Frederick Bradlee
Encyclopedia
Frederick Josiah Bradlee, Jr. (December 20, 1892 – April 29, 1970) was an American football
player. He was a first-team All-American while attending Harvard University
in 1914. He was also the father of American journalist Ben Bradlee.
in the Back Bay section of Boston, a member of a "Brahmin
" Crowninshield family
that had lived in Boston since the 17th century.
His father was Frederick Josiah Bradlee (1866–1951) and his mother was Eliza Whitwell Thomas.
.
At Harvard, Bradlee played at the halfback
and fullback
positions for Percy Haughton
's undefeated Harvard Crimson
football teams from 1912 to 1914. During Bradlee's three years as a starter for Harvard, he played on teams that included College Football Hall of Fame
rs Huntington Hardwick
, Eddie Mahan
and Stan Pennock
. The Harvard football team did not lose a single game from 1912 to 1914, compiling records of 9–0 in 1912, 9–0 in 1913, and 7–0–2 in 1914. At the end of the 1914 season, Bradlee was selected as a first-team All-American by Collier's Weekly
as selected by Walter Camp
, the Washington Herald (selected by William Peet), Boston Post (selected by Charles H. Parker), and Tom Thorp in the New York Evening Journal.
His wife was his third cousin, sharing great-great-grandfather Benjamin Williams Crowninshield
(1772–1851).
She was daughter of artist Frederic Crowninshield
(1845–1918) and niece of magazine editor Frank Crowninshield
(1872–1947).
Bradlee was known while attending college as "Beebo" and simply as "B." He worked as an investment banker with the firm of Bank America Blair Company. His son, Ben Bradlee, wrote of his father's professional experience as follows:
Bradlee worked at odd jobs during the Depression to support his family. Ben Bradlee recalled his father in his autobiography: "My father weighed less than 200 pounds, but he was tough, barrel-chested, strong, fast and soft-spoken. Lying in his arms as a child and listening to that deep voice rolling around in his voice box was all the comfort and reassurance that a child could stand."
Bradlee later served as a financial consultant to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. His son, Ben Bradlee, became the editor of The Washington Post
.
Bradlee suffered an aortal aneurism and died in April 1970 in Beverly, Massachusetts
at age 77.
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. He was a first-team All-American while attending Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1914. He was also the father of American journalist Ben Bradlee.
Early years
Bradlee was born December 20, 1892 on Beacon StreetBeacon Street
Beacon Street is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts and several of its western suburbs. Beacon Street in Boston, Brookline, Brighton, and Newton is not to be confused with the Beacon Street in nearby Somerville, or others elsewhere.-Description:...
in the Back Bay section of Boston, a member of a "Brahmin
Boston Brahmin
Boston Brahmins are wealthy Yankee families characterized by a highly discreet and inconspicuous life style. Based in and around Boston, they form an integral part of the historic core of the East Coast establishment...
" Crowninshield family
Crowninshield family
The Crowninshield family is an American family that has been prominent in seafaring, political and military leadership, and the literary world. The founder of the American family immigrated in the late 17th century from what is now Germany...
that had lived in Boston since the 17th century.
His father was Frederick Josiah Bradlee (1866–1951) and his mother was Eliza Whitwell Thomas.
Harvard University
Bradlee enrolled at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
At Harvard, Bradlee 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 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...
positions for Percy Haughton
Percy Haughton
Percy Duncan Haughton was an American football and baseball player and coach in the United States. He served as head football coach at Cornell University from 1899 to 1900, at Harvard University from 1908 to 1916, and at Columbia University from 1923 to 1924, compiling a career college football...
's undefeated Harvard Crimson
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...
football teams from 1912 to 1914. During Bradlee's three years as a starter for Harvard, he played on teams that included 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...
rs Huntington Hardwick
Huntington Hardwick
Huntington Reed "Tack" Hardwick was an American football player. He played at the halfback and end positions for Harvard University and was selected as a unanimous first-team All-American in 1914...
, Eddie Mahan
Eddie Mahan
Edward William "Eddie" Mahan was an American football player. While playing halfback for Harvard, Mahan was selected as a first-team All-American three consecutive years from 1913–1915...
and Stan Pennock
Stan Pennock
Stanley Bagg "Bags" Pennock was an American football player. He was selected as a first-team All-American at the guard position three consecutive years while leading Harvard University to three undefeated seasons from 1912 to 1914. He was killed in 1916 in an explosion at a chemical plant in New...
. The Harvard football team did not lose a single game from 1912 to 1914, compiling records of 9–0 in 1912, 9–0 in 1913, and 7–0–2 in 1914. At the end of the 1914 season, Bradlee was selected as a first-team All-American by Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
as selected 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...
, the Washington Herald (selected by William Peet), Boston Post (selected by Charles H. Parker), and Tom Thorp in the New York Evening Journal.
Later years
After graduating from Harvard, Bradlee married Josephine de Gersdorff (1896–1975), the daughter of prominent New York lawyer Carl August de Gersdorff, on July 3, 1917.His wife was his third cousin, sharing great-great-grandfather Benjamin Williams Crowninshield
Benjamin Williams Crowninshield
Benjamin Williams Crowninshield served as the United States Secretary of the Navy between 1815 and 1818, during the administrations of Presidents James Madison and James Monroe.-Biography:...
(1772–1851).
She was daughter of artist Frederic Crowninshield
Frederic Crowninshield
Frederic Crowninshield was an American artist and author.-Life:Crowningshield was born in Boston on November 27, 1845 into the Crowninshield family....
(1845–1918) and niece of magazine editor Frank Crowninshield
Frank Crowninshield
Francis Welch Crowninshield , better known as Frank or Crownie , was an American journalist and art and theatre critic best known for developing and editing the magazine Vanity Fair for 21 years, making it a pre-eminent literary journal.-Personal life:Crowninshield was born June 24, 1872 in Paris,...
(1872–1947).
Bradlee was known while attending college as "Beebo" and simply as "B." He worked as an investment banker with the firm of Bank America Blair Company. His son, Ben Bradlee, wrote of his father's professional experience as follows:
"After football, 'B' Bradlee rose quickly like all Brahmin athletes of that era from bank runner, to broker, then vice president of the Boston branch of an investment house called Bank America Blair Company. And then the fall. One day a Golden Boy. Next day, the Depression, and my old man was on the road trying to sell a commercial deodorant and molybdenumMolybdenumMolybdenum , is a Group 6 chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is from Neo-Latin Molybdaenum, from Ancient Greek , meaning lead, itself proposed as a loanword from Anatolian Luvian and Lydian languages, since its ores were confused with lead ores...
mining stock for companies founded and financed by some of his rich pals."
Bradlee worked at odd jobs during the Depression to support his family. Ben Bradlee recalled his father in his autobiography: "My father weighed less than 200 pounds, but he was tough, barrel-chested, strong, fast and soft-spoken. Lying in his arms as a child and listening to that deep voice rolling around in his voice box was all the comfort and reassurance that a child could stand."
Bradlee later served as a financial consultant to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. His son, Ben Bradlee, became the editor of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
.
Bradlee suffered an aortal aneurism and died in April 1970 in Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
at age 77.