Ernest Sprague
Encyclopedia
Ernest Marshall Sprague (October 20, 1865 – May 10, 1938) was an American football
player, public official, and engineer. He was born in 1865 on a farm at Farmington, Michigan
. He was the son of Lorenzo Sprague and Laura G. (Meade) Sprague. He enrolled at the University of Michigan
where he played college football
as a rusher for the 1886 Michigan Wolverines football team
and as a left guard for the 1887 team
. After graduating from Michigan in 1888, Sprague was an engineer with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. He remained in that position until 1895. He next worked for the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railroad as a general inspector from approximately 1895 to 1897. His next position was with the Detroit Bridge & Iron Works. He moved to Denver, Colorado
, as a representative of the Gillett Herzog Manufacturing Company in 1898. In 1900, he became employed with the American Bridge Company in Denver from 1900 to 1903. In 1903, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio
where he continued to work for the American Bridge Company as a contracting engineer. As of 1915, he was the construction manager of the American Bridge Co. in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to East Cleveland, Ohio
in 1905 and was a member of that city's city council and a city commissioner for several years. He served on East Cleveland's City Commission from 1918 to 1934. He married Maude L. Sill in Colorado in 1902. They had two children, Robert and Jean. At the time of the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Censuses, he lived in East Cleveland, Ohio, with his with his wife Maude. Sprague later worked for 18 years as a construction manager for Bethlehem Steel. He died in Cleveland at age 73 in 1938.
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, public official, and engineer. He was born in 1865 on a farm at Farmington, Michigan
Farmington, Michigan
Farmington is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia to the...
. He was the son of Lorenzo Sprague and Laura G. (Meade) Sprague. He 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...
where he played 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...
as a rusher for the 1886 Michigan Wolverines football team
1886 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1886 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1886 college football season. The team played only two games, both against . Michigan won both games by a combined score of 74 to 0. Charles D. Wright, a senior from Minneapolis, Minnesota, scored six...
and as a left guard for the 1887 team
1887 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1887 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1887 college football season. The team compiled a 5–0 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 102 to 10. The 1887 season capped three consecutive undefeated seasons in which Michigan won its...
. After graduating from Michigan in 1888, Sprague was an engineer with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. He remained in that position until 1895. He next worked for the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railroad as a general inspector from approximately 1895 to 1897. His next position was with the Detroit Bridge & Iron Works. He moved to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, as a representative of the Gillett Herzog Manufacturing Company in 1898. In 1900, he became employed with the American Bridge Company in Denver from 1900 to 1903. In 1903, he 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 he continued to work for the American Bridge Company as a contracting engineer. As of 1915, he was the construction manager of the American Bridge Co. in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to East Cleveland, Ohio
East Cleveland, Ohio
East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 17,843 at the 2010 census....
in 1905 and was a member of that city's city council and a city commissioner for several years. He served on East Cleveland's City Commission from 1918 to 1934. He married Maude L. Sill in Colorado in 1902. They had two children, Robert and Jean. At the time of the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Censuses, he lived in East Cleveland, Ohio, with his with his wife Maude. Sprague later worked for 18 years as a construction manager for Bethlehem Steel. He died in Cleveland at age 73 in 1938.