John A. Bloomingston
Encyclopedia
John Albert Bloomingston (April 28, 1874 – January 8, 1942) was an American
attorney and football
and baseball
player and coach. He played at the fullback
position for the University of Michigan
football teams in 1894 and 1895. He was the leading scorer on the 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
that outscored opponents 266 to 14 and won the school's first Western football championship. He scored as many as 32 points in a single game. The Wolverines compiled a record of 17–2–1 in Bloomingston's two years as the starting fullback and never lost a game against a Western team. After graduating from Michigan, he became one of the best known trial lawyers in Chicago, Illinois, where he practiced for more than 40 years.
and the editor and proprietor of the Investigator, one of the oldest insurance papers in the west. His mother was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution
and a descendant of Col. Samuel Drake and William Hooker.
, and subsequently enrolled at the University of Michigan
. While attending Michigan, Bloomingston was one of the university's best athletes. He played fullback for the Michigan Wolverines football team and second base for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team. He received a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Michigan in 1896.
that finished the season with a record of 9–1–1 and outscored opponents 244 to 84. On November 24, 1894, he helped Michigan defeat Cornell
, 12–4, marking the first time Michigan had beaten one of the elite Eastern football teams. Five days later, Bloomingston kicked the goal from touchdown which proved to be the winning points in a 6–4 win over Chicago
.
field in Detroit. A crowd of 4,000 watched, the Detroit Free Press
wrote that "Bloomingston carried off the batting honors with two homers and a single." Bloomingston's first home run came in the fifth inning and was described by the Free Press as follows:
His second home run came in the seventh inning: "The crowd yelled for another home run, and he didn't do a thing but plant the ball over the carriages lined up along the fence in left field."
that outscored opponents 266 to 14 and won the school's first western football championship. Although scoring records are incomplete, a newspaper account of an October 1895 game against Adelbert indicates that Bloomingston scored 32 points, as he ran for three touchdowns (four points each) and kicked 10 goals from touchdown (worth two points each). the following week, Bloomingston added 20 points (two touchdowns and seven goals from touchdown) against Lake Forest. One week later, Bloomingston added 18 points (one touchdown and seven goals from touchdown) in a 42–0 victory over Oberlin
. Bloomingston's talent as a kick returner were also on display against Oberlin, as he returned a kickoff 45 yards in the second half for the longest play of the game. Bloomingston gained 50 yards in one run against Oberlin, and his field goal attempt from the 50-yard line went wide by only five feet.
The sole loss of the 1895 season was a 4–0 setback against Harvard
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
. One week after the Harvard game, Bloomingston kicked two goals from touchdown to give Michigan the winning margin in a 12–10 victory over Purdue
.
Bloomingston finished his Michigan football career by scoring eight points (a touchdown and two goals from touchdown) in Michigan's 12–0 victory over Chicago on Thanksgiving Day. Bloomingston's running was reportedly the high point of the game. A Chicago newspaper described one run by Bloomingston as follows:
The Detroit Free Press wrote: "Bloomingston played the star game of the day, easily out-punting Neel and bucking the line like a battering ram. One of his kicks was seventy yards in the air and went the whole length of the field." Following the game The World of New York wrote that the Michigan players had "clinched their claim to the Western championship."
In December 1895, the Chicago Daily Inter Ocean picked Bloomingston as the fullback on its All-Western team. The newspaper wrote, "Every one in the West, with the possible exception of the Wisconsin men, unites in the selection of Bloomington as full back. Those who saw the sensational runs made in the game with Chicago last Thanksgiving day can possibly have no other opinion. Sure at goals, a strong punter, and a wonderful runner, he has but few rivals."
.
at Orchard Lake, Michigan.
In the spring of 1897, Bloomingston returned to Chicago and was appointed the player-coach of the Bankers' Athletic Club baseball team. He also appeared in eight games for the New England Whalers of the New England League
in 1897.
, "for 40 years one of Chicago's best known trial lawyers." He also served as a director of the Yellow Cab Company. He maintained his office at 160 North La Salle Street.
