Billy Edson
Encyclopedia
Willis Charles “Billy” Edson (September 25, 1874 in Wilton, Illinois
– March 5, 1965) was a football player, lawyer, and politician in Iowa. He was a halfback on the University of Iowa
’s Big Ten
championship team in 1900 and was the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1925-1926.
, where he played two seasons on the football team and earned his bachelor’s degree. Edson attended law school at the University of Iowa
, earning his law degree in 1901.
Edson starred on two undefeated Hawkeye teams in 1899 and 1900. As a junior in 1899, he helped Iowa to an 8-0-1 record, with the tie being a 5-5 draw against Amos Alonzo Stagg
's University of Chicago
team. Edson scored the game’s only touchdown in the contest against Chicago. In the final game of the season, he scored five touchdowns for Iowa in a 58-0 victory over Illinois. At the end of the season, Iowa was admitted into the Big Ten Conference
, beginning in 1900.
As a senior in 1900, Edson helped lead Iowa to a Big Ten championship in its first year in the conference. He scored one touchdown in Iowa’s first ever Big Ten game, a 17-0 victory over Chicago, and he scored another touchdown the following week in a 28-5 victory over Michigan. In two years at Iowa, Edson scored 23 touchdowns, including seven of fifty yards or more.
before beginning a long and successful legal and political career. He practiced law in Storm Lake, Iowa
, for over sixty years and was a member of the Iowa State Legislature from 1919-1927. Edson served as the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1925-1926 and was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 1936.
in 1959.
Wilton, Illinois
Wilton is located northeast of Wilton Center, Illinois northwest of Andres and south of Frankfort.Wilton is the smallest unincorporated area in Will County, Illinois. It is smaller than Andres with a population of only about 20 people....
– March 5, 1965) was a football player, lawyer, and politician in Iowa. He was a halfback on the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
’s Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship team in 1900 and was the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1925-1926.
Playing career
Billy Edson learned football while attending Buena Vista College from 1894-1896. He transferred to Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, where he played two seasons on the football team and earned his bachelor’s degree. Edson attended law school at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, earning his law degree in 1901.
Edson starred on two undefeated Hawkeye teams in 1899 and 1900. As a junior in 1899, he helped Iowa to an 8-0-1 record, with the tie being a 5-5 draw against Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
's University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
team. Edson scored the game’s only touchdown in the contest against Chicago. In the final game of the season, he scored five touchdowns for Iowa in a 58-0 victory over Illinois. At the end of the season, Iowa was admitted into the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, beginning in 1900.
As a senior in 1900, Edson helped lead Iowa to a Big Ten championship in its first year in the conference. He scored one touchdown in Iowa’s first ever Big Ten game, a 17-0 victory over Chicago, and he scored another touchdown the following week in a 28-5 victory over Michigan. In two years at Iowa, Edson scored 23 touchdowns, including seven of fifty yards or more.
Legal and political career
After obtaining his law degree in 1901, Billy Edson spent one season as an assistant football coach at the University of Northern IowaUniversity of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
before beginning a long and successful legal and political career. He practiced law in Storm Lake, Iowa
Storm Lake, Iowa
Storm Lake is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 10,600 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,076 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Buena Vista County. Storm Lake is home to Buena Vista University, originally Buena Vista College...
, for over sixty years and was a member of the Iowa State Legislature from 1919-1927. Edson served as the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1925-1926 and was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 1936.
Honors
Edson served for decades on the Board of Trustees at Buena Vista College. For his long-standing support of the college, Buena Vista renamed their gymnasium, Victory Hall, in his honor. Edson Hall is now used by Buena Vista’s music department. For his athletic career, Billy Edson was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of FameIowa Sports Hall of Fame
The Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, honors outstanding athletes and sports contributors. To be eligible, members must have either been born in Iowa or gained prominence while competing for a college or university in Iowa....
in 1959.