William R. Lyman
Encyclopedia
William Roy "Link" Lyman (November 30, 1898 — December 28, 1972) was a professional American football
player. He played tackle for the Canton Bulldogs
, the Cleveland Bulldogs
, the Frankford Yellow Jackets
and the Chicago Bears
.
Lyman was recruited out of the University of Nebraska by Guy Chamberlin
, to play for the Canton Bulldogs in 1922. Playing alongside Pete Henry
and Chamberlin, Lyman helped make Canton the first true professional football powerhouse, with a 10-0-2 record that season. They would have another undefeated season in 1923, but when the Canton franchise was sold after the 1923 season, Lyman and many other players moved to Cleveland, Ohio
, where Lyman signed with the Cleveland Bulldogs. In 1924 Lyman would help the Cleveland Bulldogs win the championship. In 1925 Lyman played half seasons with two teams, the new Canton franchise and the Frankford Yellowjackets.
Joining the Chicago Bears after the 1925 season, he took part in the football barnstorming tour that featured football legend Red Grange
. He remained with the Bears for the rest of his career, helping the Bears win the championship in 1933, and the divisional title in 1934, after which he retired. Many professional football historians credit Lyman with developing the "shifting and sliding" ploy used by many defensive linemen today. In shifting while on the line he confused his opponents, and it helped him become one of the most respected players of his era. Including high school and his sixteen years of college and professional football, Lyman only experienced one losing season. After Lyman retired, coaching legend George Halas
once commented that Lyman had been stronger and tougher in his last two seasons than when he first joined the organization eight years earlier. Lyman was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1964.
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 tackle for 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...
, the Cleveland Bulldogs
Cleveland Bulldogs
The Cleveland Bulldogs was a team that played in Cleveland, Ohio in the National Football League. They were originally called the Indians in 1923, not to be confused with the Cleveland Indians NFL franchise in 1922...
, the Frankford Yellow Jackets
Frankford Yellow Jackets
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were a professional American football team, part of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931, though its origin dates back to as early as 1899 with the Frankford Athletic Association. The Yellow Jackets won the NFL championship in 1926...
and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Lyman was recruited out of the University of Nebraska by Guy Chamberlin
Guy Chamberlin
Berlin Guy "Champ" Chamberlin was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League . He played at Nebraska Wesleyan University and then at the University of Nebraska, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He graduated from Nebraska in 1916...
, to play for the Canton Bulldogs in 1922. Playing alongside Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
and Chamberlin, Lyman helped make Canton the first true professional football powerhouse, with a 10-0-2 record that season. They would have another undefeated season in 1923, but when the Canton franchise was sold after the 1923 season, Lyman and many other players moved to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where Lyman signed with the Cleveland Bulldogs. In 1924 Lyman would help the Cleveland Bulldogs win the championship. In 1925 Lyman played half seasons with two teams, the new Canton franchise and the Frankford Yellowjackets.
Joining the Chicago Bears after the 1925 season, he took part in the football barnstorming tour that featured football legend Red Grange
Red Grange
Harold Edward "Red" Grange, nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost", was a college and professional American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York Yankees. His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League...
. He remained with the Bears for the rest of his career, helping the Bears win the championship in 1933, and the divisional title in 1934, after which he retired. Many professional football historians credit Lyman with developing the "shifting and sliding" ploy used by many defensive linemen today. In shifting while on the line he confused his opponents, and it helped him become one of the most respected players of his era. Including high school and his sixteen years of college and professional football, Lyman only experienced one losing season. After Lyman retired, coaching legend George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
once commented that Lyman had been stronger and tougher in his last two seasons than when he first joined the organization eight years earlier. Lyman was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1964.
External links
- Lyman at the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
- Lymans memorial at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...