Edwin Sweetland

Edwin Sweetland

Sweetland in 1898
Sport(s) Football, basketball, track, rowing
Biographical details
Born (1875-01-10)January 10, 1875
Dryden, New York
Died October 21, 1950(1950-10-21) (aged 75)
Playing career
Football
1894 Union
1895–1896 Cornell
1898 Cornell
Rowing
1898–1899 Cornell
Position(s) Guard, tackle (football)
#5 (rowing)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1899 Hamilton
1900–1902 Syracuse
1903 Hamilton
1904–1905 Ohio State
1908 Colgate
1909–1910 Kentucky
1911 Miami (OH)
1912 Kentucky
1913 West Virginia
1914 Tulane
1915–1917 Alfred
1919 Alfred
Basketball
1909–1910 Kentucky
1911–1912 Kentucky
1914–1915 Tulane
Track
1905 Ohio State
1907 Colgate
1915 Tulane
Rowing
1901–1902 Syracuse
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1912–1913 Kentucky
1913–1914 West Virginia
Head coaching record
Overall 100–41–10 (football)
15–11 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Football
3rd team All-American, 1898

Edwin Regur Sweetland (January 10, 1875 – October 21, 1950) was a coach and athletic administrator at several American universities. During his coaching career he was head coach of many sports including basketball, track and field and crew, but the majority of for his coaching work was in football. Though mainly known for football, he left his mark on several other sports. He was the first paid coach of the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team and the Syracuse University rowing team.

Sweetland attended Union College and was graduate of Cornell University in 1899. A gifted athlete, Sweetland was on the varsity football team at Union and Cornell and the varsity rowing team at Cornell. At Cornell he was coached by Hall of Fame coaches Pop Warner in football and Charles E. Courtney in rowing.

Early life and family

Sweetland was born to George Sweetland and Hannah Marsh Sweetland on January 10, 1875 in Dryden, New York. He had several brothers and sisters. One of his brothers was Monroe Marsh Sweetland, who founded Delta Chi fraternity while a law student at Cornell University.[1] Another brother, Dr. George James Sweetland, was captain of the Union College football team in 1895 and later the athletic director and head football coach at University of North Dakota.[2][3]

College

After attending Union College for one year, Sweetland transferred to Cornell University, where he graduated in 1899 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture.[2][4] At Cornell, he was member of Phi Gamma Delta and the Sphinx Head Society.[5][6] A talented athlete, Sweetland rowed on the varsity crew team, and played tackle on the football team at Cornell. Sweetland was a considered one of the top players in the early years of Big Red football. The Sun named Sweetland to the second team of the all-time Cornell football team in an article on January 29, 1927.[7]

E. R. Sweetland in his Cornell letterman sweater c. 1898-99

Football career

Sweetland began his college football career in 1894. "Sweet" as he was nicknamed, played guard for Union College along with his brother, George.[2] He transferred to Cornell for the 1895 season where he moved to tackle under coach Marshall Newell and helped the school to a 3–4–1 record. That year, Sweetland was part of the line that helped Clint Wyckoff become Cornell's first College Football All-American. The following year, Cornell changed coaches replacing Newell with Joseph Beacham. Sweetland helped the Beacham lead the squad to a record of 5–3–1. In 1897, Glenn "Pop" Warner took over as head coach.[8] Sweetland could not play for Warner in the 1897 season. During the offseason he went through surgery and his doctors would not allow him to play.[9] When practice started for the 1898 season, Warner had to replace many starters including the previous year's captain, William McKeever.[10] Sweetland returned to the line in 1898.[8] With Sweetland's help, the team won 10 of their first 11 games, setting up a big game for Cornell against national power Penn in the final game of the season. Sweetland helped Cornell take a 6–0 lead before halftime. He broke through Penn's line blocking a kick and recovered the ball for a touchdown, but Penn came back and won by a score of 12–6.[11] With the Penn loss, the team finished the season 10–2, outscoring their opponents by a score of 296–29.[8] After the season he was named 3rd team All-America by Walter Camp.[12]

Sweetland planned to the return for the 1899 football season even though he would be graduating. He planned to start his medical training at Cornell. After the 1898 season he became involved in a controversy between two factions on the future direction of the football program that came to the head with the election of captain for the 1899 season. Originally a three-year starter at left guard, Daniel A. Reed was elected captain over Sweetland for the 1899 season. A very close election caused a rift in the football team. Reed won by a vote of ten to nine.[13] Later Reed resigned as captain and the team elected Sweetland unanimously.[14] The Cornell Athletic Council refused to ratify the election of Sweetland, stating that their decision was "in the interest of harmony among the various elements who co-operation is necessary for the success of Cornell athletics." The council statement listed two specific reasons. The first was that the Council wanted to purge all leaders of the competing factional rivalries on the team. This included Coach Warner and Tom Fennell as well as Daniel A. Reed. All three stated they would not return for the 1899 season. The second reason was a large number of football alumni protested the election of Sweetland as captain. Additionally, a charge was leveled that Sweetland was a professional, not an amateur, since he was paid for playing football for Elmira Athletic Club in the fall of 1897. Sweetland denied the allegation only admitting that he received reimbursement for his expenses but not for playing.[15] After the Athletic Council ruling the team elected fullback Raymond Starbuck as team captain.[16]

