William Rhodes (American football)
Encyclopedia
William Castle "Billy" Rhodes (July 5, 1869 – February 5, 1914) was American football
player and coach. Rhodes played tackle
at Yale University
from 1887 to 1890 and was selected for the 1890 College Football All-America Team
. After playing for the Cleveland Athletic Club
in 1891, Rhodes return to his alma mater to served head coach for the Yale Bulldogs football
team in 1893 and 1894, compiling a record of 26–1. Rhodes' 1894 team won all 16 of its games and was later recognized as a national champion by a number of selectors.
, Rhodes went east to enroll at Yale University
. At Yale, he played on the 1888 Yale football team that was coached by Walter Camp
and included five players who were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
: George Washington Woodruff
, Amos Alonzo Stagg
, Lee "Bum" McClung
, Pudge Heffelfinger, and Pa Corbin
.
Rhodes was also elected captain of the 1889 Yale football team, but he declined to serve. He was then elected, and did serve as, captain of the 1890 team. As captain of the 1890 team, Rhodes led Yale to a 32–0 win over Princeton
in front of 25,000 spectators in Brooklyn. Though he was a lineman, Rhodes played an important role as a rusher in the 1890 Princeton game. He set up Yale's first touchdown with a run that took the ball to within two feet of the goal line, had another run of 30 yards, scored a touchdown and returned a punt through the Princeton line for a gain of 25 yards. One newspaper described Rhodes' reaction to the victory as follows:
Rhodes had a reputation as an aggressive player. In the 1889 Yale–Princeton game, Rhodes was disqualified due to rough play early in the second half. Prior to the 1890 Harvard
–Yale game, one newspaper noted that Harvard's tackle would have to "look out" for Rhodes and questioned whether he could withstand "the hard knocks and blows which Yale's captain has the reputation of giving." Another newspaper focused on Rhodes' ability to cover the entire field of play: "Rhodes is an experienced and exceedingly talented player. He handles his man well, knows where to put them and literally seems to cover the whole field himself."
. The World of New York described Rhodes' return to Yale as follows:
. On October 31, 1891, Rhodes and Cleveland defeated the then-amateur Allegheny Athletic Association
, 22–4. A second game between the two clubs was played on November 21, 1891, however Rhodes did not make the trip to Pittsburgh to play the team.
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 coach. Rhodes 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....
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
from 1887 to 1890 and was selected for the 1890 College Football All-America Team
1890 College Football All-America Team
The 1890 College Football All-America team was the second College Football All-America Team. The team was selected by Casper Whitney and published in This Week's Sports.-Overview:...
. After playing for the Cleveland Athletic Club
Cleveland Athletic Club
The Cleveland Athletic Club is a historic organization in a historic building designed by J. Milton Dyer. The club was in financial difficulaty in 2007....
in 1891, Rhodes return to his alma mater to served head coach for the Yale Bulldogs football
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
team in 1893 and 1894, compiling a record of 26–1. Rhodes' 1894 team won all 16 of its games and was later recognized as a national champion by a number of selectors.
Football player at Yale
A native of Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Rhodes went east to enroll at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. At Yale, he played on the 1888 Yale football team that was coached by Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
and included five players who were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
: George Washington Woodruff
George Washington Woodruff
Note: Before 1936, national champions were determined by historical research and retroactive ratings and polls. 1894 Poll Results = Penn: Parke H. Davis, Princeton: Houlgate, Yale: Billingsley, Helms, National Championship Foundation, Parke H. Davis1895 Poll Results = Penn: Billingsley, Helms,...
, Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
, Lee "Bum" McClung
Lee McClung
Thomas Lee "Bum" McClung was an American football player who later served as the 22nd Treasurer of the United States....
, Pudge Heffelfinger, and Pa Corbin
Pa Corbin
Pa Corbin was an American football player. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969....
.
Rhodes was also elected captain of the 1889 Yale football team, but he declined to serve. He was then elected, and did serve as, captain of the 1890 team. As captain of the 1890 team, Rhodes led Yale to a 32–0 win over Princeton
Princeton Tigers football
The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
in front of 25,000 spectators in Brooklyn. Though he was a lineman, Rhodes played an important role as a rusher in the 1890 Princeton game. He set up Yale's first touchdown with a run that took the ball to within two feet of the goal line, had another run of 30 yards, scored a touchdown and returned a punt through the Princeton line for a gain of 25 yards. One newspaper described Rhodes' reaction to the victory as follows:
"The deep frown that has mantled the face of Capt William Castle Rhodes of the Yale foot-ball eleven since Saturday, gave way to a smile this afternoon. The smile became a genuine grin, as one by one the teeth of the Princeton Tiger were drawn, until by a score of 32 to 0 the formidable beast lay helpless and humiliated."
Rhodes had a reputation as an aggressive player. In the 1889 Yale–Princeton game, Rhodes was disqualified due to rough play early in the second half. Prior to the 1890 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...
–Yale game, one newspaper noted that Harvard's tackle would have to "look out" for Rhodes and questioned whether he could withstand "the hard knocks and blows which Yale's captain has the reputation of giving." Another newspaper focused on Rhodes' ability to cover the entire field of play: "Rhodes is an experienced and exceedingly talented player. He handles his man well, knows where to put them and literally seems to cover the whole field himself."
Football coach at Yale
After graduating from Yale in 1891, Rhodes returned to his home in Cleveland where he played football in the fall of 1891. He returned to the East to serve as a referee at the November 11, 1891 Yale-Amherst game. Though Yale scord 27 points, Rhodes concluded that Yale had a lot of work to do and agreed to serve as the team's coach for the remainder of the season. He became Yale's second head football coach, following the legendary Walter CampWalter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
. The World of New York described Rhodes' return to Yale as follows:
"W.C. Rhodes, captain of last year's Yale team, came to New Haven to-day, and will coach the eleven through Thanksgiving. He saw the Amherst game this afternoon as referee and expressed himself as far from satisfied with the team's showing. He may put on a canvas jacket, as he is in good condition, having played in Cleveland through October."He continued as a coach of the Yale team through the 1901 season.
Cleveland Athletic Club
In 1891, Rhodes captained the football for the Cleveland Athletic ClubCleveland Athletic Club
The Cleveland Athletic Club is a historic organization in a historic building designed by J. Milton Dyer. The club was in financial difficulaty in 2007....
. On October 31, 1891, Rhodes and Cleveland defeated the then-amateur Allegheny Athletic Association
Allegheny Athletic Association
The Allegheny Athletic Association was an athletic club that fielded the first ever professional American football player and later the first fully professional football team. The organization was founded in 1890 as a regional athletic club in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which is today the North...
, 22–4. A second game between the two clubs was played on November 21, 1891, however Rhodes did not make the trip to Pittsburgh to play the team.