Bloomingston's wife died in October 1940. In January 1942, Bloomingston died of an apparent heart attack at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Philadelphia, while on a business trip. At the time of his death, Bloomingston was a resident of Chicago, having his home at 210 East Pearson Street.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and football
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...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and coach. He played at the fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
position for 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...
football teams in 1894 and 1895. He was the leading scorer on the 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1895 college football season. The team, coached by medical student William McCauley, compiled an 8–1 record, won seven of their games by shutouts, and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 266 to...
that outscored opponents 266 to 14 and won the school's first Western football championship. He scored as many as 32 points in a single game. The Wolverines compiled a record of 17–2–1 in Bloomingston's two years as the starting fullback and never lost a game against a Western team. After graduating from Michigan, he became one of the best known trial lawyers in Chicago, Illinois, where he practiced for more than 40 years.
Early years
Bloomingston was born in Chicago in 1874. He was the son of John S. Bloomingston (1843–1901) and Frances E. Drake Bloomingston. His father was an immigrant from SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and the editor and proprietor of the Investigator, one of the oldest insurance papers in the west. His mother was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
and a descendant of Col. Samuel Drake and William Hooker.
Education and athletics
Bloomingston attended the Pennsylvania Military College in Chester, PennsylvaniaChester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, and subsequently 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...
. While attending Michigan, Bloomingston was one of the university's best athletes. He played fullback for the Michigan Wolverines football team and second base for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team. He received a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Michigan in 1896.
1894 football team
In 1894, Bloomingston was the starting fullback for the 1894 Michigan Wolverines football team1894 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1894 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1894 college football season. The team, with William McCauley as head coach, compiled an 9–1–1 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 244 to 84. The Wolverines played a home-and-away series...
that finished the season with a record of 9–1–1 and outscored opponents 244 to 84. On November 24, 1894, he helped Michigan defeat Cornell
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
, 12–4, marking the first time Michigan had beaten one of the elite Eastern football teams. Five days later, Bloomingston kicked the goal from touchdown which proved to be the winning points in a 6–4 win over Chicago
Chicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
.
1895 baseball team
In the spring of 1895, Bloomingston played second base for the Michigan baseball team. On May 30, 1895, he led Michigan to an 11–0 win over Cornell at the Detroit Athletic ClubDetroit Athletic Club
The Detroit Athletic Club , is a private social club and athletic club located in the heart of Detroit's theater, sports, and entertainment district. The clubhouse was designed by Albert Kahn and inspired by Rome's Palazzo Farnese. It maintains reciprocal agreements for their members at other...
field in Detroit. A crowd of 4,000 watched, the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
wrote that "Bloomingston carried off the batting honors with two homers and a single." Bloomingston's first home run came in the fifth inning and was described by the Free Press as follows:
"Bloomingston came to bat with blood in his eye. He caught one of [Cornell pitcher] Smith's twisters on the nose and the ball landed in the crowd in the stand in left field. ... In a second the stands and the field were a mass of yellow and blue and 'Bloomy,' as the crowd called him, got a 'football ovation.'"
His second home run came in the seventh inning: "The crowd yelled for another home run, and he didn't do a thing but plant the ball over the carriages lined up along the fence in left field."
1895 football team
In the fall of 1895, Bloomingston was the leading scorer for the 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team1895 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1895 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1895 college football season. The team, coached by medical student William McCauley, compiled an 8–1 record, won seven of their games by shutouts, and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 266 to...
that outscored opponents 266 to 14 and won the school's first western football championship. Although scoring records are incomplete, a newspaper account of an October 1895 game against Adelbert indicates that Bloomingston scored 32 points, as he ran for three touchdowns (four points each) and kicked 10 goals from touchdown (worth two points each). the following week, Bloomingston added 20 points (two touchdowns and seven goals from touchdown) against Lake Forest. One week later, Bloomingston added 18 points (one touchdown and seven goals from touchdown) in a 42–0 victory over Oberlin
Oberlin Yeomen football
The Oberlin Yeomen football program represents Oberlin College in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The program is known for having begun the coaching career of legendary player and coach John Heisman, being the last in-state team to defeat Ohio State, and for having one of the worst...
