Fred Ewing
Encyclopedia
Fred E. "Buck" Ewing was an American football
coach and physician
. He coached the University of Oklahoma
during the 1904 season and amassed a 4–3–1 record. He was the first Oklahoma football coach to require players to be academically eligible. Ewing coached Oklahoma in its first meeting against Oklahoma State University.
, Ewing attended Knox College in Galesburg
. He played on the football there, including as its captain during the 1902 season, and was considered the greatest tackle
the school ever produced. That year, Knox defeated several larger schools, including Notre Dame
, Kansas
, and Northwestern
. Ewing was elected the president of the Inter-State Oratorical Society and president of the graduating class of 1903. He was also a member of the Phi Delta Theta
fraternity. After college, Ewing attended medical school at the Rush Medical College
in Chicago
.
football team
. He was the first coach at the school to insist upon fielding only academically eligible players, and the first Oklahoma coach to not play on the team himself. Ewing also introduced to Oklahoma the practice of ankle-taping and the "Minnesota shift
", a maneuver attributed to Golden Gophers
coach Henry L. Williams
.
The Oklahoma Rough Riders (as they were then known) played Kingfisher College
to a scoreless stalemate in the season opener. At their next opponent, the Pauls Valley Town Team
, the Oklahoma players helped erect the goalposts and chalk lines on the field, which was only 75 yards in length. The game started late, at 5:00 pm, and the second half was shortened from 20 to 10 minutes, which made it the shortest game in school history. Oklahoma lost to Kansas, 16–0, the following week at Oklahoma City
. The Rough Riders defeated Lawton
on the road, 6–0.
On November 5, Oklahoma and rival
Oklahoma A&M
(now Oklahoma State) played their first game, which was held halfway between Norman
and Stillwater
in Guthrie, Oklahoma
. After the Aggies failed to advance the ball in the game's first possession, they elected to punt it away. The ball sailed out of bounds behind the punter and through the A&M end zone before bouncing into a creek. By the rules of the day, possession would be gained by the team that recovered the loose ball first. Several A&M and Oklahoma players jumped into the creek and struggled to control the wet ball before the Rough Riders finally came up with it and downed it on the bank for the first touchdown
of the game. During the game, every Oklahoma player scored in a rout of Oklahoma A&M, which ended with the final score of 75–0.
The next week featured an early edition of what became another long-standing Oklahoma rivalry, that against Texas
. Texas led 17–10 at half time, but scored 33 unanswered points in the second period to win 50–10. In their next game, undefeated Bethany College
continued its streak and, using a hurry-up offense
, defeated Oklahoma, 36–9, on Thanksgiving
day. Oklahoma finished the season with a 4–3–1 record. The following day, Ewing traveled back to Chicago to continue medical school.
In 1905, Ewing signed a two-year contract to coach at his alma mater, Knox College, and continued his medical schooling at Rush between the football seasons.
, where he built a hospital and became the youngest president of the state medical society. Ewing lived in Oakland, California
in the late 1930s and 1940s, and was an active member of the Kiwanis Club
. In 1940, Ewing spoke at a Berkeley, California
YMCA
, and said attributes required of championship athletes included the "ability to rise to great heights in emergencies". Ewing was a lay leader
of the Trinity Church
. During the defense of the Philippines in World War II
, Ewing addressed the Berkeley Kiwanis Club:
Ewing died in 1968 at the age of about 82 years.
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...
coach and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. He coached the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
during the 1904 season and amassed a 4–3–1 record. He was the first Oklahoma football coach to require players to be academically eligible. Ewing coached Oklahoma in its first meeting against Oklahoma State University.
Early life
A native of Arcola, IllinoisArcola, Illinois
Arcola is a city in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,916 at the 2010 census. The city was founded in 1855, when the Illinois Central Railroad was built through the county...
, Ewing attended Knox College in Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
. He played on the football there, including as its captain during the 1902 season, and was considered the greatest tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
the school ever produced. That year, Knox defeated several larger schools, including Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
, and Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
. Ewing was elected the president of the Inter-State Oratorical Society and president of the graduating class of 1903. He was also a member of the Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
fraternity. After college, Ewing attended medical school at the Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College is the medical school of Rush University, a private university in Chicago, Illinois. Rush Medical College was one of the first medical colleges in the state of Illinois and was chartered in 1837, two days before the city of Chicago was chartered, and opened with 22 students on...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Coaching career
In 1904, Ewing took a hiatus from medical school to become the fifth head coach of the University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
football team
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. He was the first coach at the school to insist upon fielding only academically eligible players, and the first Oklahoma coach to not play on the team himself. Ewing also introduced to Oklahoma the practice of ankle-taping and the "Minnesota shift
Minnesota shift
The Minnesota shift, also known as the jump shift, was an American football maneuver in which an offensive team shifted from one formation into another pre-determined formation on signal prior to the snap of the ball. It was the forerunner to all quick shifts in American football...
