Roy Torbet
Encyclopedia
Roy Herman "Squib" Torbet (August 21, 1889 – February 1974) was an American football
player. He played at the end and fullback
positions for the Michigan Wolverines football
teams from 1910 to 1913. He developed a reputation as an excellent forward pass
er and was one of the earliest Michigan players to have success as a passer.
, Torbet attended the Detroit public schools. He attended Detroit Central High School and was a star of the school's football teams in 1908 and 1909. After the 1908 season, the school's yearbook noted that Torbet's "sensational playing was a bright feature of every game." He was unanimously selected as the captain of the school's 1909 football team. At Detroit Central, he was a teammate of Jimmy Craig
and "Bubbles" Patterson
-— both of whom later joined Torbet on the University of Michigan
football team.
. He was a reserve on Michigan's football team in 1910, and a three-year starter at the end, fullback and halfback positions from 1911 to 1913. The Wolverines compiled a record of 16-4-2 in Torbet's three years as a starter.
Torbet was one of the earliest Michigan Wolverines football
players to have success as a forward pass
er. The forward pass was not legalized until 1906, and it was not until 1913 (after the success that year of Gus Dorais
and Knute Rockne
at Notre Dame
) that the forward pass was widely popularized.
Two years before Dorais and Rockne popularized the passing game, Torbet developed a reputation as one of the game's best forward passers. The Detroit Free Press
wrote that, in 1911, "his long forward passes were largely instrumental in bringing Michigan her victory." In the final game of the 1912 season, on fourth down with seven yards to go in the fourth quarter, Torbet threw a touchdown pass to Miller Pontius
to give Michigan the lead against Cornell
; Michigan won the game 20-7. The New York Times
praised Torbet's work in the "whirlwind finish" against Cornell:
At the end of the 1912 season, Torbet was selected by Fielding H. Yost as a first-team player on his All-Western team.
In early 1913, Torbet announced plans to leave the university, stating that he was not satisfied with the results of his last semester's examinations. However, in late February 1913, he announced that he had reconsidered his decision and would return to the football team in the fall of 1913. The Detroit Free Press reported: "It seems that the forward-passing end was a bit hasty in making up his mind to leave and that when the matter was gone into carefully it was found that he was not in bad shape at all scholastically."
As a senior in 1913, he was moved to the fullback position where he continued to develop a reputation as an effective forward passer. At the end of October 1913, the Detroit Free Press
wrote:
in 1914. In September 1914, he was reportedly hired to teach and coach football at the Colorado School of Mines
. (Colorado School of Mines records, however, reflect that William Hanley was the head football coach during the 1914 and 1915 seasons.) He studied sociology at Michigan and, after graduating, devoted himself "to both practical and theoretical sociology." He worked as a supervisor of athletics at Detroit parks. He married Gladys Evelyn Matheson on April 18, 1916 in Detroit. In the fall of 1916, Torbet coached the Timken club football team—a team composed of "mechanics and office men who are employed in the various departments of the big plant of the Timken Detroit Axle company."
Torbet lived in Northville, Michigan
in his later years. He died in February 1974 at age 84.
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. He played at the end and fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
positions for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams from 1910 to 1913. He developed a reputation as an excellent forward pass
Forward 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...
er and was one of the earliest Michigan players to have success as a passer.
Early years
A native of Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Torbet attended the Detroit public schools. He attended Detroit Central High School and was a star of the school's football teams in 1908 and 1909. After the 1908 season, the school's yearbook noted that Torbet's "sensational playing was a bright feature of every game." He was unanimously selected as the captain of the school's 1909 football team. At Detroit Central, he was a teammate of Jimmy Craig
James B. Craig
James B. "Jimmy" Craig was an All American football halfback and quarterback who played with the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1911 to 1913. He was named an All-American in 1913...
and "Bubbles" Patterson
George C. Paterson
George Cornell "Bubbles" Paterson was an American football player and engineer. He played center for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams coached by Fielding H. Yost from 1911 to 1913. He was selected as an All-American in 1913.-Early years:Paterson was born in Austin,...