1899 Cornell Varsity Rowing Team: E. R. Sweetland is third from the left in the middle row

Varsity rower

Sweetland was a member of the varsity crew at Cornell in 1898 and 1899 under Coach Charles E. Courtney. In 1897, as a novice rower, Sweetland went out for Cornell rowing team but did not make varsity. Early on he was mentioned as a possible varsity rower at the no. 5 position. He had to go against more experienced rowers including E. J. Savage who rowed varsity in 1896 and Edgar Johnson, who rowed varsity in 1895.[17] Sweetland had trouble throughout the season. First he was thrown out of his boat when he wrecked his shell upon a snag. He also had to spend several days in the hospital due to trouble with his appendicitis.[18] In 1898 he was a substitute on team that finished second in Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta at Saratoga Lake. The following year he rowed in the No. 5 position that finished third in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta at Poughkeepsie, New York. In that race, the Cornell crew had the slight advantage holding the outer course but lost to the University of Pennsylvania coached by Ellis Ward. The University of Wisconsin–Madison using a modified English stroke started quickly and held a lead at the mile and half marker but lost the lead to Penn due to bad steering. Penn finished strong using a stroke that depended on leg drive over the catch. This gave the boat a slight amount of checking between strokes. Sweetland and the Cornell crew were unable to catch Penn and finished three and a half lengths behind. They were also unable to catch Wisconsin and finished varsity race in third place.[19]

College coaching career

Sweetland started coaching football the fall after he graduated from Cornell. He would coach college sports for the next twenty years with all but two as a head coach. As a football coach he finished with a record of 100–41–10. His coaching career allowed Sweetland earn several advance degrees at the schools he coached, including a Ph.M. in Sociology from Syracuse and LL.B and LL.M from the University of Kentucky.[5][6][20]

Hamilton

After graduation, Sweetland took his first coaching job as the head football coach at Hamilton College in nearby Clinton, New York. In his first season as a head coach, he led the 1899 squad to an 8–2–1 record. That year Hamilton played a then school-record 11 games with one of the two losses coming at the hands of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, coached by his former coach Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner, and the other loss coming to Sweetland's former school Cornell.[21] He left for Syracuse University after the season.

Syracuse

On January 3, 1900 Sweetland was picked to be the head coach for the Syracuse University football team. A month later, on February 6, 1900, Sweetland agreed to also become Syracuse's rowing coach.[22] Even though rowing had some history at the university since 1873, including hosting professional crew races on Onondaga Lake, Sweetland became their first Intercollegiate coach. Chancellor James Roscoe Day assisted the rowing team that year by persuading Lyman Cornelius Smith to donate equipment.[23]

In Sweetland's first year as coach of the rowing team, he was basically starting the rowing team from scratch. He spent a good amount of time on basic watermanship and maintaining an even keel.[24] He started practice in late March and was able to get the team ready for a race against the Francis Club Crew of Cornell in June.[25] A crowd of 3000 showed up at Onondaga Lake to watch the 2-mile (3.2 km) race in which Sweetland's varsity crew lost by six seconds.[26]

Cornell University's Percy Field c. 1905. Sweetland played football on this field as a student at Cornell as well as coached against his former school while coach of Hamilton and Syracuse.

In fall of that year, Sweetland began football practice on September 4, 1900 with 10 returning players from the 1899 team.[27] His team finished the season with a 7–2–1 record including victories over Amherst and Oberlin.[28] One of his losses was to his former school, Cornell by a score of 6–0. Syracuse coming into the game did have several advantages that made their fans optimistic that the Orange could pull out a victory. First the game was being played early in the season, September, 29th. The Orangemen had been practicing for several weeks longer than Cornell. The second benefit was a large crowd of Syracuse rooters attended the game. Even with the game being played at Cornell's Percy Field, Syracuse rooters filled half the grand stand and part of the bleachers. The third advantage was that Cornell's captain, Raymond Starbuck, had been hurt earlier in practice and could not play. Sweetland's team started out strongly and had several opportunities to score. Early in the game, after stopping Cornell on their first possession, Syracuse drove the ball into scoring position at the Cornell's 15 yard line but could not score. Later, just before half time, Cornell returned a fumble to the Syracuse's seven yard line but Sweetland's defence stopped them from scoring and took over on downs. Then in Syracuse's next possession, Carr, Syracuse's half-back, went through a hole in the Cornell line and ran seventy yards before Cornell's halfback A. B. Morrison caught him to prevent a touchdown. The game remained tied until about two minutes to play when Cornell's Morrison ran 25 yards for a touchdown. After the game Cornell accused Coach Sweetland's team of rough and dirty play.[29]

