Mark Farnum
Encyclopedia
Mark Farnum was an All-American football
player. He played tackle
for Brown University
in 1915 and 1916.
Farnum was a native of Georgiaville, Rhode Island
, the son of a Rhode Island pioneer family. He began his athletic career at the Dean Academy in Franklin, Massachusetts
. He later enrolled at Brown where he played tackle for the Brown football team in 1915 and 1916. While at Brown, Farnum was teammates with Fritz Pollard
, the only African American player on an Ivy League team during the 1915 football season. With Farnum blocking for Pollard, Brown won its first six games in 1915, allowing only three points to be scored by opponents. The team advanced to the 1916 Rose Bowl game, losing to Washington state. At the end of the 1915 season, Farnum and Pollard were both selected as All-Americans. Farnum was also voted by his teammates as the captain of the Brown football team in both 1916 and 1917. The Evening Times of Pawtucket described Farnum's contributions in 1915 as follows: "Farnum played in all the games on the Brown schedule last season and his work both on the offensive and the defensive stood out prominently. Physically he is the biggest man among the players, standing 6 feet, 2 inches and weighing 220 pounds. Despite his size he is extremely active and fast."
Despite being elected captain of the 1917 football team, Farnum did not play in any games during the 1917, having enlisted in the U.S. Army following the entry of the United States into World War I
. Farnum was commissioned as a lieutenant and served in France.
After being discharged from the Army, Farnum opened a cotton brokerage office in Providence. In 1928, Farnum played professional football for the Providence Steam Roller
. He rejoined his Brown teammate Fritz Pollard on a Steam Roller team that won the 1928 NFL championship and bears the distinction of being the last team not still in the NFL to have done so. Farnum was later employed as a research technician in the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Co. experimental laboratory.
In 1956, Farnum was a guest of honor at the Rose Bowl game upon the 40th anniversary of Brown's appearance in the game. Farnum died at age 61 in a hospital in East Hartford, Connecticut
after a short illness in 1957.
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. He played 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....
for Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1915 and 1916.
Farnum was a native of Georgiaville, Rhode Island
Georgiaville, Rhode Island
Georgiaville is a village in Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The village was named after the Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company mill located in the area. The Georgiaville Pond Beach is located in the village and is a popular recreation spot. In the 1920s the Ku Klux...
, the son of a Rhode Island pioneer family. He began his athletic career at the Dean Academy in Franklin, Massachusetts
Franklin, Massachusetts
The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town...
. He later enrolled at Brown where he played tackle for the Brown football team in 1915 and 1916. While at Brown, Farnum was teammates with Fritz Pollard
Fritz Pollard
Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard was the first African American head coach in the National Football League . Pollard along with Bobby Marshall were the first two African American players in the NFL in 1920...
, the only African American player on an Ivy League team during the 1915 football season. With Farnum blocking for Pollard, Brown won its first six games in 1915, allowing only three points to be scored by opponents. The team advanced to the 1916 Rose Bowl game, losing to Washington state. At the end of the 1915 season, Farnum and Pollard were both selected as All-Americans. Farnum was also voted by his teammates as the captain of the Brown football team in both 1916 and 1917. The Evening Times of Pawtucket described Farnum's contributions in 1915 as follows: "Farnum played in all the games on the Brown schedule last season and his work both on the offensive and the defensive stood out prominently. Physically he is the biggest man among the players, standing 6 feet, 2 inches and weighing 220 pounds. Despite his size he is extremely active and fast."
Despite being elected captain of the 1917 football team, Farnum did not play in any games during the 1917, having enlisted in the U.S. Army following the entry of the United States into World War I
World War I
World 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...
. Farnum was commissioned as a lieutenant and served in France.
After being discharged from the Army, Farnum opened a cotton brokerage office in Providence. In 1928, Farnum played professional football for the Providence Steam Roller
Providence Steam Roller
The Providence Steam Roller was a professional American football team based in Providence, Rhode Island in the National Football League from 1925 to 1931. Providence was the first New England team to win an NFL championship...
. He rejoined his Brown teammate Fritz Pollard on a Steam Roller team that won the 1928 NFL championship and bears the distinction of being the last team not still in the NFL to have done so. Farnum was later employed as a research technician in the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Co. experimental laboratory.
In 1956, Farnum was a guest of honor at the Rose Bowl game upon the 40th anniversary of Brown's appearance in the game. Farnum died at age 61 in a hospital in East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
after a short illness in 1957.