William D. Cochran
Encyclopedia
William Duscharme "Pink Cheeks" Cochran (March 22, 1894 – December 5, 1951) was an American football
player. He played guard
and tackle
for the University of Michigan
from 1913 to 1915. He was a first-team All-Western lineman and the captain of Michigan's 1915 football team. He later operated a freight trucking line based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He also served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
from 1936 to 1950, including five years as the Deputy Chairman from 1946 to 1950.
in Michigan
's Upper Peninsula, Cochran played football at Houghton High School
and was the Upper Peninsula shot put and discus champion.
as a student in the College of Pharmacy. While at Michigan, Cochran played as a tackle or guard in every game for Fielding H. Yost's Michigan Wolverines football
teams from 1913 to 1915. He was known among his teammates by the nickame "Pink Cheeks."
Playing at the tackle position, Cochran established himself as one of the stars of the 1914 Michigan Wolverines football team
. The authors of "Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide" dubbed Cochran one of the three stars of the 1914 Michigan team (along with John Maulbetsch
and James Raynsford): "Michigan has two other stars in Capt. Raynsford, at center, and Cochran, at tackle. Both big, powerful men, they had the real foot ball intuition and worked wonders with an otherwise green line."
At the end of the 1914 season, Cochran was unanimously elected as the captain of the 1915 Michigan Wolverines football team
. Upon his election as captain, The Michigan Alumnus reported: "Michigan's new captain starred on defense all during the season just past, and was also effective in opening up holes for his backs." Cochran was also selected as a 1914 first-team All-Western player by Walter Eckersall
in the Chicago Daily Tribune
.
In January 1915, newspapers across the country ran a story about the Michigan football captain's inability to defeat his father in a wrestling match. According to the story, Cochran had long hoped to be stout enough to throw his father in a wrestling match. The story continued: "Bill Cochran weighs fifty pounds more than his father and he is at least twenty years younger, but he said today that the wrestling honors of the family will remain secure in the capable hands of the head of the family."
During his senior year, Cochran was 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighed 235 pounds. Prior to the start of the 1915 season, The Michigan Alumnus commented on his weight gain: "Captain William D. Cochran has been shifted from his old post at tackle into the hole left when McHale completed his three years of play last season. Cochran has increased many pounds in weight since the fall of 1914, and his additional avoirdupois is to be made use of next to the lighter Howe, who will probably play center." Cochran credited ginger ale
as the secret to his weight gain. Cochran also participated in ice hockey
and track at Michigan.
, and he also served a director of the Commercial Bank. In 1936, he acquired a motor freight line in Minnesota, extending his operations into Ontonagon, Rockland, Calumet, and nearby towns. In June 1936, he was also named a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
. He served for eight years as a Class C director of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank before being appointed the Deputy Chairman in 1946. He served as the Deputy Chairman for five years from 1946 to 1950.
In 1998, Cochran was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
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 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....
and 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 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...
from 1913 to 1915. He was a first-team All-Western lineman and the captain of Michigan's 1915 football team. He later operated a freight trucking line based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He also served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States, covers the 9th District of the Federal Reserve, including Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, northwestern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
from 1936 to 1950, including five years as the Deputy Chairman from 1946 to 1950.
Early years
A native of HoughtonHoughton, Michigan
Houghton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat of Houghton County...
in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Upper Peninsula, Cochran played football at Houghton High School
Houghton High School
Houghton High School is a high school located in Houghton, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula. It shares the same building as Houghton Middle School. Enrollment is around 390 students in Grades 9 through 12, with a 17/1 student to teacher ratio. In 2002, it was the 12th best public high school in...
and was the Upper Peninsula shot put and discus champion.
University of Michigan
He 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...
as a student in the College of Pharmacy. While at Michigan, Cochran played as a tackle or guard in every game for Fielding H. Yost's 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 1913 to 1915. He was known among his teammates by the nickame "Pink Cheeks."
Playing at the tackle position, Cochran established himself as one of the stars of the 1914 Michigan Wolverines football team
1914 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1914 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1914 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:-Letter winners:...
. The authors of "Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide" dubbed Cochran one of the three stars of the 1914 Michigan team (along with John Maulbetsch
John Maulbetsch
John F. "Johnny" Maulbetsch was an All-American football halfback at Adrian College in 1911 and for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1914 to 1916...
and James Raynsford): "Michigan has two other stars in Capt. Raynsford, at center, and Cochran, at tackle. Both big, powerful men, they had the real foot ball intuition and worked wonders with an otherwise green line."
At the end of the 1914 season, Cochran was unanimously elected as the captain of the 1915 Michigan Wolverines football team
1915 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1915 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1915 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:-Letter winners:...
. Upon his election as captain, The Michigan Alumnus reported: "Michigan's new captain starred on defense all during the season just past, and was also effective in opening up holes for his backs." Cochran was also selected as a 1914 first-team All-Western player by Walter Eckersall
Walter Eckersall
Walter "Eckie" Eckersall was an American football player, official, and sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.-Early life:...
in the Chicago Daily Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
.
In January 1915, newspapers across the country ran a story about the Michigan football captain's inability to defeat his father in a wrestling match. According to the story, Cochran had long hoped to be stout enough to throw his father in a wrestling match. The story continued: "Bill Cochran weighs fifty pounds more than his father and he is at least twenty years younger, but he said today that the wrestling honors of the family will remain secure in the capable hands of the head of the family."
During his senior year, Cochran was 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighed 235 pounds. Prior to the start of the 1915 season, The Michigan Alumnus commented on his weight gain: "Captain William D. Cochran has been shifted from his old post at tackle into the hole left when McHale completed his three years of play last season. Cochran has increased many pounds in weight since the fall of 1914, and his additional avoirdupois is to be made use of next to the lighter Howe, who will probably play center." Cochran credited ginger ale
Ginger ale
Ginger ale is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. Dr. Thomas Cantrell, an American apothecary and surgeon, claimed to have invented ginger ale and marketed it with beverage manufacturer Grattan and Company. Grattan embossed the slogan "The Original Makers of Ginger Ale" on its bottles...
as the secret to his weight gain. Cochran also participated in ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and track at Michigan.
Later years
After graduating from Michigan, Cochran returned to the Upper Peninsula. He was the owner of William D. Cochran Freight Lines in Iron Mountain, MichiganIron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
, and he also served a director of the Commercial Bank. In 1936, he acquired a motor freight line in Minnesota, extending his operations into Ontonagon, Rockland, Calumet, and nearby towns. In June 1936, he was also named a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States, covers the 9th District of the Federal Reserve, including Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, northwestern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
. He served for eight years as a Class C director of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank before being appointed the Deputy Chairman in 1946. He served as the Deputy Chairman for five years from 1946 to 1950.
In 1998, Cochran was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.