", a maneuver attributed to Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
coach Henry L. Williams
Henry L. Williams
Dr. Henry Lane Williams was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the United States Military Academy in 1891 and the University of Minnesota from 1900 to 1921, compiling a career college football record of 141–34–12...
.
The Oklahoma Rough Riders (as they were then known) played Kingfisher College
Kingfisher College
-Bringing a College to Kingfisher:Founded by the Rev. Joseph Homer Parker, a Congregationalist Minister who had founded many Congregationalist churches in Canada and the Northeast U.S., and who had also founded the predecessor institution to Wichita State University...
to a scoreless stalemate in the season opener. At their next opponent, the Pauls Valley Town Team
Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
Pauls Valley is a city in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,256 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Garvin County.-History:...
, the Oklahoma players helped erect the goalposts and chalk lines on the field, which was only 75 yards in length. The game started late, at 5:00 pm, and the second half was shortened from 20 to 10 minutes, which made it the shortest game in school history. Oklahoma lost to Kansas, 16–0, the following week at Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. The Rough Riders defeated Lawton
Lawton, Oklahoma
The city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the southwestern region of Oklahoma approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
on the road, 6–0.
On November 5, Oklahoma and rival
Bedlam Series
The Bedlam Series refers to the athletics rivalry between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, of the Big 12 Conference...
Oklahoma A&M
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
(now Oklahoma State) played their first game, which was held halfway between Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
and Stillwater
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
in Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 9,925 at the 2000 census.Guthrie was the territorial and later the first state capital for Oklahoma...
. After the Aggies failed to advance the ball in the game's first possession, they elected to punt it away. The ball sailed out of bounds behind the punter and through the A&M end zone before bouncing into a creek. By the rules of the day, possession would be gained by the team that recovered the loose ball first. Several A&M and Oklahoma players jumped into the creek and struggled to control the wet ball before the Rough Riders finally came up with it and downed it on the bank for the first touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
of the game. During the game, every Oklahoma player scored in a rout of Oklahoma A&M, which ended with the final score of 75–0.
The next week featured an early edition of what became another long-standing Oklahoma rivalry, that against Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
. Texas led 17–10 at half time, but scored 33 unanswered points in the second period to win 50–10. In their next game, undefeated Bethany College
Bethany College (Kansas)
Bethany College is a small liberal arts college located in Lindsborg, Kansas and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . The college's mission is to educate, develop and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead loves of faith, learning and service...
continued its streak and, using a hurry-up offense
Hurry-up offense
The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The no-huddle offense refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to limit or disrupt defensive strategies and flexibility...
, defeated Oklahoma, 36–9, on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
day. Oklahoma finished the season with a 4–3–1 record. The following day, Ewing traveled back to Chicago to continue medical school.
In 1905, Ewing signed a two-year contract to coach at his alma mater, Knox College, and continued his medical schooling at Rush between the football seasons.
Later life
In 1912, Ewing moved back to Galesburg to work as a surgeon. He later moved to North DakotaNorth Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, where he built a hospital and became the youngest president of the state medical society. Ewing lived in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
in the late 1930s and 1940s, and was an active member of the Kiwanis Club
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
. In 1940, Ewing spoke at a Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, and said attributes required of championship athletes included the "ability to rise to great heights in emergencies". Ewing was a lay leader
Lay leader
A lay leader is a member of the laity in any congregation who has been chosen as a leader. Since lay leadership is not an ordained clerical office, the lay leader's responsibilities vary according to the particular tradition to which he or she belongs...
of the Trinity Church
National Register of Historic Places listings in Alameda County, California
This list includes properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Alameda County, California. Click the "Map of all coordinates" link to the right to view a Google map of all properties and districts with latitude and longitude coordinates in the table below.-Current...
. During the defense of the Philippines in World War II
World 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...
, Ewing addressed the Berkeley Kiwanis Club:
"We need tough men today ... We cannot expect 100 per cent unity. There were ToriesLoyalist (American Revolution)Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
in the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, copperheadsCopperheads (politics)The Copperheads were a vocal group of Democrats in the Northern United States who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates. Republicans started calling anti-war Democrats "Copperheads," likening them to the venomous snake...
in the Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and slackers in the last warWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. But we can hope for that hardy leadership that characterizes our fight for freedom, our pioneering movements, our activities in World War I—yes, even the days of '49California Gold RushThe California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
."
Ewing died in 1968 at the age of about 82 years.