George E. Allen
Encyclopedia
George Edward Allen was an American political operative who was involved in a famous football game while in college.
. He earned a law degree at Cumberland University
in Tennessee.
football
coach
for Cumberland College Bulldogs
in Lebanon, Tennessee
for one game in 1916. Cumberland University suffered the greatest loss in the history of college football to Georgia Tech
by a score of 222 to zero.
Cumberland had actually discontinued its football program before the season but was not allowed to cancel its game against the Engineers. Georgia Tech coach John Heisman
insisted on the schools' scheduling agreement, which required Cumberland to pay $3,000 (considered a sizeable sum in 1916) to Tech if its football team failed to show.
George Allen (who was elected to serve as Cumberland's football team student manager after first serving as the baseball team student manager), also a Kappa Sigma Fraternity member, put together a scrub team of 14 men to travel to Atlanta as Cumberland's football team and were soundly beaten 222 to zero, saving the college $3,000 in the process. Cumberland would not play football again until 1920.
and the Democratic Party. He served as a member of the Board of Commissioners for the District of Columbia (1933-8, 1939–40) and treasurer and then secretary of the Democratic National Committee
.
On behalf of the Red Cross, Allen made a number of trips to England and Europe where, in the 1940s, he and Dwight D. Eisenhower
developed a friendship that grew over the ensuing years. Allen also served as a director of the War Damage Corporation, a government effort to provide insurance against war-related damage. He was an advisor to President Harry Truman, serving as manager of his vice-presidential campaign and accepting an appointment as director of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
in 1946. He was on the cover of Time
magazine on August 12, 1946. Based on his experiences as a White House intimate, he wrote Presidents Who Have Known Me in 1950, and then wrote a revised edition in 1960.
The public library in Allen's home town of Booneville, Mississippi was renamed the George E. Allen Public Library in his honor.
Early life and education
He was born in Booneville, MississippiBooneville, Mississippi
Booneville is a city in Prentiss County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,625 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prentiss County....
. He earned a law degree at Cumberland University
Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
in Tennessee.
Coaching career
Allen was the headHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
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...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
for Cumberland College Bulldogs
Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
in Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson County. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Local residents have also called it...
for one game in 1916. Cumberland University suffered the greatest loss in the history of college football to Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
by a score of 222 to zero.
Cumberland had actually discontinued its football program before the season but was not allowed to cancel its game against the Engineers. Georgia Tech coach John Heisman
John Heisman
John William Heisman was an American player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College , Buchtel College, now known as the University of Akron , Auburn University , Clemson University , Georgia Tech , the...
insisted on the schools' scheduling agreement, which required Cumberland to pay $3,000 (considered a sizeable sum in 1916) to Tech if its football team failed to show.
George Allen (who was elected to serve as Cumberland's football team student manager after first serving as the baseball team student manager), also a Kappa Sigma Fraternity member, put together a scrub team of 14 men to travel to Atlanta as Cumberland's football team and were soundly beaten 222 to zero, saving the college $3,000 in the process. Cumberland would not play football again until 1920.
Law and political career
Allen then practiced law in Mississippi and Indiana, afterwards engaging in various business ventures. In the 1920s he managed hotel properties in Washington, D.C., eventually drifting into politics and serving President Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
and the Democratic Party. He served as a member of the Board of Commissioners for the District of Columbia (1933-8, 1939–40) and treasurer and then secretary of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
.
On behalf of the Red Cross, Allen made a number of trips to England and Europe where, in the 1940s, he and Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
developed a friendship that grew over the ensuing years. Allen also served as a director of the War Damage Corporation, a government effort to provide insurance against war-related damage. He was an advisor to President Harry Truman, serving as manager of his vice-presidential campaign and accepting an appointment as director of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was an independent agency of the United States government, established and chartered by the US Congress in 1932, Act of January 22, 1932, c. 8, 47 Stat. 5, during the administration of President Herbert Hoover. It was modeled after the War Finance Corporation...
in 1946. He was on the cover of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine on August 12, 1946. Based on his experiences as a White House intimate, he wrote Presidents Who Have Known Me in 1950, and then wrote a revised edition in 1960.
The public library in Allen's home town of Booneville, Mississippi was renamed the George E. Allen Public Library in his honor.