John Toohey (American football)
Encyclopedia
John Peter Toohey was an American football
player. A native of Kingston, New York
, Toohey was "known as one of the best athletes Newburgh H. S. ever turned out." He enrolled at Rutgers University
in 1910 and was a star athlete in both basketball and football. He played at the tackle
position for the Rutgers football team from 1910 to 1914. In September 1912, The New York Times called Toohey "Rutgers' greatest tackle," and noted that Toohey's brother also planned to play at tackle for Rutgers. Toohey worked during the summer of 1913 building the Croton Aqueduct
, and there was uncertainty as to whether he would return for another season of football. When he announced his intent to return to the gridiron, the New Brunswick Times reported: "Toohey Is Back Ready To Jump In The Game." In November 1913, Toohey was elected by his teammates as captain of Rutgers' 1914 football team. In December 1913, the Board of Managers at Rutgers ruled that Toohey was ineligible to play in 1914, having already played four seasons with the football team. The decision of the Board of Managers sparked a controversy, as alumni sought to restore his eligibility, and others criticized any leniency in enforcing the four-year eligibility rule. Toohey's eligibility was ultimately restored, and he was the captain of the 1914 Rutgers team. Following a 33-0 win over NYU in November 1914, The New York Times praised Toohey for his blocking: "Toohey weights 210 pounds and made a whole in the line ten yards wide." He was also selected as a first-team All-American in 1914 by James P. Sinnot of the New York Evening Mail, the New York Globe, sports writer Daniel of the New York Press the Newark Sunday Call, and Newark Evening Star. In announcing the selection of Toohey, Daniel wrote:
In 1915, Toohey's eligibility to play for the Rutgers football team was finally revoked under "the four-year residence rule," but he assisted in training the team's linemen during the 1915 football season.
Toohey was inducted into the Rutgers Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.
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. A native of Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, Toohey was "known as one of the best athletes Newburgh H. S. ever turned out." He enrolled at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1910 and was a star athlete in both basketball and football. He played at the tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
position for the Rutgers football team from 1910 to 1914. In September 1912, The New York Times called Toohey "Rutgers' greatest tackle," and noted that Toohey's brother also planned to play at tackle for Rutgers. Toohey worked during the summer of 1913 building the Croton Aqueduct
Croton Aqueduct
The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842...
, and there was uncertainty as to whether he would return for another season of football. When he announced his intent to return to the gridiron, the New Brunswick Times reported: "Toohey Is Back Ready To Jump In The Game." In November 1913, Toohey was elected by his teammates as captain of Rutgers' 1914 football team. In December 1913, the Board of Managers at Rutgers ruled that Toohey was ineligible to play in 1914, having already played four seasons with the football team. The decision of the Board of Managers sparked a controversy, as alumni sought to restore his eligibility, and others criticized any leniency in enforcing the four-year eligibility rule. Toohey's eligibility was ultimately restored, and he was the captain of the 1914 Rutgers team. Following a 33-0 win over NYU in November 1914, The New York Times praised Toohey for his blocking: "Toohey weights 210 pounds and made a whole in the line ten yards wide." He was also selected as a first-team All-American in 1914 by James P. Sinnot of the New York Evening Mail, the New York Globe, sports writer Daniel of the New York Press the Newark Sunday Call, and Newark Evening Star. In announcing the selection of Toohey, Daniel wrote:
"Among the tackles we place Toohey of Rutgers on an even plane with Ballin of Princeton. Despite his 210 pounds Toohey is a speedy and is a stone wall on defense. He played Ballin in the Princeton game, and had distinctly the better of the Tiger captain."
In 1915, Toohey's eligibility to play for the Rutgers football team was finally revoked under "the four-year residence rule," but he assisted in training the team's linemen during the 1915 football season.
Toohey was inducted into the Rutgers Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.