William Hanson Morton[2] (September 17, 1909 – April 11, 1987) was an American football player and business executive. He played college football for Dartmouth from 1929 to 1931, and later was an executive with American Express. Morton was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
 | |
| Position | Quarterback |
|---|---|
| Class | 1932 |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | September 17, 1909 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Died: | April 11, 1987 (aged 77) Hanover, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 178 lb (81 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | Dartmouth (1929–1931) |
| Bowl games | East–West Shrine Game (1932)[1] |
| High school | New Rochelle (New York) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| College Football Hall of Fame (1972) | |
Biography
editMorton attended New Rochelle High School in his hometown in New York state, where he played football, baseball, and ice hockey; he graduated in 1927.[3] One of his teammates was Vincent dePaul Draddy.[3]
Morton attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he played for the Dartmouth Indians football team, as it was then known.[4] He was a member of the varsity team for the 1929–1931 seasons, where he played quarterback and was nicknamed "Air Mail" Morton.[4] The team had an aggregate record of 19–6–2 for those three seasons.[5] He also played on the Dartmouth men's ice hockey team, and earned All-America honors in both sports.[4] He graduated from Dartmouth in 1932.[6]
In October 1940, Morton noted on his draft registration card that he was married and was employed by the Chase National Bank in Chicago.[2] He later founded his own investment firm, W. H. Morton and Company, which was later acquired by American Express,[6] where Morton became president and vice-chairman before retiring in 1974.[3]
Morton was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972, received an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth in 1982, and was awarded the National Football Foundation Gold Medal in 1986.[4] He was also inducted to the athletic hall of fame at Dartmouth.[7] He died in 1987, aged 77; he was survived by his wife and two children.[6]
Morton was posthumously inducted to the New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.[8]
References
edit- ^ Edwards, Alanson W. (January 2, 1935). "Eastern Team is Winner in Shrine Game". Imperial Valley Press. El Centro, California. UP. p. 5. Retrieved June 26, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Draft Registration Card". Selective Service System. October 1940. Retrieved June 25, 2023 – via fold3.com.
- ^ a b c O'Toole, Jim (September 28, 1983). "Rye's Bill Morton honored guest at New Rochelle homecoming". The Daily Item (Port Chester). Port Chester, New York. p. 6-C. Retrieved June 25, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Bill Morton (1972)". footballfoundation.org. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "Dartmouth Big Green College Football History, Stats, Records". sports-reference.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ a b c "William Morton, was president of American Express; at 77". The Boston Globe. UPI. April 13, 1987. p. 25. Retrieved June 25, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Halls of Fame". dartmouthsports.com. Dartmouth College Varsity Athletics. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame". nrshof.com. Retrieved June 26, 2023.