Boyd Blaine "Fox" Chambers (November 10, 1884 – April 26, 1964) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Marshall University from 1909 to 1916, at Bethany College in West Virginia in 1917, and at the University of Cincinnati from 1918 to 1921, compiling a career college football record of 50–44–7. Chambers was also the head basketball coach at Marshall during the 1908–09 season and at Cincinnati from 1918 to 1928, tallying a career college basketball mark of 122–97. In addition, he was the head baseball coach at Marshall (1910–1917), Cincinnati (1919–1928), and Miami University (1932), amassing a career college baseball record of 163–104–4.

Boyd Chambers
Chambers pictured in Cincinnatian 1919, Cincinnati yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1884-11-10)November 10, 1884
Chambersburg, Ohio, U.S.
DiedApril 26, 1964(1964-04-26) (aged 79)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materDenison University (1906)[1]
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1909–1916Marshall
1917Bethany (WV)
1918–1921Cincinnati
Basketball
1908–1909Marshall
1918–1928Cincinnati
Baseball
1910–1917Marshall
1919–1928Cincinnati
1932Miami (OH)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1909–1917Marshall
1917–1918Bethany (WV)
1918–1927Cincinnati
Head coaching record
Overall50–44–7 (football)
122–97 (basketball)
163–104–4 (baseball)

Tower Play controversy

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In 1915 Chambers was involved in a controversy with what would become known as a "Tower Play" during a game between West Virginia Mountaineers and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The Mountaineers were heavily favored and their head coach, Sol Metzger, told the media he would "eat his hat if Marshall scores." Chambers developed a special play to prevent the shutout. On the Thundering Herd fourth possession Marshall moved the ball down to the 15-yard line. Marshall back Dayton Carter came into the game. Marshall quarterback Brad Workman, took the snap and set up to pass. Marshall's tackle, Okey Taylor, and Carter ran toward the end zone. Carter was hoisted onto Taylor shoulders as Workman rifled a high pass in their direction. Carter caught the ball and fell into the end zone for a score. Metzger argued with the officials, but the referee and umpire could find no rule to discount the score. The Mountaineers won the game by a final score of 92–6.[2]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Marshall Thundering Herd (Independent) (1909–1916)
1909 Marshall 3–2–1
1910 Marshall 5–1–1
1911 Marshall 4–1–1
1912 Marshall 3–4
1913 Marshall 3–4
1914 Marshall 5–4
1915 Marshall 1–7
1916 Marshall 7–2–1
Marshall: 31–25–4
Bethany Bison (Independent) (1917)
1917 Bethany 7–4
Bethany: 7–4
Cincinnati Bearcats (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1918–1921)
1918 Cincinnati 3–0–2 0–0–2 T–7th
1919 Cincinnati 3–4–1 1–3–1 12th
1920 Cincinnati 4–5 3–2 T–6th
1921 Cincinnati 2–6 0–4 19th
Cincinnati: 12–15–3 4–9–3
Total: 50–44–7

Basketball

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Marshall Thundering Herd (Independent) (1908–1910)
1908–09 Marshall 6–2
1909–10 Marshall 3–3
Marshall Thundering Herd (Independent) (1911–1914)
1911–12 Marshall 2–2
1912–13 Marshall 1–4
1913–14 Marshall 2–5
Marshall: 14–16 (.467)
Cincinnati Bearcats (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1918–1925)
1918–19 Cincinnati 3–11 1–7
1919–20 Cincinnati 5–9 4–6
1920–21 Cincinnati 10–11 4–8
1921–22 Cincinnati 15–8 8–4
1922–23 Cincinnati 13–9 7–7
1923–24 Cincinnati 11–8 10–4
1924–25 Cincinnati 5–14 1–11
Cincinnati Bearcats (Buckeye Athletic Association) (1925–1928)
1925–26 Cincinnati 17–2 9–1 1st
1926–27 Cincinnati 13–5 5–5 3rd
1927–28 Cincinnati 14–4 8–2 1st
Cincinnati: 106–81 (.567) 57–55 (.509)
Total: 120–97 (.553)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ "The Phi Gamma Delta". 1956.
  2. ^ Woody Woodrum, "Marshall-WVU Series Has Great, Short History" Archived May 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (Herd Insider Magazine) Posted June 10, 2006, accessed January 27, 2007
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