Gerald Snyder
Encyclopedia
Gerald Theodore "Snitz" Snyder (1905 – 1983) was an American football
player and Army
officer. He played college football
as a back for the Maryland Terrapins
at the University of Maryland
. Snyder played professionally for two seasons in the National Football League
(NFL).
and attended high school at the Bellefonte Academy
in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
. He attended college at the University of Maryland
, where he played football and lacrosse
. In Tales from the Maryland Terrapins, author David Ungrady credits Snyder with popularizing the fake reverse. In 1927, Snyder scored Maryland's only touchdown against on a 90-yard punt return, which was the "longest run ever made in the Yale Bowl
" at the time. In his senior year in 1928, Snyder was expected to be elected team captain, but had been suspended for off-field behavior by head coach Curley Byrd
. Byrd believed the captaincy had become a popularity contest and elected instead to name game captains, a practice which continued for the next 15 years. That season, Snyder was named a second-team All-American
in football by the Associated Press
, and became just the second Maryland player to be honored as such.
In 1929, Snyder went on to play professional football in the NFL. He first played for the New York Giants
, where he saw action in 12 games, including two starts, and he rushed for two touchdowns and caught one touchdown reception. In 1930, he played 11 games for the Staten Island Stapletons
, including seven starts.
In 1931, Snyder received an M.A.
from the University of Maryland. In 1933, he served as an assistant coach with the professional football franchise, the Frankford Legion. Snyder served in the United States Army
in the Second World War and Korean War
, and attained the rank of major
. He died on June 28, 1983 and is interred at Arlington National Cemetery
in Arlington, Virginia. In 1984, Snyder was posthumously inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
.
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 Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer. 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 back for the Maryland Terrapins
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. Snyder played professionally for two seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL).
Biography
Snyder was born on August 6, 1905 in Windber, PennsylvaniaWindber, Pennsylvania
Windber is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, eight miles south of Johnstown. It was at one time a place of industrial activities which included coal mining, lumbering, and the manufacture of fire brick. In 1897, the community was founded by coal barons Charles and Edward Julius Berwind...
and attended high school at the Bellefonte Academy
Bellefonte Academy
Bellefonte Academy was a historic school building located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The original building was built in 1805, as a two-story, rectangular limestone building. It was enlarged between 1839 and 1845, with the addition of two bays and wings to the north and south...
in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies about twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He attended college at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, where he played football and lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
. In Tales from the Maryland Terrapins, author David Ungrady credits Snyder with popularizing the fake reverse. In 1927, Snyder scored Maryland's only touchdown against on a 90-yard punt return, which was the "longest run ever made in the Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446, reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869...
" at the time. In his senior year in 1928, Snyder was expected to be elected team captain, but had been suspended for off-field behavior by head coach Curley Byrd
Curley Byrd
Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd was an American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician...
. Byrd believed the captaincy had become a popularity contest and elected instead to name game captains, a practice which continued for the next 15 years. That season, Snyder was named a second-team All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
in football by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, and became just the second Maryland player to be honored as such.
In 1929, Snyder went on to play professional football in the NFL. He first played for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he saw action in 12 games, including two starts, and he rushed for two touchdowns and caught one touchdown reception. In 1930, he played 11 games for the Staten Island Stapletons
Staten Island Stapletons
The Staten Island Stapletons also known as the Staten Island Stapes were a professional American football team founded in 1915 that played in the National Football League from 1929 to 1930. The team was based in the Stapleton section of Staten Island. Under the shortened nickname the "Stapes"...
, including seven starts.
In 1931, Snyder received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from the University of Maryland. In 1933, he served as an assistant coach with the professional football franchise, the Frankford Legion. Snyder served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in the Second World War and Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and attained the rank of major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
. He died on June 28, 1983 and is interred at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
in Arlington, Virginia. In 1984, Snyder was posthumously inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the M Club Foundation to honor student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who made significant contributions to athletics at the University of Maryland...
.