Ebin Wilson
Encyclopedia
Ebin "Tug" Wilson was an American football
player and coach. He was a starter on the 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
that outscored its opponents 550–0 and later coached football at Wabash College
and Alma College
.
, Saginaw County, Michigan
, and began his college football career playing for Michigan State Normal College (now known as Eastern Michigan University
) at Ypsilanti, Michigan
. During his senior year in 1898, Wilson was captain of Normal's football team.
After graduating from the State Normal school, Wilson enrolled at the University of Michigan
as a law student. He played for the University of Michigan
football team as a reserve in 1899 and as the starting center
in 1900. He was the starting right guard
on the 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
that won the national championship and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 550 to 0. After the 1901 season, the Michigan Daily-News wrote of Wilson: "He has a great many qualities which combine to make a good guard, but there is one that stands out above all the rest and that is -- strength." He was also the University of Michigan's champion heavyweight wrestler and an expert boxer. At the end of the 1901 season, Wilson was selected as an All-Western player by Rhinehart.
and graduating from Michigan, Wilson became the 15th head football coach for the Wabash College Little Giants
located in Crawfordsville, Indiana
. When the hiring of Wilson was announced, the college newspaper at Wabash reported:
After Wilson took over as coach in the fall of 1902, the Wabash team compiled a 2–4–2 record in the 1902 college football season. However, in 1903, Wilson turned the Wabash program around and led the team to a record of 9–3, including shutout victories over Indiana
(5–0), Butler (46–0), Hanover
(51–0), and DePauw (10–0), and an 87–5 win over Franklin. The 1903 Wabash team outscored its opponents by a combined score of 274 to 74.
and he held that position for two seasons, from 1902 until 1903. In the final game of the 1903 season, Wabash was beaten by Notre Dame 34-0. His career coaching record at Wabash was 11–7–2. This ranks him 13th at Wabash in total wins and 12th at Wabash in winning percentage (.600).
Wilson became the football coach at Alma College
in 1904. In addition to coaching football, Wilson was the school's physical director and instructor of physical training for men.
in The Thumb
region or Michigan. He worked at a planing mill. In 1910, Wilson remained in Columbia with his wife. By that time, they had a son, Wayne M. Wilson. Wilson's occupation in 1910 was listed as a farmer. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Wilson was still living in Columbia and working as a farmer. His son, Wayne M. Wilson, was living with him and working as a fireman for the Michigan Central Railroad.
In 1940, Wilson was living in Saginaw, Michigan
, and working as a watchman.
Wilson died in 1948 at Saginaw. He was 78 years old at the time of his death.
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. He was a starter on the 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1901 college football season. In their first year under new head coach Fielding H. Yost, Michigan finished the season undefeated with an 11–0 record, outscored their opponents by the unprecedented total of 550...
that outscored its opponents 550–0 and later coached football at Wabash College
Wabash College
Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
and Alma College
Alma College
Alma College is a private, liberal arts college located in Alma, Michigan. The enrollment is approximately 1,400 students, and the college is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The college's 13th President, Dr...
.
Early life and playing career
Wilson was born in August 1869. He grew up in MerrillMerrill, Michigan
Merrill is a village located in Jonesfield Township in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 782 at the 2000 census...
, Saginaw County, Michigan
Saginaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210,039 people, 80,430 households, and 55,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 260 people per square mile . There were 85,505 housing units at an average density of 106 per square mile...
, and began his college football career playing for Michigan State Normal College (now known as Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
) at Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
. During his senior year in 1898, Wilson was captain of Normal's football team.
After graduating from the State Normal school, Wilson enrolled 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...
as a law student. He played 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...
football team as a reserve in 1899 and as the starting center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
in 1900. He was the starting 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....
on the 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1901 college football season. In their first year under new head coach Fielding H. Yost, Michigan finished the season undefeated with an 11–0 record, outscored their opponents by the unprecedented total of 550...
that won the national championship and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 550 to 0. After the 1901 season, the Michigan Daily-News wrote of Wilson: "He has a great many qualities which combine to make a good guard, but there is one that stands out above all the rest and that is -- strength." He was also the University of Michigan's champion heavyweight wrestler and an expert boxer. At the end of the 1901 season, Wilson was selected as an All-Western player by Rhinehart.
Coaching career
After playing in the 1902 Rose Bowl1902 Rose Bowl
Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," what is now known as the Rose Bowl Game was first played on January 1, 1902 in Pasadena, California, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games.The inaugural game featured Fielding H...
and graduating from Michigan, Wilson became the 15th head football coach for the Wabash College Little Giants
Wabash Little Giants
The Wabash Little Giants are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Wabash College, a small private school for men in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The university belongs to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and participates in Division III sports. The Little Giants compete as...
located in Crawfordsville, Indiana
Crawfordsville, Indiana
Crawfordsville is a city in Union Township, Montgomery County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,915. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County...
. When the hiring of Wilson was announced, the college newspaper at Wabash reported:
"Wabash college students believe that they have this year a coach who will do more toward strengthening the team and promoting interests of football in general than has been done in many years in the past. Coach Wilson is the man in whom we place this confidence. Through many years of experience on college elevens, he has certainly gained no mean knowledge of the find points of the game and what is more he has the ability of imparting this knowledge to the players. He states that in drilling the team he expects to follow closely the tactics which he learned in Michigan under Coach Fielding H. Yost, and, in addition, to teach some new plays of his own invention which he is sure are winners."
After Wilson took over as coach in the fall of 1902, the Wabash team compiled a 2–4–2 record in the 1902 college football season. However, in 1903, Wilson turned the Wabash program around and led the team to a record of 9–3, including shutout victories over Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
(5–0), Butler (46–0), Hanover
Hanover College
Hanover College is a private liberal arts college, located in Hanover, Indiana, near the banks of the Ohio River. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . The college was founded in 1827 by the Rev. John Finley Crowe, making it the oldest private college in Indiana. The Hanover...
(51–0), and DePauw (10–0), and an 87–5 win over Franklin. The 1903 Wabash team outscored its opponents by a combined score of 274 to 74.
and he held that position for two seasons, from 1902 until 1903. In the final game of the 1903 season, Wabash was beaten by Notre Dame 34-0. His career coaching record at Wabash was 11–7–2. This ranks him 13th at Wabash in total wins and 12th at Wabash in winning percentage (.600).
Wilson became the football coach at Alma College
Alma College
Alma College is a private, liberal arts college located in Alma, Michigan. The enrollment is approximately 1,400 students, and the college is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The college's 13th President, Dr...
in 1904. In addition to coaching football, Wilson was the school's physical director and instructor of physical training for men.
Family and death
Wilson was married to Grace Coy in 1897. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Wilson and his wife lived in Columbia TownshipColumbia Township, Tuscola County, Michigan
Columbia Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,419 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
in The Thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
region or Michigan. He worked at a planing mill. In 1910, Wilson remained in Columbia with his wife. By that time, they had a son, Wayne M. Wilson. Wilson's occupation in 1910 was listed as a farmer. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Wilson was still living in Columbia and working as a farmer. His son, Wayne M. Wilson, was living with him and working as a fireman for the Michigan Central Railroad.
In 1940, Wilson was living in Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, and working as a watchman.
Wilson died in 1948 at Saginaw. He was 78 years old at the time of his death.