-— both of whom later joined Torbet on the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
football team.
University of Michigan
Torbet graduated from high school in 1910 and enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He was a reserve on Michigan's football team in 1910, and a three-year starter at the end, fullback and halfback positions from 1911 to 1913. The Wolverines compiled a record of 16-4-2 in Torbet's three years as a starter.
Torbet was one of the earliest Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
players to have success as a forward pass
Forward 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...
er. The forward pass was not legalized until 1906, and it was not until 1913 (after the success that year of Gus Dorais
Gus Dorais
Charles Emile "Gus" Dorais was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American in 1913, and then professionally with the Fort Wayne Friars and Massillon Tigers...
and Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
at Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
) that the forward pass was widely popularized.
Two years before Dorais and Rockne popularized the passing game, Torbet developed a reputation as one of the game's best forward passers. The Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
wrote that, in 1911, "his long forward passes were largely instrumental in bringing Michigan her victory." In the final game of the 1912 season, on fourth down with seven yards to go in the fourth quarter, Torbet threw a touchdown pass to Miller Pontius
Miller Pontius
Miller Hall Pontius was an All-American football tackle and end for the Michigan Wolverines from 1911 to 1913. He also played baseball with coach Branch Rickey and pitcher George Sisler while a student at the University of Michigan. He later served as an assistant football coach at Michigan and...
to give Michigan the lead against Cornell
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
; Michigan won the game 20-7. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
praised Torbet's work in the "whirlwind finish" against Cornell:
"While Cornell did not have as strong a team as was expected, the Wolverines' expert use of the forward pass placed them on a higher plane than they have reached before this fall. ... It was the forward pass that did the work, and to 'Squib' Torbet belongs the glory. His heaves were excellent."
At the end of the 1912 season, Torbet was selected by Fielding H. Yost as a first-team player on his All-Western team.
In early 1913, Torbet announced plans to leave the university, stating that he was not satisfied with the results of his last semester's examinations. However, in late February 1913, he announced that he had reconsidered his decision and would return to the football team in the fall of 1913. The Detroit Free Press reported: "It seems that the forward-passing end was a bit hasty in making up his mind to leave and that when the matter was gone into carefully it was found that he was not in bad shape at all scholastically."
As a senior in 1913, he was moved to the fullback position where he continued to develop a reputation as an effective forward passer. At the end of October 1913, the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
wrote:
"The showing of 'Squib' Torbet at fullback this afternoon was the one bright spot in an otherwise dismal scrimmage. ... On his off tackle plunges the new Yost fullback was always good for a gain. He hit low and hard when he came to his opposition and he seldom failed to string out a bunch of tacklers before he was finally stopped, and once he spun a forward pass down the field that was a beauty. ... The aim of Torbet was perfect. The ball went like a streak and was high and true."
Later years
Torbet graduated from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1914. In September 1914, he was reportedly hired to teach and coach football at the Colorado School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a small public teaching and research university devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. Located in Golden, Colorado, CSM was ranked 29th, in America among national...
. (Colorado School of Mines records, however, reflect that William Hanley was the head football coach during the 1914 and 1915 seasons.) He studied sociology at Michigan and, after graduating, devoted himself "to both practical and theoretical sociology." He worked as a supervisor of athletics at Detroit parks. He married Gladys Evelyn Matheson on April 18, 1916 in Detroit. In the fall of 1916, Torbet coached the Timken club football team—a team composed of "mechanics and office men who are employed in the various departments of the big plant of the Timken Detroit Axle company."
Torbet lived in Northville, Michigan
Northville, Michigan
Northville is a city located in and divided by Oakland and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb in Metro Detroit. The population was 5,970 at the 2010 census. The Oakland County portion is surrounded by the city of Novi. The Wayne County portion is surrounded by Northville...
in his later years. He died in February 1974 at age 84.