. Bloomingston's talent as a kick returner were also on display against Oberlin, as he returned a kickoff 45 yards in the second half for the longest play of the game. Bloomingston gained 50 yards in one run against Oberlin, and his field goal attempt from the 50-yard line went wide by only five feet.
The sole loss of the 1895 season was a 4–0 setback against Harvard
Harvard Crimson football
The Harvard Crimson football program represents Harvard University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Harvard's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1873...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. One week after the Harvard game, Bloomingston kicked two goals from touchdown to give Michigan the winning margin in a 12–10 victory over Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
.
Bloomingston finished his Michigan football career by scoring eight points (a touchdown and two goals from touchdown) in Michigan's 12–0 victory over Chicago on Thanksgiving Day. Bloomingston's running was reportedly the high point of the game. A Chicago newspaper described one run by Bloomingston as follows:
"Chicago could not gain, and Neel was forced to punt again. Bloomingston received the ball, and, dodging the tacklers, who sought to bring him to the ground, ran back the entire length of the kick. It was a splendid performance, and no small part of the applause the hero received came from Chicago throats."
The Detroit Free Press wrote: "Bloomingston played the star game of the day, easily out-punting Neel and bucking the line like a battering ram. One of his kicks was seventy yards in the air and went the whole length of the field." Following the game The World of New York wrote that the Michigan players had "clinched their claim to the Western championship."
In December 1895, the Chicago Daily Inter Ocean picked Bloomingston as the fullback on its All-Western team. The newspaper wrote, "Every one in the West, with the possible exception of the Wisconsin men, unites in the selection of Bloomington as full back. Those who saw the sensational runs made in the game with Chicago last Thanksgiving day can possibly have no other opinion. Sure at goals, a strong punter, and a wonderful runner, he has but few rivals."
Disbarment
In June 1896, Bloomingston was disbarred from participation in University of Michigan college athletics. The action followed an investigation of student athletes participating in professional baseball conducted by the university's board of control of athletics. Bloomingston appeared before the board and admitted that he had played professional baseball for compensation under an assumed name for "the Flint picked-up nine." Another member of the Michigan baseball team were also disbarred, an action which "stirred up quite a hornet's nest in athletic circles." Minor league baseball records indicate that Bloomingston also played professional baseball in 1895 for the Owosso Colts in the Michigan State LeagueMichigan State League
Michigan State League was the name of six American professional baseball leagues. Five of them operated only one or two baseball seasons and the other four seasons...
.
Minor league baseball and other athletic competition
During the fall of 1896, Bloomingston served as coach and quarterback for the football team of the Michigan Military AcademyMichigan Military Academy
The Michigan Military Academy, also known as the M.M.A., was an all-boys military prep school in Orchard Lake Village, Oakland County, Michigan. It was founded in 1877 by Captain J. Sumner Rogers, and closed in 1908 due to bankruptcy...
at Orchard Lake, Michigan.
In the spring of 1897, Bloomingston returned to Chicago and was appointed the player-coach of the Bankers' Athletic Club baseball team. He also appeared in eight games for the New England Whalers of the New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
in 1897.
Legal career
Bloomingston returned to Chicago in 1897 and was admitted that year to the Illinois bar. He was, according to the Chicago Daily TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, "for 40 years one of Chicago's best known trial lawyers." He also served as a director of the Yellow Cab Company. He maintained his office at 160 North La Salle Street.
Family and death
Bloomingston married Edna Fowler Bloomingston, and they had a daughter, Caryl. Their daughter married E. Cummings "Ted" Parker in 1937, and they had twin sons.Bloomingston's wife died in October 1940. In January 1942, Bloomingston died of an apparent heart attack at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Philadelphia, while on a business trip. At the time of his death, Bloomingston was a resident of Chicago, having his home at 210 East Pearson Street.