Edward Dillon (American football)
Encyclopedia
Edward A. "Eddie" Dillon (c. 1885 – January 30, 1935) was an American football
player and judge. He was the quarterback of the Princeton Tigers football
team for four years from 1905 to 1908 and was selected as a first-team All-American in 1906 and 1907. He served as a state court judge in New Jersey
from 1922 until the time of his death in 1935.
in 1885. He was the son of Edward Dillon of Lawrence, Massachusetts
, who was considered "one of the best printers in New England." Dillon attended Phillips-Andover Academy before enrolling at Princeton University
.
. Sports columnist Lawrence Perry later wrote that Dillon was "as intrepid a ball carrier, as game a defensive back as ever wore orange and black stripes." Perry described Dillon as follows:
In 1906, Dillon was selected as a first-team All-American by Casper Whitney and The New York Times. In 1907, he was selected as a first-team All-American by Fielding H. Yost and a second-team All-American by Walter Camp and Casper Whitney. He was also selected as captain of Princeton's football team for the 1908 season. In the 1908 publication "Spalding's How to Play Football," Dillon's contributions to the Princeton football team were described as follows:
As a senior in 1908, Dillon was the captain of Princeton's football team, but he missed almost the entire season on account of injuries. At the end of the 1908 season, Casper Whitney wrote in selecting his All-American team that "Dillon of Princeton would undoubtedly have had the call for quarter if he had been able to play, but his injury rendered him practically of no use to his team."
, but he was released from his contract in March 1910 "on the plea that business complications in Philadelphia necessitated his removal there." Dillon played professional football for the Lyceum team in Pittsburgh. The Lyceum team was undefeated from 1910 to 1912.
During World War I, Dillon served as a pilot with the rank of ensign in the U.S. Navy's Naval Aviation Corps. He served as a judge of New Jersey's first judicial district from 1922 until his death in 1935 at age 50. Dillon died on the handball courts of the Montclair Athletic Club
in Montclair, New Jersey
.
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 judge. He was the quarterback of the Princeton Tigers football
Princeton Tigers football
The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
team for four years from 1905 to 1908 and was selected as a first-team All-American in 1906 and 1907. He served as a state court judge in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
from 1922 until the time of his death in 1935.
Early years
Dillon was born in Methuen, MassachusettsMethuen, Massachusetts
Methuen is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 43,789 at the 2000 census.-History:Methuen was first settled in 1642 and was officially incorporated in 1726; it is named for the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen. Methuen was originally part of Haverhill,...
in 1885. He was the son of Edward Dillon of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, who was considered "one of the best printers in New England." Dillon attended Phillips-Andover Academy before enrolling at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Princeton
At Princeton, Dillon was the quarterback for the university's football teams from 1905 to 1908. He also played center field and second base for Princeton's baseball team, returned punts and kickoffs for the football team, and was the first Princeton quarterback to make use of the forward passForward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
. Sports columnist Lawrence Perry later wrote that Dillon was "as intrepid a ball carrier, as game a defensive back as ever wore orange and black stripes." Perry described Dillon as follows:
"Eddie Dillon was an Irish boy from Massachusetts, resilient as a Damascus blade, the temper of which he approximated physically and mentally. He had clear gray eyes, a lean square jaw and a will of his own. His pride was the pride of a boy sensitive to the last degree."
In 1906, Dillon was selected as a first-team All-American by Casper Whitney and The New York Times. In 1907, he was selected as a first-team All-American by Fielding H. Yost and a second-team All-American by Walter Camp and Casper Whitney. He was also selected as captain of Princeton's football team for the 1908 season. In the 1908 publication "Spalding's How to Play Football," Dillon's contributions to the Princeton football team were described as follows:
"Dillon of Princeton is one of the cleverest quarters that ever handled the ball. Not only does he drive his team well, but he uses his plays with judgment, and he himself is a wonder at catching kicks and running them back. He does not himself enter into the interference or the push as much as some other quarters, and Princeton's plan of play does not give him the kind of forward passing to do as mentioned above in the case of Jones. He acts as though he could perform these duties if they were given him, and I look to see him develop along this line this season."
As a senior in 1908, Dillon was the captain of Princeton's football team, but he missed almost the entire season on account of injuries. At the end of the 1908 season, Casper Whitney wrote in selecting his All-American team that "Dillon of Princeton would undoubtedly have had the call for quarter if he had been able to play, but his injury rendered him practically of no use to his team."
Later years
In 1910, Dillon was hired as the head football coach at the niversity of Missouri] in Columbia, MissouriColumbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, but he was released from his contract in March 1910 "on the plea that business complications in Philadelphia necessitated his removal there." Dillon played professional football for the Lyceum team in Pittsburgh. The Lyceum team was undefeated from 1910 to 1912.
During World War I, Dillon served as a pilot with the rank of ensign in the U.S. Navy's Naval Aviation Corps. He served as a judge of New Jersey's first judicial district from 1922 until his death in 1935 at age 50. Dillon died on the handball courts of the Montclair Athletic Club
Montclair Athletic Club
The Montclair Athletic Club was a sports venue started in 1899 at 201 Valley Road in Montclair, New Jersey.-History:The precursor to the club was the Montclair Baseball Club which existed from 1883 to 1890, and in 1899 the MAC was created...
in Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
.
See also
- 1906 College Football All-America Team1906 College Football All-America TeamThe 1906 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1906 college football season...
- 1907 College Football All-America Team1907 College Football All-America TeamThe 1907 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that chose College Football All-America Teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp.-Key:...