Everett Sweeley
Encyclopedia
Everett Marlin Sweeley was an American football
player and coach. He played fullback
, halfback
and end for the University of Michigan
from 1899 to 1902 and was a member of Fielding H. Yost's 1901 and 1902 "Point-a-Minute" teams. He then served as the head football coach at Morningside College
in 1903 and at Washington State University
in 1904 and 1905. He also coached basketball
and baseball
at Washington State. After retiring from football, Sweeley became a lawyer and judge in Idaho
.
in 1880. At the time of the 1885 Iowa State Census, Sweeley was living in Storm Lake, Iowa
. He attended high school at Sioux City, Iowa
.
in 1899. He played four years of football at Michigan from 1899–1902 at the end, fullback, and halfback positions, but he was best known as one of the game's premier punters and placekicker
s.
Before enrolling at Michigan, Sweeley said he had never seen a college football game. In four seasons, he missed only one game, the result of what Sweeley called "a little row with a math professor."
While playing for Michigan, Sweeley set the college football
record for the longest kick on record. In 1902, he kicked the football 86 yards before touching the ground. Sweeley also held "an enviable distinction unboasted by any other hero of the gridiron." In four years punting for Michigan, he never had a single punt blocked. Sweeley was known for punts that were both high and long. He would reportedly tell his ends accurately where each punt was to go, "and by this concerted action Michigan gained many yards." Sweeley was also "an expert place kicker," scoring over 100 points for Michigan in this manner. A 1906 newspaper feature reported that his greatest talent was "the running punt trick," a play in which Sweeley would run a ball "until he was hard pressed and then kick, often thus adding many yards to the ground gained."
In the 1902 Rose Bowl
, Sweeley kicked four field goals and punted 21 times for a 38.9-yard average. A newspaper story in 1950 reported on Sweeley's kicking ability: "Sweeley, a truly great kicker in the days when the ball resembled a pumpkin rather than the tapered oblate spheroid now in use, introduced the spiral pant to Coast fans that memorable day [in the 1902 Rose Bowl]. His towering punts outdistanced the end-over-end kicks of the Indians
by 20 yards."
in Sioux City, Iowa for a season in 1903 and then moved to Washington State University
in Pullman, Washington
for the 1904 and 1905 seasons. His coaching record at Washington State was 6 wins, 6 losses, and 0 ties.
where he worked as a lawyer. In September 1907, he married Hazel Jury Brown (1886–1972) at Spokane, Washington
. According to the 1920 United States Census, Sweeley and his wife had two children at that time, Jean B Sweeley (age 9) and Anna L. Sweeley (age 6).
Sweeley also became an expert trap shooter and ballistics expert. In 1916, he won the interstate trapshooting championship. He was elected prosecutor in 1938.
In his draft registration card signed in April 1942, Sweeley listed his residence as Twin Falls, his employer as the County of Twin Falls, and his place of employment as the County Courthouse in Twin Falls.
In 1952, Sweeley attended a reunion in California
of the 1902 Rose Bowl team. At the time, Sweeley was a practicing attorney living in Twin Falls, and was recalled as "a great punter back at the turn of the century." He served as a probate judge in the mid-1950s.
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. He played 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...
, 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 end 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...
from 1899 to 1902 and was a member of Fielding H. Yost's 1901 and 1902 "Point-a-Minute" teams. He then served as the head football coach at Morningside College
Morningside College
Morningside College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside College is a private, four-year, co-educational liberal arts institution. Morningside has 21 buildings on a ...
in 1903 and at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in 1904 and 1905. He also coached basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
at Washington State. After retiring from football, Sweeley became a lawyer and judge in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
.
Early years
Sweeley was born in Adel, IowaAdel, Iowa
Adel is a city along the North Raccoon River in Dallas County in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 3,435 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Dallas County and the birthplace of 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick....
in 1880. At the time of the 1885 Iowa State Census, Sweeley was living 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...
. He attended high school at Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
.
University of Michigan
Sweeley enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity 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...
in 1899. He played four years of football at Michigan from 1899–1902 at the end, fullback, and halfback positions, but he was best known as one of the game's premier punters 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...
s.
Before enrolling at Michigan, Sweeley said he had never seen a college football game. In four seasons, he missed only one game, the result of what Sweeley called "a little row with a math professor."
While playing for Michigan, Sweeley set the 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...
record for the longest kick on record. In 1902, he kicked the football 86 yards before touching the ground. Sweeley also held "an enviable distinction unboasted by any other hero of the gridiron." In four years punting for Michigan, he never had a single punt blocked. Sweeley was known for punts that were both high and long. He would reportedly tell his ends accurately where each punt was to go, "and by this concerted action Michigan gained many yards." Sweeley was also "an expert place kicker," scoring over 100 points for Michigan in this manner. A 1906 newspaper feature reported that his greatest talent was "the running punt trick," a play in which Sweeley would run a ball "until he was hard pressed and then kick, often thus adding many yards to the ground gained."
In the 1902 Rose Bowl
1902 Rose Bowl
Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," what is now known as the Rose Bowl Game was first played on January 1, 1902 in Pasadena, California, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games.The inaugural game featured Fielding H...
, Sweeley kicked four field goals and punted 21 times for a 38.9-yard average. A newspaper story in 1950 reported on Sweeley's kicking ability: "Sweeley, a truly great kicker in the days when the ball resembled a pumpkin rather than the tapered oblate spheroid now in use, introduced the spiral pant to Coast fans that memorable day [in the 1902 Rose Bowl]. His towering punts outdistanced the end-over-end kicks of the Indians
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
by 20 yards."
Coach
After graduating from Michigan, Sweeley went into coaching. He served as the head football coach at Morningside CollegeMorningside College
Morningside College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside College is a private, four-year, co-educational liberal arts institution. Morningside has 21 buildings on a ...
in Sioux City, Iowa for a season in 1903 and then moved to Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in Pullman, Washington
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
for the 1904 and 1905 seasons. His coaching record at Washington State was 6 wins, 6 losses, and 0 ties.
Later years
After retiring from coaching, Sweeley moved to Twin Falls, IdahoTwin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
where he worked as a lawyer. In September 1907, he married Hazel Jury Brown (1886–1972) at Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. According to the 1920 United States Census, Sweeley and his wife had two children at that time, Jean B Sweeley (age 9) and Anna L. Sweeley (age 6).
Sweeley also became an expert trap shooter and ballistics expert. In 1916, he won the interstate trapshooting championship. He was elected prosecutor in 1938.
In his draft registration card signed in April 1942, Sweeley listed his residence as Twin Falls, his employer as the County of Twin Falls, and his place of employment as the County Courthouse in Twin Falls.
In 1952, Sweeley attended a reunion in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
of the 1902 Rose Bowl team. At the time, Sweeley was a practicing attorney living in Twin Falls, and was recalled as "a great punter back at the turn of the century." He served as a probate judge in the mid-1950s.
External links
- Everett Sweeley at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com