Kirkland Besley
Encyclopedia
Dr. Arthur Kirkland Besley (November 9, 1902 – September 17, 1994) was an American hospital administrator and college football
player. He played as a quarterback
and halfback
at the University of Maryland
.
Frederick Wilson Besley and Bertha née Simonds on November 9, 1902 in Washington, D.C.
Besley attended the University of Maryland
where he gained his first football
experience at any level with the varsity team
. He played as a halfback
in 1922 and 1925 and as a quarterback
in 1923 and 1924. Besley received from Maryland a Bachelor of Science
degree in 1923, a Master of Science
degree in 1924, and in 1931, a Doctor of Philosophy
degree with a dissertation on "The Effect of Ozone on the Vitamin Content of Cod Liver Oil." He was a member of the Beta Kappa chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order
.
From 1943 to 1949, Besley served as the superintendent of the Prince George's General Hospital in Cheverly, Maryland
. In September 1949, he became the assistant superintendent of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh. In 1953, he was appointed as the head of the Norwegian American Hospital in Chicago
. On July 22, 1956, Besley witnessed the murder of Margaret Mary Gallagher in Lincoln Park
from his apartment through a pair of binoculars, which prompted the media to dub it the "spyglass murder". He flagged down a motorcycle patrolman and directed him to the scene of the crime, but he was unable to identify the murderer because he could not see his face from his vantage point.
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...
player. He played as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and 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...
at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
.
Biography
He was born to Maryland state foresterMaryland Forest Service
The Maryland Forest Service in 1996 marked the 90th anniversary of forestry in Maryland, USA and the birth of what is known as the Department of Natural Resources Forest Service...
Frederick Wilson Besley and Bertha née Simonds on November 9, 1902 in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Besley attended the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
where he gained his first football
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...
experience at any level with the varsity team
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. He played as a 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...
in 1922 and 1925 and as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in 1923 and 1924. Besley received from Maryland a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in 1923, a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in 1924, and in 1931, a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree with a dissertation on "The Effect of Ozone on the Vitamin Content of Cod Liver Oil." He was a member of the Beta Kappa chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
.
From 1943 to 1949, Besley served as the superintendent of the Prince George's General Hospital in Cheverly, Maryland
Cheverly, Maryland
Cheverly is a town in central Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., United States. The town was founded in 1918 and it was incorporated in 1931. Cheverly had 6,433 residents as of the 2000 Census....
. In September 1949, he became the assistant superintendent of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh. In 1953, he was appointed as the head of the Norwegian American Hospital 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...
. On July 22, 1956, Besley witnessed the murder of Margaret Mary Gallagher in Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Chicago, which gave its name to the Lincoln Park, Chicago community area.Lincoln Park may also refer to:-Urban parks:*Lincoln Park , California*Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California...
from his apartment through a pair of binoculars, which prompted the media to dub it the "spyglass murder". He flagged down a motorcycle patrolman and directed him to the scene of the crime, but he was unable to identify the murderer because he could not see his face from his vantage point.