William Edmunds
Encyclopedia
William Philip Edmunds was an American football
player and coach, college athletics administrator, and medical doctor. He played college football at the University of Michigan
from 1908 to 1910 and was the head football coach at West Virginia University
(1912), Washington University in St. Louis
(1913–1916), and the University of Vermont
(1919).
in November 1885. His parents, David and Eliza Edmunds, were immigrants from Wales
. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, the family was living in Youngstown, Ohio
.
, Edmunds attended the University of Michigan
where he received a medical degree as part of the Class of 1912. While at Michigan, Edmunds played football for Fielding H. Yost on the Michigan Wolverines football
team from 1908 to 1910. He started two games as a fullback
for the 1908 Michigan Wolverines football team
. For the 1909 team
, he started two games at right guard
and one at left tackle
. In 1910, he started two games at left end, three at left tackle, and one at right tackle. He was selected as an All-Western Conference
tackle after the 1910 season.
in 1912. He led the 1912 West Virginia team to a 6–3 record.
In March 1913, Edmunds was hired as the head coach of the football, baseball, basketball and track teams at Washington University in St. Louis
. He served as the head football coach there from 1913 to 1916.
With the entry of the United States into World War I
, Edmunds joined the United States Army
. He served as a captain in the infantry starting on August 15, 1917 from CL. He was promoted to the rank of major on September 4, 1918. He was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison
in Indiana. He was part of the American Expeditionary Forces from June 12, 1918, to January 30, 1919. He was honorably discharged on March 4, 1919.
In September 1919, Edmunds was hired as the athletic director and coach in "all branches of ahtletics" at the University of Vermont
. He served one year as Vermont's head football coach.
Edmunds compiled a career college football
coaching record of 19–22–2.
. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Edmunds was living in Burlington, Vermont
, with his wife, Kathryn. His occupation was listed as a university athletic director.
Edmunds later moved to Cleveland, Ohio
, where he worked as a medical doctor. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, he was living in Cleveland Heights, Ohio
, with his wife, Kathryn, and their two sons, David and William. Edmunds was employed at the time as a physician for an oil corporation. In April 1942, Edmunds reported in a draft registration card that he was living in Cleveland Heights and working for the Standard Oil Co. in Cleveland.
Edmunds lived in Clearwater, Florida
in his retirement. He died there in April 1977.
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 and coach, college athletics administrator, and medical doctor. He played college football at 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 1908 to 1910 and was the head football coach at West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
(1912), Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
(1913–1916), and the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
(1919).
Early years
Edmunds was born in Middlesex Township, Butler County, PennsylvaniaMiddlesex Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Middlesex Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,586 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.0 square miles , of which, 23.0 square miles of it is land and...
in November 1885. His parents, David and Eliza Edmunds, were immigrants from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, the family was living in Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
University of Michigan
After growing up in Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, Edmunds attended 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...
where he received a medical degree as part of the Class of 1912. While at Michigan, Edmunds played football for Fielding H. Yost on 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...
team from 1908 to 1910. He started two games as a 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...
for the 1908 Michigan Wolverines football team
1908 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1908 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1908 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost...
. For the 1909 team
1909 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1909 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1909 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost...
, he started two games at right 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 one at left 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....
. In 1910, he started two games at left end, three at left tackle, and one at right tackle. He was selected as an All-Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
tackle after the 1910 season.
Coaching and military service
After leaving Michigan, Edmunds served as the head football coach at West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
in 1912. He led the 1912 West Virginia team to a 6–3 record.
In March 1913, Edmunds was hired as the head coach of the football, baseball, basketball and track teams at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
. He served as the head football coach there from 1913 to 1916.
With the entry of the United States into 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...
, Edmunds joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He served as a captain in the infantry starting on August 15, 1917 from CL. He was promoted to the rank of major on September 4, 1918. He was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison
Fort Benjamin Harrison
Fort Benjamin Harrison was a U.S. Army post located in suburban Lawrence, Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis. It is named for the 23rd United States President, Benjamin Harrison. Land was purchased in 1903, with the post being officially named for President Harrison in honor of Indianapolis being...
in Indiana. He was part of the American Expeditionary Forces from June 12, 1918, to January 30, 1919. He was honorably discharged on March 4, 1919.
In September 1919, Edmunds was hired as the athletic director and coach in "all branches of ahtletics" at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
. He served one year as Vermont's head football coach.
Edmunds compiled a career 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...
coaching record of 19–22–2.
Later years and family
Edmunds was married on December 25, 1914, to Kathryn Evans at Wheatland, PennsylvaniaWheatland, Pennsylvania
Wheatland is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, along the Shenango River. The population was 748 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Edmunds was living in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
, with his wife, Kathryn. His occupation was listed as a university athletic director.
Edmunds later moved to Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where he worked as a medical doctor. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, he was living in Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Cleveland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The city's population was 46,121 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cleveland Heights is located at ....
, with his wife, Kathryn, and their two sons, David and William. Edmunds was employed at the time as a physician for an oil corporation. In April 1942, Edmunds reported in a draft registration card that he was living in Cleveland Heights and working for the Standard Oil Co. in Cleveland.
Edmunds lived in 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 his retirement. He died there in April 1977.