George Ellsworth Rich (December 14, 1904 – July 16, 1989) was an American football player and coach. He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1926 to 1928 and was the captain and starting quarterback of the 1928 Michigan Wolverines football team. He was the head coach of the Denison Big Red football team from 1931 to 1934.
.jpg) Rich in 1928. | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 14, 1904 Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 16, 1989 (aged 84) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1925–1928 | Michigan |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1930 | Michigan (freshmen) |
| 1931–1934 | Denison |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 10–19–4 |
Early years
editRich was born in New York and grew up in Lakewood, Ohio. His parents were Charles T. Rich and Jessie (Walthart) Rich.
University of Michigan
editRich attended the University of Michigan where he was a student in a five-year arts and law program. He played college football as a quarterback, fullback, and halfback for Fielding H. Yost and Tad Wieman's Michigan Wolverines football teams, playing at the halfback position in 1926 and the fullback position in 1927.[1] In November 1927, he was selected as the captain of the 1928 Michigan Wolverines football team.[1] He started four games at quarterback, three games at halfback and one game at fullback for the 1928 team that compiled a 3–4–1 record and finished in seventh place in the Big Ten Conference.[2] Rich also won a letter as a wrestler in 1926.[1]
Rich was married to Ethel Dunn, a teacher, in January 1929.[3] He was the freshman football coach at the University of Michigan during the 1929 season.[4] At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Rich was living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife, Ethel, and their three-month-old daughter, Patricia. Rich reported no occupation at that time.[5]
Denison University
editIn February 1931, Rich was hired as the head coach of the Denison Big Red football team.[4] He served in that capacity from 1931 to 1934. In his first three seasons, he compiled a 4–18–3 record before turning the program around and leading the 1934 team to a 6–1–1 record. While at Denison, Rich also taught commercial law. He resigned as Denison's coach in January 1935 in order to begin a law practice.[6]
Later years
editAt the time of the 1940 United States Census, Rich was living in Lakewood, Ohio, with his wife Ethel and their two children, Patricia (age 10) and George E. Jr. (age 5). Rich was employed as a lawyer working in the area of old age pensions.[7] Rich died in 1989 in Sarasota, Florida, at age 84.[8][9]
Head coaching record
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denison Big Red (Buckeye Athletic Association) (1931–1932) | |||||||||
| 1931 | Denison | 0–6–2 | 0–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1932 | Denison | 2–6 | 0–4 | 6th | |||||
| Denison Big Red (Independent) (1933–1934) | |||||||||
| 1933 | Denison | 2–6–1 | |||||||
| 1934 | Denison | 6–1–1 | |||||||
| Denison: | 10–19–4 | 0–8 | |||||||
| Total: | 10–19–4 | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b c "Will Lead Wolverines". Detroit Free Press. November 23, 1927. p. 16.
- ^ "1928 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
- ^ Ohio marriage record for George E. Rich, born December 14, 1904. Ancestry.com. Ohio, County Marriages, 1774–1993 [database on-line].
- ^ a b "New Denison Coach Named: Michigan Star Gets Ohio Job". The New Philadelphia, O., Daily Times. February 6, 1931. p. 6.
- ^ 1930 U.S. Census entry for George E. Rich, age 25, born in New York. Census Place: Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan; Roll: 1029; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 0017; Image: 755.0; FHL microfilm: 2340764. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line].
- ^ "Rich Quits as Denison Mentor". The Akron Beacon Journal. January 12, 1935. p. 16.
- ^ 1940 U.S. Census entry for George E. Rich, age 35, born in New York. Census Place: Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio; Roll: T627_3056; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 18-211. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line].
- ^ Social Security death record for George E. Rich, born December 14, 1904, in Syracuse, New York. Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007 [database on-line].
- ^ Florida death record for George Ellsworth Rich, born December 14, 1904, in Syracuse, New York. Died July 16, 1989, in Sarasota, Florida. Ancestry.com. Florida Death Index, 1877–1998 [database on-line].