Bill Morley
Encyclopedia
William Raymond "Bill" Morley, Jr. (March 17, 1876 – May 27, 1932) was an American football
player and coach and cattle and sheep rancher. Born in New Mexico, he played college football
for the University of Michigan
and Columbia University
and was selected as an All-American
in 1900 and 1901. Morley served as the head coach of the Columbia Lions football team from 1902 to 1905. He later returned to New Mexico where he was a successful cattle and sheep rancher. He was posthumously inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1971.
in Colfax County, New Mexico
. His parents were William Raymond Morley, Sr. (1846–1883), and Ada (McPherson) Morley (1852–1917). His father was the chief engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad and later edited The Cimarron News and managed the Maxwell land grant in Cimarron. Morley's father was killed in 1883 from an accidental shooting in Mexico. Morley was six years old at the time of his father's death. His father left extensive land holdings in the Datil Mountains near Datil, New Mexico
. After his father's death, his mother remarried, and moved with her three young children (one boy and two girls) and her new husband, Floyd Jarrett, to the Datil Mountains. Jarrett abandoned the family in approximately 1889, and Morley's mother raised her children in a log house roofed with adobe sod. Morley's sister, Agnes Morley Cleaveland (1874–1958), later wrote a best-selling book titled "No Life for a Lady" about their life in the Datil Mountains.
in Chester, Pennsylvania
. He first played football at the military academy.
Morley later attended the University of Michigan
where he received a bachelor of science degree in 1896. While attending Michigan, he was the backup quarterback
on the 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
that laid claim to the Western football championship. He was five feet, six inches tall and weighed 147 pounds as a football player at Michigan. Morley's sister, Agnes, was also a student at Michigan during the 1895–96 academic year. After graduating from Michigan, Morely worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. Some reports indicate that he also worked for a time as the sheriff of Socorro County, New Mexico
.
Morley subsequently enrolled at Columbia University
School of Mines. He played at the halfback
and quarterback positions for the 1899, 1900 and 1901 Columbia Lions football teams. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1900 by Walter Camp
and Leslie's Weekly. Caspar Whitney
, owner and editor-in-chief of the monthly Outing
magazine, chose Morley as the captain and first-team halfback for his 1901 College Football All-America Team
. In his review of the 1901 football season, Charles Edward Patterson
wrote: "Morley, stocky, muscular, not to be denied his two yards help or no help (and three times two means six, or a first down, you know!) able to repeat indefinitely, the best interferer in present day football, a forty yard punter and a drop-kicker who can actually score." In 1905, The New York Times
recalled Morley's playing style at Columbia: "Morley was one of the most aggressive men who ever represented Columbia on the gridiron. As a plunging back he made an enviable reputation, and the same was true when he played quarter back."
Morley was posthumously inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1971. Morley's Hall of Fame biography emphasizes his accomplishments as a player for Columbia: "The Columbia backfield of 1899 could strike from every position, often with electrifying results. It was that backfield which became the first Lion squad to beat Yale
, and the 5–0 victory over the Elis was carried off through the efforts of this Hall of Famer, Bill Morley. Morley's exciting gains and devastating blocks took the heart out of the Eli defense."
, known as the "Drag A ranch." Morley reportedly owned 200 sections of 640 acres each and "controlled several times that number because of control of watering places, and additional sections under Forest Service permits." Morley was one of the leading figures in western New Mexico. He was reported to be a "story teller of no mean ability," a skilled hunter, and "a hated foe of cattle rustlers." An account published in the Albuquerque Journal
described him as follows:
Morley was one of the founders of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association. He also owned several properties and business in Magdalena, New Mexico
, and was the president and one of the principal shareholders of the First National Bank of Magadalena.
, with his wife Nancy (age 40) and their daughter Milicent Faith Morley (age 11). His occupation was listed as a farmer on a general farm. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Morley was living in Datil with his wife Nancy B. Morley (age 53) and a daughter, M. Faith Morley (age 21). His occupation was listed as stock raising on a stock ranch. Morley's nephew, Norman Cleaveland
, won a gold medal in rugby at the 1924 Summer Olympics
.
In approximately 1930, Morley moved to Pasadena, California
. He was forced to move to a lower altitude due to heart disease. Morley died from heart disease in May 1932. He suffered a "severe attack" while at his home in Pasadena. He lived for a week after the attack, though he did not regain consciousness.
