Ockie Anderson
Encyclopedia
Oscar Carl "Ockie" Anderson (October 15, 1894 – January 25, 1962) was an All-American football player and coach. In 1916, he was selected as a first-team All-American quarterback while playing for Colgate University
. Anderson later played professional football for the Buffalo All-Americans and was one of the leading scorers in the 1920
and 1921 NFL season
s.
and attended Colgate University
.
ers of his era. Following a 1914 game between Syracuse and Colgate, the Syracuse Herald praised Anderson's passing ability:
During Anderson's time as quarterback at Colgate, the team compiled a record of 23-5-2. In 1916, he led Colgate to an 8-1-0 record as the team outscored its opponents 218-30. Colgate beat strong teams from Illinois (15-3), Syracuse (15-0), and Brown (28-0), but lost a close game against Yale (7-3) in New Haven. At the end of the 1916 season, Anderson was selected as a first-team All-American by Walter Camp
, the International News Service
, and the Boston Post
. One critic wrote the following about the selection of Anderson as the first-team All-American quarterback for 1916:
Nationally syndicated sports writer Tommy Clark chose Anderson not only as his first-team All-American at quarterback, but also named Anderson to act as captain of the All-American team. Clark explained his selection of Anderson as follows:
Anderson has been inducted into the Colgate University Athletics Hall of Honor.
, including service in France. In November 1917, Anderson led the Camp Dix national army football team to a 19-0 win over Camp Devens in a game played in Boston. In the second quarter, Anderson ran 70 yards around right end for a touchdown. A few minutes later, he caught a punt and "sprinted 60 yards for another score."
After the war, he worked as an athletic director in the Erie, Pennsylvania school system.
, known in its first two seasons as the American Professional Football Association, was formed in Canton, Ohio
. Anderson signed on to play for the Buffalo All-Americans. In the 1920 NFL season
, the inaugural season of the league, Anderson helped Buffalo to a 9-1-1 record, rotating between quarterback and running back with Tommy Hughitt
. Anderson was the league's second leading scorer in 1920. Though individual statistics for the 1920 season are unofficial, historical accounts indicate that Anderson scored eleven touchdowns and either 69 or 71 points. Whether his point total was 69 or 71, Anderson's scoring in 1920 exceeded the total scoring of at least four teams -- the Detroit Heralds (53), Chicago Tigers (49), Columbus Panhandles (41), and Cleveland Tigers (28). The only player with a higher point total than Anderson in the 1920 season was Dutch Sternaman
of Decatur.
In the 1921 NFL season
, Buffalo was again one of the best teams in the league (with a record of 9-1-2). That year, Anderson led the league with seven touchdowns and tied for second with 52 points.
Anderson suffered a knee injury and played only sparingly in the 1922 NFL season
. His last game was a 3-3 tie against the Akron Pros
in November 1922.
from 1922 until his death in 1962. In 1933, he entered the hardware business with his father-in-law, H. B. Koenig. He became the president of H.B. Koenig, Inc. In his later life, Anderson suffered from emphysema
, reportedly the result of smoking and the effect of poisonous gas inhaled in France during World War I. Anderson died in 1962 at Buffalo General Hospital.
He was survived by his wife, the former Mildred K. Koenig and a son, Robert H. Anderson.
Colgate Raiders football
The Colgate Raiders football team represents Colgate University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Patriot League.-History:...
. Anderson later played professional football for the Buffalo All-Americans and was one of the leading scorers in the 1920
1920 NFL season
The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural regular season of the National Football League which was called the American Professional Football Association in 1920 and 1921...
and 1921 NFL season
1921 NFL season
The 1921 APFA season was the 2nd regular season of the National Football League, which was then called the American Professional Football Association....
s.
Colgate University
Anderson was born in Erie, PennsylvaniaErie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
and attended Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
.
All-American quarterback
Anderson played quarterback for Colgate from 1914-1916. He was considered one of the best forward passForward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
ers of his era. Following a 1914 game between Syracuse and Colgate, the Syracuse Herald praised Anderson's passing ability:
"Quarterback Anderson, one of tho slipperiest men who has been seen in the Syracuse stadium and a mighty clever general, proved himself to be an expert in throwing the forward pass, his aim being wonderfully accurate. When he raced back five yards and turned, he usually found his man with one quick glance and then heaved the ball to within a few feet of where he was."
During Anderson's time as quarterback at Colgate, the team compiled a record of 23-5-2. In 1916, he led Colgate to an 8-1-0 record as the team outscored its opponents 218-30. Colgate beat strong teams from Illinois (15-3), Syracuse (15-0), and Brown (28-0), but lost a close game against Yale (7-3) in New Haven. At the end of the 1916 season, Anderson was selected as a first-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...
, the International News Service
International News Service
International News Service was a U.S.-based news agency founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.Established two years after the Scripps family founded the United Press Association, INS scrapped among the newswires...
, and the Boston Post
Boston Post
The Boston Post was the most popular daily newspaper in New England for over a hundred years before it folded in 1956. The Post was founded in November 1831 by two prominent Boston businessmen, Charles G...
. One critic wrote the following about the selection of Anderson as the first-team All-American quarterback for 1916:
"[A]fter the Colgate-Brown game, a struggle between two of the best football teams of the east, the experting fellow found Anderson, of Colgate, standing out as a brilliant star. Anderson is a field general of admitted ability. He has shown rare judgment in directing his attack in every game in which he appeared this year. He's fast, a good groundgainer both through the line and in the open, and he can boot the ball when called upon to do so, although several other members of his team did their share of toeing the pigskin this year."
