1891 Westminster School with William Herbert “Pa Corbin

 Westminster school was started in Dobbs Ferry, NY in 1888 by William Lee Cushing a graduate of Yale.  Following his graduation from Yale, William “Pa” Corbin began teaching at Westminster school from 1889-1892.  I found an article in 1889 in which he actually played on the team in his normal star position of center.  The idea of something like this happening today would be crazy to think about a star college football player going to a high school to teach and competing on the football team.

When I originally saw this photo I had to double take.  Pa Corbin was known for his signature mustache, but here he is with a beard.  I was able to find an article talking about how the 1891 team dominated their opponents, but nothing about Corbin’s role on that team.  

William Coleman 1891 Kansas State University gold football pendant

William Coleman served as a player and the first coach for Kansas State University (later renamed University of Kansas) in their first season of 1890.  They played just 3 games this season going 1-2.  The game against Baker College marked the first college football game played in Kansas.  

The 1891 season was considered KSU’s first official season affiliated with the university.  While Yale was dominating the East, Kansas was proving to be the best team in the Midwest.  They played their first game and had victory over the University of Missouri which would later become a longstanding rivalry.  This year they went undefeated going 7-0-1.  This pendant commemorates their perfect season and is engraved to William Coleman on the back.

Coleman would continue to play for Kansas through the 1894 season starting all 5 years at center.  They were known to run the Flying V with Coleman in the middle.  He would lead the blocking for the ball carrier and took on the brunt of the punishment from the defenders.  The formation proved to be very dangerous and was later outlawed in football. 

After football Coleman spent his life in Kansas and was the superintendent for Haskell Indian University.