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 coach and cattle and sheep rancher. Born in New Mexico, he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and was selected as an All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
in 1900 and 1901. Morley served as the head coach of the Columbia Lions football team from 1902 to 1905. He later returned to New Mexico where he was a successful cattle and sheep rancher. He was posthumously 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...
in 1971.
Early years
Morley was born in 1876 at CimarronCimarron, New Mexico
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 917 people, 382 households, and 255 families residing in the village. The population density was 479.5 people per square mile . There were 449 housing units at an average density of 234.8 per square mile...
in Colfax County, New Mexico
Colfax County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*83.8% White*0.5% Black*1.5% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*10.1% Other races*47.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. His parents were William Raymond Morley, Sr. (1846–1883), and Ada (McPherson) Morley (1852–1917). His father was the chief engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad and later edited The Cimarron News and managed the Maxwell land grant in Cimarron. Morley's father was killed in 1883 from an accidental shooting in Mexico. Morley was six years old at the time of his father's death. His father left extensive land holdings in the Datil Mountains near Datil, New Mexico
Datil, New Mexico
Datil is an unincorporated town in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. Located at the intersection of U.S. Route 60 and New Mexico State Road 12, Datil is on the edge of the Cibola National Forest. The Very Large Array is also nearby. Rock climbers are attracted to Datil because it hold the...
. After his father's death, his mother remarried, and moved with her three young children (one boy and two girls) and her new husband, Floyd Jarrett, to the Datil Mountains. Jarrett abandoned the family in approximately 1889, and Morley's mother raised her children in a log house roofed with adobe sod. Morley's sister, Agnes Morley Cleaveland (1874–1958), later wrote a best-selling book titled "No Life for a Lady" about their life in the Datil Mountains.
Football player
Morley was sent east to be educated and reportedly attended school in 18 states. He received a civil engineering degree from the Pennsylvania Military AcademyWidener University
Widener University is a private, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania.Its main campus sits on 108 acres , just southwest of Philadelphia...
in Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
. He first played football at the military academy.
Morley later attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he received a bachelor of science degree in 1896. While attending Michigan, he was the backup quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
on the 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1895 college football season. The team, coached by medical student William McCauley, compiled an 8–1 record, won seven of their games by shutouts, and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 266 to...
that laid claim to the Western football championship. He was five feet, six inches tall and weighed 147 pounds as a football player at Michigan. Morley's sister, Agnes, was also a student at Michigan during the 1895–96 academic year. After graduating from Michigan, Morely worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. Some reports indicate that he also worked for a time as the sheriff of Socorro County, New Mexico
Socorro County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*75.1% White*1.1% Black*11.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.8% Two or more races*8.1% Other races*48.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
.
Morley subsequently enrolled at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
School of Mines. He played at the halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
and quarterback positions for the 1899, 1900 and 1901 Columbia Lions football teams. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1900 by Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
and Leslie's Weekly. Caspar Whitney
Caspar Whitney
Caspar William Whitney was an American author, editor, explorer, and war correspondent. He originated the concept of the All-American team in college football in 1889 when he worked for Harper's Magazine....
, owner and editor-in-chief of the monthly Outing
Outing (magazine)
Outing was a late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American magazine covering a variety of sporting activities. It began publication in 1882 as the Wheelman and had four title changes before ceasing publication in 1923....
magazine, chose Morley as the captain and first-team halfback for his 1901 College Football All-America Team
1901 College Football All-America Team
The 1901 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that chose College Football All-America Teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp.-Key:...
. In his review of the 1901 football season, Charles Edward Patterson
Charles E. Patterson
Charles Edward Patterson was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the son of Dr. James Hervey Patterson, was educated at Castleton Seminary in Castleton, Vermont and Cambridge Academy in Cambridge, New York, and graduated from Union College in 1860...
wrote: "Morley, stocky, muscular, not to be denied his two yards help or no help (and three times two means six, or a first down, you know!) able to repeat indefinitely, the best interferer in present day football, a forty yard punter and a drop-kicker who can actually score." In 1905, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
recalled Morley's playing style at Columbia: "Morley was one of the most aggressive men who ever represented Columbia on the gridiron. As a plunging back he made an enviable reputation, and the same was true when he played quarter back."
