Clarence Herschberger
Encyclopedia
Clarence B. "Herschie" Herschberger (July 24, 1876 – December 14, 1936) was an American football
fullback
, punter and placekicker
. He played for the University of Chicago
from 1896–1898 and became the first western player to be selected as a first-team All-American in 1898. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1970.
, Herschberger enrolled at the University of Chicago
in 1894 where he became an honor student and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors. He also earned a total of 13 varsity letter
s in track, football and baseball. He played for Amos Alonzo Stagg
's football teams from 1896 to 1898 and was one of the first of the great football stars developed by Stagg. He was captain of the 1898 Chicago team. Although he weighed only 158 pounds, Herschberger played fullback and was the kicker for Stagg's Maroons. He was known for making key plays in big games. In 1896, Herschberger picked up a fumbled ball in a game against the University of Michigan
and ran it back for a touchdown to secure Chicago's victory by a score of 7 to 6. In 1898, the Chicago football team played the University of Pennsylvania
, bringing national attention to Herschberger and Stagg's football team. Famed football man Walter Camp
saw the game and wrote, "Against Penn this year, Herschberger exhibited the best all-around kicking of the season; punting, place-kicking and drop-kicking with accuracy and facility." After the 1898 season, Camp chose Herschberger as the first-team fullback for his 1898 College Football All-America Team
-- the first player from a western school to be so honored.
In the years when Herschberger played, Stagg emphasized the kicking game. Stagg's goal was to move the ball inside the opponents' 40-yard line. Stagg then turned to Herschberger who established a record for field goals, which were then worth five points—the same as a touchdown. Herschberger was also considered an excellent punter, making him a key asset in Stagg's strategy of maximizing field position. The Maroons had a record of 35–8 during Herschberger's time with the team.
Herschberger has also been credited with a number of innovations in the sport. He was believed to be the first player to kick spiral punts, and Stagg credited him as being the first to use the Statue of Liberty play
. He has also been credited as the first player to do an onside kick
and most likely the first player to ever receive an x-ray
for an injury.
There are accounts that Herschberger challenged Chicago's quarterback Walter Kennedy
to an eating contest before a football game with the Wisconsin Badgers
. After eating 13 eggs on the morning of the game, Herschberger was unable to play due to gastritis. Chicago lost the game 23-8, leading Coach Stagg to say, "We weren't beaten by 11 Badgers. We were beaten by 13 eggs."
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
, and Lake Forest College
in Lake Forest, Illinois
. From 1907 to 1921, he lived in New York where he was associated with financier Frank Vanderlip. He later returned to Chicago where he worked in the real estate business.
In December 1936, Herschberger was found dead in the gas-filled basement of his home on W. 64th Street in Chicago His body was found by his 19-year-old daughter, Ruth. Herschberger had attached a rubber hose to a laundry gas burner and had inhaled illuminating gas. His death at age 60 was a suicide arising from his despondency over ill health. His widow attributed the act to a nervous breakdown. Herschberger retired from the real estate business after suffering a nervous breakdown four years before he died, and had suffered from heart disease.
Herschberger was survived by his wife, Grace Herschberger, two daughter (Ruth and Harriet) and two sons (Clarence, Jr., and John).
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...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, punter and placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
. He played for the 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...
from 1896–1898 and became the first western player to be selected as a first-team All-American in 1898. He was elected to 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 1970.
Athlete at Chicago
A native of Peoria, IllinoisPeoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, Herschberger enrolled at the 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...
in 1894 where he became an honor student and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors. He also earned a total of 13 varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in track, football and baseball. He played for Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
's football teams from 1896 to 1898 and was one of the first of the great football stars developed by Stagg. He was captain of the 1898 Chicago team. Although he weighed only 158 pounds, Herschberger played fullback and was the kicker for Stagg's Maroons. He was known for making key plays in big games. In 1896, Herschberger picked up a fumbled ball in a game against 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 ran it back for a touchdown to secure Chicago's victory by a score of 7 to 6. In 1898, the Chicago football team played the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, bringing national attention to Herschberger and Stagg's football team. Famed football man 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...
saw the game and wrote, "Against Penn this year, Herschberger exhibited the best all-around kicking of the season; punting, place-kicking and drop-kicking with accuracy and facility." After the 1898 season, Camp chose Herschberger as the first-team fullback for his 1898 College Football All-America Team
1898 College Football All-America Team
The 1898 College Football All-America team is composed of American football players who were selected as the best players at their positions by various organizations that chose College Football All-America Teams that season...
-- the first player from a western school to be so honored.
In the years when Herschberger played, Stagg emphasized the kicking game. Stagg's goal was to move the ball inside the opponents' 40-yard line. Stagg then turned to Herschberger who established a record for field goals, which were then worth five points—the same as a touchdown. Herschberger was also considered an excellent punter, making him a key asset in Stagg's strategy of maximizing field position. The Maroons had a record of 35–8 during Herschberger's time with the team.
Statue of Liberty play
The Statue of Liberty is a trick play in American football, occasionally seen in high school football, college football and the NFL.-Execution of the play:...
. He has also been credited as the first player to do an onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
and most likely the first player to ever receive an x-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
for an injury.
There are accounts that Herschberger challenged Chicago's quarterback Walter Kennedy
Walter Kennedy
Walter Kennedy was a Scottish makar associated with the renaissance court of James IV. He is perhaps best known as the defendant against William Dunbar in The Flyting of Dumbar and Kennedie, but his surviving works clearly show him to have been an accomplished "master" in many genres...
to an eating contest before a football game with the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
. After eating 13 eggs on the morning of the game, Herschberger was unable to play due to gastritis. Chicago lost the game 23-8, leading Coach Stagg to say, "We weren't beaten by 11 Badgers. We were beaten by 13 eggs."
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
Later years
After graduating from the University of Chicago, Herschberger worked as a football coach at Chicago, Lake Forest AcademyLake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 located on the North Shore in Lake Forest, Illinois, United States. As of the 2008-2009 school year, students at Lake Forest Academy come from 20 states and 28 countries. The current Head of School is Dr....
, and Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College, founded in 1857, is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. The college has 1,500 students representing 47 states and 78 countries....
in Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
. From 1907 to 1921, he lived in New York where he was associated with financier Frank Vanderlip. He later returned to Chicago where he worked in the real estate business.
In December 1936, Herschberger was found dead in the gas-filled basement of his home on W. 64th Street in Chicago His body was found by his 19-year-old daughter, Ruth. Herschberger had attached a rubber hose to a laundry gas burner and had inhaled illuminating gas. His death at age 60 was a suicide arising from his despondency over ill health. His widow attributed the act to a nervous breakdown. Herschberger retired from the real estate business after suffering a nervous breakdown four years before he died, and had suffered from heart disease.
Herschberger was survived by his wife, Grace Herschberger, two daughter (Ruth and Harriet) and two sons (Clarence, Jr., and John).