O. Hickok Manufacturing Company.
Bill played guard
at Yale and was twice selected as an All-American. In addition, he set records in the shot put
and hammer throw
for the track team.
After completing his studies, Hickok returned to Pennsylvania. In 1896 he was asked by another Yale graduate from Harrisburg, Vance McCormick
, to coach the football team McCormick had organized at the nearby Carlisle Indian School
. The team went 5-5 against a challenging schedule that included the leading Ivy League
powers.
For the game against his alma mater, Hickok also served as a referee
(a common practice at the time) along with an official provided by the Yale side. In a memorable moment, the Indians appeared to have scored a late touchdown
to potentially tie the game when one of their players broke free with a handoff after the team's halfback had dived into the line. However, Hickok blew his whistle to call it back on the grounds that the play was dead prior to the handoff, causing his own team to protest. One newspaper covering the contest would compare his action to that of a corrupt Indian agent.
Other than serving as an assistant coach at Yale, Hickok spent most of his remaining life in Harrisburg. He married Avis Cochran and eventually served as president of the Hickok Manufacturing Company. After his death in 1933, the position passed to his brother Ross.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and industrialist. Inevitably nicknamed "Wild Bill
Wild Bill
-People:* Wild Bill Hickok, or James Butler Hickok , gunfighter and legendary figure of the American West* "Wild Bill" Hickman, or William Adams Hickman , frontiersman, ex-Mormon, and purported murderer...
", and also known as "Hickey", he starred at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
as well as football and was eventually inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. After his athletic career, he became the president of his family's manufacturing business.
Hickok was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, to William Orville Hickok, Jr., and Louisa Harrison Anderson Hickok. The family was prominent in Harrisburg civic life through his grandfather's machinery business, W.O. Hickok Manufacturing Company.
Bill played guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
at Yale and was twice selected as an All-American. In addition, he set records in the shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
and hammer throw
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
for the track team.
After completing his studies, Hickok returned to Pennsylvania. In 1896 he was asked by another Yale graduate from Harrisburg, Vance McCormick
Vance C. McCormick
thumb|250px|Vance McCormick with US President [[Woodrow Wilson]], 1916Vance Criswell McCormick was an American politician and prominent businessman from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He served as mayor of Harrisburg from 1902 to 1905 and as United States Democratic National Committee chairman from...
, to coach the football team McCormick had organized at the nearby Carlisle Indian School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations...
. The team went 5-5 against a challenging schedule that included the leading Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
powers.
For the game against his alma mater, Hickok also served as a referee
Official (American football)
In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
(a common practice at the time) along with an official provided by the Yale side. In a memorable moment, the Indians appeared to have scored a late touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
to potentially tie the game when one of their players broke free with a handoff after the team's halfback had dived into the line. However, Hickok blew his whistle to call it back on the grounds that the play was dead prior to the handoff, causing his own team to protest. One newspaper covering the contest would compare his action to that of a corrupt Indian agent.
Other than serving as an assistant coach at Yale, Hickok spent most of his remaining life in Harrisburg. He married Avis Cochran and eventually served as president of the Hickok Manufacturing Company. After his death in 1933, the position passed to his brother Ross.
External links
- Hickok profile — College Football Hall of Fame
- Ross A. Hickok papers index — Pennsylvania State Archives