Nationally syndicated sports writer Tommy Clark chose Anderson not only as his first-team All-American at quarterback, but also named Anderson to act as captain of the All-American team. Clark explained his selection of Anderson as follows:
"Carl Anderson of Colgate is selected to play quarter and to act as captain of the All American eleven. He has been a star at Colgate for three seasons. He is an accurate forward paser, and his passing gave Colgate the 13-0 victory over the Army last season. He is a good broken field runner, and his running back of punts has been a feature of several games this year. He feeds his backs in faultless style, the result being that Colgate did not fumble at Yale, only once against Illinois, and that on a direct pass, and not once against Syracuse and Brown. Anderson has played against some of the best quarterbacks of the year, MacomberBart MacomberFranklin Bart Macomber was an American football player. He played halfback and quarterback for the University of Illinois from 1914 to 1916 and helped the school to its first national football championship and consecutive undefeated seasons in 1914 and 1915...
of Illinois, Smith of Yale and Meehan of Syracuse. None of them outplayed him."
All-around athlete in five sports
Anderson was an all-around athlete who competed in five sports for Colgate. In February 1917, The Washington Post ran a feature story on Anderson's diverse athletic abilities. The Post wrote:"As is the case with most football
men of unusual abilltv, Carl Anderson, of Colgate, all-American quarterback by almost universal choice, is a great all-around athlete. He has won his letter at football, track and basketball and is a hockey and baseball star. However, he is so anxious to overcome this and to make his letter in five sports that he now has reported for the hockey tenm and will give up track work in the spring in favor of baseball. He is not only a brilliant sprinter, as his football work would indicate, but is also a clever hurdler and can jump 21 feet in the broad jump. Last year in the dual meets he twice was clocked in ten seconds for the 100 and 22 flat for the 220."
Anderson has been inducted into the Colgate University Athletics Hall of Honor.
Military service and athletic director
Anderson later served in the military during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, including service in France. In November 1917, Anderson led the Camp Dix national army football team to a 19-0 win over Camp Devens in a game played in Boston. In the second quarter, Anderson ran 70 yards around right end for a touchdown. A few minutes later, he caught a punt and "sprinted 60 yards for another score."
After the war, he worked as an athletic director in the Erie, Pennsylvania school system.
Buffalo All-Americans
In August 1920, the National Football LeagueNational 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...
, known in its first two seasons as the American Professional Football Association, was formed in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Anderson signed on to play for the Buffalo All-Americans. In the 1920 NFL season
1920 NFL season
The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural regular season of the National Football League which was called the American Professional Football Association in 1920 and 1921...
, the inaugural season of the league, Anderson helped Buffalo to a 9-1-1 record, rotating between quarterback and running back with Tommy Hughitt
Tommy Hughitt
Ernest Fredrick Hughitt , was a National Football League utility player and coach. He was also an All-American quarterback for the University of Michigan in 1913....
. Anderson was the league's second leading scorer in 1920. Though individual statistics for the 1920 season are unofficial, historical accounts indicate that Anderson scored eleven touchdowns and either 69 or 71 points. Whether his point total was 69 or 71, Anderson's scoring in 1920 exceeded the total scoring of at least four teams -- the Detroit Heralds (53), Chicago Tigers (49), Columbus Panhandles (41), and Cleveland Tigers (28). The only player with a higher point total than Anderson in the 1920 season was Dutch Sternaman
Edward Sternaman
Edward Sternaman , better known as Dutch, was an American player, coach, and owner in professional football for the NFL's Chicago Bears....
of Decatur.
In the 1921 NFL season
1921 NFL season
The 1921 APFA season was the 2nd regular season of the National Football League, which was then called the American Professional Football Association....
, Buffalo was again one of the best teams in the league (with a record of 9-1-2). That year, Anderson led the league with seven touchdowns and tied for second with 52 points.
Anderson suffered a knee injury and played only sparingly in the 1922 NFL season
1922 NFL season
The 1922 NFL season was the 3rd regular season of what was now called National Football League . The NFL fielded 18 teams during the season, including new league teams such as the Milwaukee Badgers, the Oorang Indians, the Racine Legion, and the Toledo Maroons...
. His last game was a 3-3 tie against the Akron Pros
Akron Pros
The Akron Pros were a professional football team located played in Akron, Ohio from 1908–1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, however name was changed to the Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional...
in November 1922.
Later years
Anderson retired from football after the 1922 season. Anderson resided in Tonawanda, New YorkTonawanda, New York
Tonawanda may refer to:*Glacial Lake Tonawanda*North Tonawanda, New York, a city in Niagara County, north across Tonawanda Creek from the City and Town*Tonawanda , New York, consisting of the Town of Tonawanda less the Village of Kenmore...
from 1922 until his death in 1962. In 1933, he entered the hardware business with his father-in-law, H. B. Koenig. He became the president of H.B. Koenig, Inc. In his later life, Anderson suffered from emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
, reportedly the result of smoking and the effect of poisonous gas inhaled in France during World War I. Anderson died in 1962 at Buffalo General Hospital.
He was survived by his wife, the former Mildred K. Koenig and a son, Robert H. Anderson.