Martin Wheelock
Encyclopedia
Martin Frederick Wheelock (1874 – May 25, 1937) was a member of the Oneida tribe
of American Indians. He played American football
for the Carlisle Indian School from 1894-1902.
in 1874. In September 1890, a recruiter brought a group of young Oneida Indians from Wisconsin to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. Wheelock, at age 16, was part of the group. Wheelock played tackle
for the Carlisle Indians football team from 1894-1902. He was captain of the team in 1899. The success of the Carlisle football team was a source of great pride for Native Americans. In 1897, the Indian Helper (the Carlisle school newspaper) described a celebration that greeted the football team on its return from a game played in New York City against Yale University:
In nine years playing for the Carlisle football team (from age 20 to 29), Wheelock was one of the school's greatest stars. He played on the great Carlisle teams from 1899-1902 that were coached by football legend Pop Warner, teams that defeated many of the best football teams in the United States. He was selected as a first-team All-American by the New York Sun
in 1899, a second-team All-American by Walter Camp
in 1901, and to the All-University Team by the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1902.
In 1897, Wheelock became one of the first football players to receive an x-ray for an injury. Wheelock was injured in a game against Brown University, and the following story appeared in newspapers across the country:
.
In 1913, Pop Warner named Wheelock to the All Time American Indian football team. The team also included such legends as Jim Thorpe
, Jimmy Johnson
, Bemus Pierce
, Joe Guyon
, and Albert Exendine
. Wheelock was also inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Honor in 1980.
In 1938, a Wisconsin newspaper reported that a Martin Wheelock of the Oneida tribe had returned home to Wisconsin for a month's vacation. The Martin Wheelock referenced in the article (most likely this Martin's youngest son) was then working in the government service among the Ute Indians in Utah.
In 1980, Wheelock was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
Oneida tribe
The Oneida are a Native American/First Nations people and are one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in the area of upstate New York...
of American Indians. He played American 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...
for the Carlisle Indian School from 1894-1902.
Carlisle Indian School
Wheelock was born in Oneida, WisconsinOneida, Wisconsin
Oneida is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place in the town of Oneida, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,070 at the 2000 census. At the census, part of the CDP lay within the town of Hobart, which has since incorporated as a village, in...
in 1874. In September 1890, a recruiter brought a group of young Oneida Indians from Wisconsin to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. Wheelock, at age 16, was part of the group. Wheelock played 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....
for the Carlisle Indians football team from 1894-1902. He was captain of the team in 1899. The success of the Carlisle football team was a source of great pride for Native Americans. In 1897, the Indian Helper (the Carlisle school newspaper) described a celebration that greeted the football team on its return from a game played in New York City against Yale University:
”On Monday morning after breakfast, the football team, who returned the evening before from the Yale game which was played at New York last Saturday, was treated to a free ride across the parade, in the large four horse herdic, drawn by the entire battalion. Capt. PierceBemus PierceBemus Pierce was a Native American football guard in the 1890s and 1900s. He played for the great Carlisle Indian School teams from 1894-1898 and later played professional football for the championship teams from the Homestead Library & Athletic Club of 1900 and 1901. He also played for the...
, Frank Cayou, Frank Hudson, and Martin Wheelock occupied the small phaeton drawn by boys, and went in advance of the others. The band played lively marches, as handkerchiefs waved and mouths shouted. The demonstration was a great surprise to all making a unique scene for such an early morning hour. The school is proud of the record made for clean playing, and were gratified that the boys scored.”
In nine years playing for the Carlisle football team (from age 20 to 29), Wheelock was one of the school's greatest stars. He played on the great Carlisle teams from 1899-1902 that were coached by football legend Pop Warner, teams that defeated many of the best football teams in the United States. He was selected as a first-team All-American by the New York Sun
New York Sun
The New York Sun was a weekday daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 to 2008. When it debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of an otherwise unrelated earlier New York paper, The Sun , it became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started...
in 1899, a second-team All-American 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...
in 1901, and to the All-University Team by the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1902.
In 1897, Wheelock became one of the first football players to receive an x-ray for an injury. Wheelock was injured in a game against Brown University, and the following story appeared in newspapers across the country:
"Martin Wheelock, right tackle of the Carlisle football eleven, a big Indian, six feet high, became acquainted with the latest acquisition to the white man's science, the X-ray, in the J. Hood Wright memorial hospital in New York city. ... Wheelock was deeply interested in the performance. The bones in his hand were shown him, and he was delighted. Then the x-ray was turned on his injured shoulder, and it was plainly seen he had suffered a fracture. The physicians declared the man the finest specimen of humanity they had ever seen. ..."
Later years
Wheelock left the Carlisle Indian School in 1902 at age 28. Wheelock later worked as a blacksmith and farmer. He married a fellow Carlisle student, Lena Webster, in 1913 and was living at the time in Seymour, WisconsinSeymour, Wisconsin
Seymour is a city in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,451 at the 2010 census. The city is located within the Town of Seymour and the Town of Osborn.-History:...
.
In 1913, Pop Warner named Wheelock to the All Time American Indian football team. The team also included such legends as Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
, Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (quarterback)
Jimmy Johnson was an American football player. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.-Biography:Johnson was born on June 6, 1879 in Edgerton, WI....
, Bemus Pierce
Bemus Pierce
Bemus Pierce was a Native American football guard in the 1890s and 1900s. He played for the great Carlisle Indian School teams from 1894-1898 and later played professional football for the championship teams from the Homestead Library & Athletic Club of 1900 and 1901. He also played for the...
, Joe Guyon
Joe Guyon
Joseph Napoleon Guyon was a professional American football player in the National Football League...
, and Albert Exendine
Albert Exendine
Albert Andrew "Al" Exendine was an American football player, coach, and lawyer. He played college football at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School where he was an All-American end...
. Wheelock was also inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Honor in 1980.
In 1938, a Wisconsin newspaper reported that a Martin Wheelock of the Oneida tribe had returned home to Wisconsin for a month's vacation. The Martin Wheelock referenced in the article (most likely this Martin's youngest son) was then working in the government service among the Ute Indians in Utah.
In 1980, Wheelock was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
See also
- 1899 College Football All-America Team1899 College Football All-America TeamThe 1899 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1899 college football season...
- 1901 College Football All-America Team1901 College Football All-America TeamThe 1901 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that chose College Football All-America Teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp.-Key:...
- 1902 College Football All-America Team1902 College Football All-America TeamThe 1902 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1902 college football season...