Angus Goetz
Encyclopedia
Angus Gerald "Gus" Goetz (July 6, 1897 – July 1977) was an American football
player who played four years with the Michigan Wolverines
from 1917 to 1920. He also played professional football for the Buffalo All-Americans (1922) and the Columbus Tigers (1923).
, Goetz graduated from Sault Area High School in 1915 and went on to study medicine and play football at the University of Michigan
. Goetz played varsity football at Michigan for four years from 1917 to 1920. He started nine games as a left end in his freshman year and moved to the left tackle position in his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Goetz was a star for at tackle on the undefeated 1918 Michigan Wolverines football team
. In a season shortened to five games due to the deadly 1918 flu epidemic and war-related travel restrictions, the Wolverines were 5–0 and national champions. They shut out four of their opponents and outscored their opponents 96–6. In Michigan's first game against the University of Chicago
in 13 years, Goetz scored a touchdown in the Wolverines' 13–0 victory. Goetz also had the key play in a 14–0 shutout over Ohio State
. The game was scoreless when Ohio State attempted to punt out of its end zone, and Goetz broke through and blocked the punt which was recovered for a touchdown. He was selected as an All-Western Conference tackle in 1918. After an outstanding season in 1918, Goetz was elected as Michigan's captain for the 1919 season. He was elected captain for a second time for the 1920 season, becoming one of only three two-time Michigan football captain between 1893 and 1984, the others being Kirk Lewis (1975, 1976) and Robert Thompson (1981, 1982).
In 1920, Goetz was described as "the mainstay of the Wolverine line and a player of exceptional ability." In November 1920, Edward Speyer, football writer for the Detroit News wrote: "There is one star on the team, and that is Goetz, a great player. ... It is a line from poor to good, with one great spot where Goetz stood ..." He was selected in 1920 as a first team all-Western Conference player, and a second-team All-American by Walter Camp
.
Goetz was also elected president of the University of Michigan Student Council in 1920 and attended the Midwest Student Conference as a Michigan delegate in April 1922.
When he finished his college football career at Michigan, he had the distinction of having "played more minutes for Michigan than any other player in the university's history." In a 1920 profile of Goetz, the Associated Press
noted: "Perhaps his most notable distinction lies in the fact that no time has been taken out for him during any game in the four years that he has been in the Michigan machine."
While continuing his medical school studies at Michigan, Goetz also worked as an assistant line coach under coach Fielding H. Yost during the 1921 football season.
and returned to Detroit in 1945 where he established an orthopedic practice in downtown Detroit. He went on to become the chief of orthopedics at Detroit Receiving Hospital
, and continued to practice medicine until his retirement in 1972.
in 1974. He also received the "Distinguished Alumni Award" from Sault Area High School in 1973.
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 who played four years with the Michigan Wolverines
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...
from 1917 to 1920. He also played professional football for the Buffalo All-Americans (1922) and the Columbus Tigers (1923).
University of Michigan
A native of Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganSault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
, Goetz graduated from Sault Area High School in 1915 and went on to study medicine and play 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...
. Goetz played varsity football at Michigan for four years from 1917 to 1920. He started nine games as a left end in his freshman year and moved to the left tackle position in his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Goetz was a star for at tackle on the undefeated 1918 Michigan Wolverines football team
1918 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1918 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1918 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost in his 18th season with the program. The 1918 team played in a season shortened by World War I travel restrictions and the 1918...
. In a season shortened to five games due to the deadly 1918 flu epidemic and war-related travel restrictions, the Wolverines were 5–0 and national champions. They shut out four of their opponents and outscored their opponents 96–6. In Michigan's first game against the University of Chicago
Chicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
in 13 years, Goetz scored a touchdown in the Wolverines' 13–0 victory. Goetz also had the key play in a 14–0 shutout over Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. The game was scoreless when Ohio State attempted to punt out of its end zone, and Goetz broke through and blocked the punt which was recovered for a touchdown. He was selected as an All-Western Conference tackle in 1918. After an outstanding season in 1918, Goetz was elected as Michigan's captain for the 1919 season. He was elected captain for a second time for the 1920 season, becoming one of only three two-time Michigan football captain between 1893 and 1984, the others being Kirk Lewis (1975, 1976) and Robert Thompson (1981, 1982).
In 1920, Goetz was described as "the mainstay of the Wolverine line and a player of exceptional ability." In November 1920, Edward Speyer, football writer for the Detroit News wrote: "There is one star on the team, and that is Goetz, a great player. ... It is a line from poor to good, with one great spot where Goetz stood ..." He was selected in 1920 as a first team all-Western Conference player, and a second-team All-American by Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
.
When he finished his college football career at Michigan, he had the distinction of having "played more minutes for Michigan than any other player in the university's history." In a 1920 profile of Goetz, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
noted: "Perhaps his most notable distinction lies in the fact that no time has been taken out for him during any game in the four years that he has been in the Michigan machine."
While continuing his medical school studies at Michigan, Goetz also worked as an assistant line coach under coach Fielding H. Yost during the 1921 football season.
Professional football
In 1922, Goetz was offered $240 a game for 10 professional football games. Goetz asked his former coach Fielding H. Yost what to do, and Yost told him he would lose his "M" if he played professional football. According to Yost, Goetz tore up the contract, and Yost told a conference of football coaches in New York, "The loss of his 'M' wasn't worth $2,400 to Angus Goetz." However, despite Yost's opinions, Goetz did later have a short run in professional football, playing nine games for the Buffalo All-Americans in 1922 and the Columbus Tigers in 1923. Goetz played professional football on the weekends while attending medical school. He later recalled, "We used to huddle in a hotel lobby before games to go over some signals. The game then wasn't like it is today."Medical career
Goetz completed his internship at the University Hospital in Ann Arbor in 1924. Goetz became a leading orthopedic surgeon in Detroit. He served in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and returned to Detroit in 1945 where he established an orthopedic practice in downtown Detroit. He went on to become the chief of orthopedics at Detroit Receiving Hospital
Detroit Receiving Hospital
Detroit Receiving Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, is the state's first Level I Trauma Center. Receiving’s emergency department treats more than 105,000 patients annually, and nearly 60% of Michigan’s emergency physicians are trained at Receiving...
, and continued to practice medicine until his retirement in 1972.
Awards and honors
He was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in Marquette, MichiganMarquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
in 1974. He also received the "Distinguished Alumni Award" from Sault Area High School in 1973.