Percy W. Griffiths
Encyclopedia
Percy Wilfred "Red" Griffiths (March 30, 1893 – June 12, 1983) was a Republican
politician
, coach
and athlete.
during World War I
, "Red" Griffiths attended Bloomsburg Normal School
. He next attend Pennsylvania State College where he would become an All-America
n college football
player in 1920 as a stalwart guard
for Hugo Bezdek
’s undefeated 1920 team. He also lettered in lacrosse
for the Nittany Lions and earned a Bachelor of Science
in chemistry
there in 1921. He played one professional season (1921) with the Canton Bulldogs
of the National Football League
.
He continued his education at Columbia University
, graduating in 1930.
Griffiths was athletic director
and coached football
, basketball
and baseball
at Marietta College
in Marietta, Ohio
from 1921 to 1927. He served as Marietta’s mayor
from 1938 to 1939 and later represented Washington County, Ohio
and Ohio's 15th congressional district
in the 78th, 79th, and 80th U.S. Congresses (1943–1949).
He retired to Clearwater, Florida
in 1952, where he lived until his death at the age of 90.
from 1921 until the end of the 1926 season, where he accumulated a record of 14 wins, 28 losses, and 7 ties. While at Marietta, he also coached men's basketball
from 1922 until 1927.
in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
and he held that position for two seasons, from 1929 until 1930. His overall coaching record at Dickinson was 2 wins, 13 losses, and 3 ties. This ranks him 28th at Dickinson in terms of total wins and 29th at Dickinson in terms of winning percentage.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and athlete.
Early years
After serving in the U.S. NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War I
World 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...
, "Red" Griffiths attended Bloomsburg Normal School
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, commonly referred to as Bloomsburg, BU or Bloom, is a public university in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, United States...
. He next attend Pennsylvania State College where he would become an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n college football
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 in 1920 as a stalwart guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
for Hugo Bezdek
Hugo Bezdek
Hugo Francis Bezdek was a Czech-American sports figure who played American football and was a coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He was the head football coach at the University of Oregon , the University of Arkansas , Penn State University , and Delaware Valley College...
’s undefeated 1920 team. He also lettered in lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
for the Nittany Lions and earned 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...
in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
there in 1921. He played one professional season (1921) with the Canton Bulldogs
Canton Bulldogs
The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...
of the National Football League
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...
.
He continued his education at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, graduating in 1930.
Griffiths was athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
and coached 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...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
at Marietta College
Marietta College
Marietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...
in Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
from 1921 to 1927. He served as Marietta’s mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
from 1938 to 1939 and later represented Washington County, Ohio
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
and Ohio's 15th congressional district
Ohio's 15th congressional district
The 15th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Republican Steve Stivers.Union County and Madison County are entirely within the district's boundaries as is approximately half of Franklin County...
in the 78th, 79th, and 80th U.S. Congresses (1943–1949).
He retired to Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
in 1952, where he lived until his death at the age of 90.
Football playing career
Griffiths was an All-American in football at Penn State where he played guard on the offensive line.Marietta College
Griffiths coached football at Marietta CollegeMarietta College
Marietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...
from 1921 until the end of the 1926 season, where he accumulated a record of 14 wins, 28 losses, and 7 ties. While at Marietta, he also coached men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
from 1922 until 1927.
Dickinson College
Griffiths was the 21st head football coach for the Dickinson College Red DevilsDickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
and he held that position for two seasons, from 1929 until 1930. His overall coaching record at Dickinson was 2 wins, 13 losses, and 3 ties. This ranks him 28th at Dickinson in terms of total wins and 29th at Dickinson in terms of winning percentage.