Morley was posthumously 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...
in 1971. Morley's Hall of Fame biography emphasizes his accomplishments as a player for Columbia: "The Columbia backfield of 1899 could strike from every position, often with electrifying results. It was that backfield which became the first Lion squad to beat Yale
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
, and the 5–0 victory over the Elis was carried off through the efforts of this Hall of Famer, Bill Morley. Morley's exciting gains and devastating blocks took the heart out of the Eli defense."
Coaching career
In February 1902, Morley was hired as the head football coach at Columbia. During the 1903 season, Morley's team began the season with seven consecutive shutouts and finished with a 9–1 record, outscoring opponents 148 to 43. He served as Columbia's head football coach from 1902 to 1905. Morley compiled an overall record of 26–11–3 as the head coach at Columbia.Cattle and sheep rancher
Morley later returned to New Mexico where he operated an extensive cattle and sheep ranch at Datil, New MexicoDatil, New Mexico
Datil is an unincorporated town in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. Located at the intersection of U.S. Route 60 and New Mexico State Road 12, Datil is on the edge of the Cibola National Forest. The Very Large Array is also nearby. Rock climbers are attracted to Datil because it hold the...
, known as the "Drag A ranch." Morley reportedly owned 200 sections of 640 acres each and "controlled several times that number because of control of watering places, and additional sections under Forest Service permits." Morley was one of the leading figures in western New Mexico. He was reported to be a "story teller of no mean ability," a skilled hunter, and "a hated foe of cattle rustlers." An account published in the Albuquerque Journal
Albuquerque Journal
-History:Its earliest predecessor, the Albuquerque Daily Journal, was first published on October 14, 1880. The newspaper is owned by the Journal Publishing Company, a family-owned business headed by president/publisher T.H. Lang; it is operated by the Albuquerque Publishing Company...
described him as follows:
"He was a man of picturesque appearance with a reddish beard that he wore in styles to suit his whim. Three years ago [1929], in an effort to procure aid for New Mexico livestock men who had lost heavily in the postwar period, he let his hair grow to his shoulders and his beard to his waist, and marched in the inaugural parade at Washington, where he attracted wide attention and publicity."
Morley was one of the founders of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association. He also owned several properties and business in Magdalena, New Mexico
Magdalena, New Mexico
Magdalena is a village in Socorro County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 938 at the 2010 census."The Lady on the Mountain" is a rock formation on Magdalena Peak overlooking Magdalena. Spanish soldiers saw the face of a woman on the west face of the peak...
, and was the president and one of the principal shareholders of the First National Bank of Magadalena.
Family and death
Morley was married to Bessie Crason, with whom he had a son William Raymond Morley III (born 1902). Morley was remarried to Nancy Brown (1878–1932) in 1908. They had three daughters, named Margaratta Hope, Milicent Faith and Love (sometimes referred to as Faith, Hope and Love), born on December 25, 1908. Love died in infancy, and Hope died in approximately 1910. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Morley was living in Datil, New Mexico, with his wife, Nancy (age 27), and their two surviving daughters (age 1). His occupation was listed as a cattle rancher. In a September 1918 draft registration card, Morley indicated that he was living in Datil and employed in the cattle and sheep ranching business. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Morley was living at Santa Rita, New MexicoSanta Rita, New Mexico
Santa Rita is a ghost town in Grant County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The site of El Chino copper mine, Santa Rita was located fifteen miles east of Silver City.-History:...
, with his wife Nancy (age 40) and their daughter Milicent Faith Morley (age 11). His occupation was listed as a farmer on a general farm. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Morley was living in Datil with his wife Nancy B. Morley (age 53) and a daughter, M. Faith Morley (age 21). His occupation was listed as stock raising on a stock ranch. Morley's nephew, Norman Cleaveland
Norman Cleaveland
Norman Cleaveland was an American rugby union player who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.Cleaveland was born in California, but spent a considerable portion of his youth growing up on his family's ranch outside of Datil, New Mexico...
, won a gold medal in rugby at the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
.
In approximately 1930, Morley moved to Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He was forced to move to a lower altitude due to heart disease. Morley died from heart disease in May 1932. He suffered a "severe attack" while at his home in Pasadena. He lived for a week after the attack, though he did not regain consciousness.