Herman Everhardus
Encyclopedia
Herman "Flying Dutchman" Everhardus (September 11, 1912 – July 1980) was an American football
player who played halfback
for the University of Michigan
teams from 1931–1933. He was an All-Big Ten halfback who led the conference in scoring in 1933. In his junior and senior seasons at Michigan, he led the team to two consecutive undefeated seasons and national championships. While playing football at Michigan, Everhardus was a teammate and fraternity brother of future U.S. President Gerald Ford
.
where he attended Kalamazoo Central High School
. He enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1930 and was a three-year starter at halfback for the Wolverines' football teams. He became known as the "Flying Dutchman" while playing for Michigan. During his junior and senior years, the Wolverines football
teams won back-to-back national championships with a two-year record of 15–0–1, outscoring opponents by a combined total of 254–31.
In 1933, Everhardus was the leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference
with 64 points on eight touchdowns and ten point after touchdown kicks. He scored three touchdowns and three extra points in a 1933 game against Cornell
, including a 52-yard touchdown run and an 85-yard kickoff return to open the second half. Everhardus contributed to the Wolverines' second straight undefeated season as much with his kicking as with his running. In a 10–6 win over Iowa
in 1933, Everhardus had a 47-yard run and kicked for a field goal and extra-point. After the Iowa game, the Associated Press
reported:
While playing for Michigan, Everhardus was a teammate and fraternity brother of future U.S. President Gerald Ford
. When Ford tried out for the freshman football team, he needed a job to help pay his expenses. Everhardus arranged to get Ford a job waiting tables at the Delta Kappa Epsilon
fraternity house, where Ford later became a fraternity brother of Everhardus.
At the end of the 1933 season, Everhardus was selected as a first-team back on the All-Big Ten teams selected by the United Press
and the Newspaper Editors Association (NEA). He was also selected as a second-team All-American by the NEA and the International News Service. In announcing the 1933 All-Big Ten team, the United Press wrote: "Everhardus was Michigan's foremost back, with his running and stellar defensive work. He kicked three field goals in crucial games and won the Illinois game with his extra point after touchdown, 7–6." The NEA wrote the following in naming Everhardus as its first-team All-Big Ten fullback:
Everhardus was also selected to play in both of the major post-season all-star games. On January 1, 1934, Everhardus and Michigan teammate Chuck Bernard
played for the East team in the annual East-West Shrine Game
in San Francisco. Although the East team lost, Everhardus was credited with "a phenomenal 70-yard punt ... which traveled 50 yards
from the line in the air." And in August 1934, Everhardus was selected as a member of the College All-American team to play the annual game against the NFL
champions at Soldier Field
in Chicago
. The College All-Americans played the NFL champion Chicago Bears
to a scoreless tie, and the Associated Press cited Everhardus as one of three college stars who "stood out on the floodlighted field." In addition to his performance in the backfield, Everhardus gained attention for a 60-yard kick that pinned the Bears deep in their own territory late in the game.
After graduating from Michigan, Everhardus signed a contract to play professional football for the Detroit Lions
, but obtained a release from the contract so that he could accept a position as an assistant football coach at Penn State
.
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 who played 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...
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...
teams from 1931–1933. He was an All-Big Ten halfback who led the conference in scoring in 1933. In his junior and senior seasons at Michigan, he led the team to two consecutive undefeated seasons and national championships. While playing football at Michigan, Everhardus was a teammate and fraternity brother of future U.S. President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
.
Biography
Everhardus was a native of Kalamazoo, MichiganKalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
where he attended Kalamazoo Central High School
Kalamazoo Central High School
Kalamazoo Central High School is a public high school in Kalamazoo, Michigan serving students from ninth through twelfth grades. It was the first public high school in Michigan. It began operating in 1858 and graduated its first class of five men and three women in 1859. It moved to its current...
. He enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1930 and was a three-year starter at halfback for the Wolverines' football teams. He became known as the "Flying Dutchman" while playing for Michigan. During his junior and senior years, the Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams won back-to-back national championships with a two-year record of 15–0–1, outscoring opponents by a combined total of 254–31.
In 1933, Everhardus was the leading scorer in 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...
with 64 points on eight touchdowns and ten point after touchdown kicks. He scored three touchdowns and three extra points in a 1933 game against Cornell
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
, including a 52-yard touchdown run and an 85-yard kickoff return to open the second half. Everhardus contributed to the Wolverines' second straight undefeated season as much with his kicking as with his running. In a 10–6 win over Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in 1933, Everhardus had a 47-yard run and kicked for a field goal and extra-point. After the Iowa game, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported:
"Herman Everhardus, the flying Dutchman from Kalamazoo, unleashed a toe as true as a navy siege gun and Bill Renner displayed uncanny passing aim today as Michigan's powerful football team, playing in snow and ice, swept toward a fourth consecutive Big Ten championship with a hard-earned victory over Iowa."
While playing for Michigan, Everhardus was a teammate and fraternity brother of future U.S. President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. When Ford tried out for the freshman football team, he needed a job to help pay his expenses. Everhardus arranged to get Ford a job waiting tables at the Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
fraternity house, where Ford later became a fraternity brother of Everhardus.
At the end of the 1933 season, Everhardus was selected as a first-team back on the All-Big Ten teams selected by the United Press
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
and the Newspaper Editors Association (NEA). He was also selected as a second-team All-American by the NEA and the International News Service. In announcing the 1933 All-Big Ten team, the United Press wrote: "Everhardus was Michigan's foremost back, with his running and stellar defensive work. He kicked three field goals in crucial games and won the Illinois game with his extra point after touchdown, 7–6." The NEA wrote the following in naming Everhardus as its first-team All-Big Ten fullback:
"The fullback post is well filled by Herman Everhardus, Michigan. Although playing a halfback post, the flying Dutchman is a typical fullback. He showed he could crash tackles and the center of the line equally as well as he could run the ends or snare a pass. Defensively, he was a Gibraltar."
Everhardus was also selected to play in both of the major post-season all-star games. On January 1, 1934, Everhardus and Michigan teammate Chuck Bernard
Chuck Bernard
Joseph Charles "Chuck" Bernard was a professional American football center who played for the Detroit Lions in 1934 and was a two-time All-American at the University of Michigan. He was born in Chicago, Illinois....
played for the East team in the annual East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
in San Francisco. Although the East team lost, Everhardus was credited with "a phenomenal 70-yard punt ... which traveled 50 yards
from the line in the air." And in August 1934, Everhardus was selected as a member of the College All-American team to play the annual game against the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
champions at Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The College All-Americans played the NFL champion Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
to a scoreless tie, and the Associated Press cited Everhardus as one of three college stars who "stood out on the floodlighted field." In addition to his performance in the backfield, Everhardus gained attention for a 60-yard kick that pinned the Bears deep in their own territory late in the game.
After graduating from Michigan, Everhardus signed a contract to play professional football for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, but obtained a release from the contract so that he could accept a position as an assistant football coach at Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
.