Sweetland again coached the rowing team for the 1901 season. The Syracuse crew took part in a regatta on Onondaga Lake on June 7, 1901. Sweetland's varsity eight again raced against the Francis Club crew of Cornell and lost by 1/4 of a boat length.[25] They raced in spite of the fact that Sweetland was in the hospital suffering from an attack of typhoid fever just a few weeks before the race.[30] The season ended with his team rowing in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta in Poughkeepsie, New York. This was the first time in school history that Syracuse attend this event. Sweetland's varsity eight finished fifth out of six teams. Cornell finished first, but the Orangemen were able to beat University of Pennsylvania coached by Ellis Ward.[25]

Controversy erupted before the start of the 1901 football season. Cornell refused to play Syracuse because of bad feeling about rough play from the year before. They also questioned the amateur status of the Syracuse team. Syracuse stated that there were rules in force that prevented professional players but admitted that slight violations of the rules were possible. On the issue of rough play the year before, Syracuse investigated and found the accusation to be groundless. The Syracuse General Athletic Committee severed all athletic relations with their upstate New York rivals.[25] The two schools would not play again until 1935. The team finished 7–1 with including victories over Brown, Columbia and Amherst and outscored their opponent by 150 to 27.[28] The New York Sun rated them the 7th best team in the nation.[25]

Sweetland returned for his third year as rowing coach in 1902. Before the season the outlook for Varsity crews at Syracuse looked to be good. Coach Sweetland had experienced rowers to choose the Varsity crew from. Most members of the 1901 Varsity and Freshmen crews returned for 1902.[31] The team returned to Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta. Before the race Syracuse crew weight dropped to an average of less than 155 lb (70 kg). Sweetland had to reduce the training before the Regatta.[32] In their second attempt, Syracuse finished fifth out of six teams beating Georgetown in the Varsity race. Cornell finished first followed by Wisconsin, Columbia and Penn. Even though this was the same place they finished the year before it was considered an improvement. The time of 19 minutes 31 seconds was the fastest time at that distance.[25][33]

The 1903 football season under Coach Sweetland saw Syracuse outscore their opponents by a combined score of 153 to 87. The team finished the season with a record of 6–2–1. Wins included shutouts against Colgate and Amherst and disappointing lopsided losses to Army and Yale.[25][28]

Before the 1903 rowing season, the Athletic Council replaced Sweetland with James A. Ten Eyck as rowing coach. Sweetland had demanded a higher salary to coach the rowing team. When his demands were not met he resigned from all athletic work at Syracuse. The rowing team threaten a revolt but no major action was taken.[34] Even though they replaced him at rowing coach some in the council tried to retain him as football coach for the 1904 season.[35] They were unsuccessful, with the full council deciding to go in a different direction. In the end Sweetland coached football for three years at Syracuse with a combined record of 20–5-2.[28]

Return to Hamilton

Sweetland returned to Hamilton to coach the 1903 football team to a 6–3 record.[21][36] During that season Hamilton football team ran into financial troubles and was unable to meet the financial offers from other institutions for Sweetland services and he left after the season. In statement released to the alumni, Hamilton stressed Sweetland unselfishness and dedication to the team. The release went on to state that "...his conduct on the football field, both in action and speech he was a perfect gentleman, and for this he was heartily admired by faculty and students."[37]

Courtney and Cornell Athletic Council

Charles Courtney, Cornell rowing coach

After leaving Hamilton, Sweetland considered an offer to be assistant rowing coach under his former mentor Coach Courtney at Cornell for the 1904 season. Courtney wanted Sweetland to replace F. D. Colson who moved on to become coach at Harvard. While negotiation were still pending, the Rowing Committee of the Cornell Athletic Council announced that they hired C. A. Lueder to the position. This caused a power struggle between Courtney and the Athletic Council for control of the rowing program.[38] The conflict was resolved when the Rowing Committee canceled the job offer to Lueder. In addition, the Athletic Council limited their interference with the rowing team by giving Coach Courtney the power to pick member of the crew and designate the oarsmen position. However, Sweetland did not become Courtney's assistant because in the time it took resolve the conflict, he was offered and accepted the position as head football coach at Ohio State University. With Sweetland out of the picture, Courtney hired Lueder as his assistant rowing coach.[39]

Ohio State

In 1904, Sweetland became the head football at Ohio State University. In his first year, he led the Buckeyes to a 6–5 record. Of the five losses only one was an Ohio Athletic Conference rival, a close 4–2 decision to Oberlin. Expectations were high for the 1904 team. The athletic association to purchased 1,500 additional bleacher seats for the east side of University Field, but, the team fell way short of all expectations and the expected crowds never materialized.[40] Even with the disappointing season Sweetland's team did accomplished a first in Ohio State football history. It was the first Buckeye team to cross the goal line against University of Michigan. The touchdown was scored by the Buckeye's when Bill Marquardt returned a fumble fifty yards.[41][42] The next year he and the Buckeyes improved to 8–2–2. This team did not give up any points in Ohio Athletic Conference games. They did have a 0–0 tie to Case Institute of Technology. Case won the conference due to the fact they played and won two more games in conference than the Buckeyes. The two losses that season were to future Big Ten Conference rivals University of Michigan (40–0) and Indiana University (11–0). Sweetland finished with a combined record of 14–7–2 in his two years as the Buckeyes head man. Sweetland also coached the Buckeye's track and field team. With a victory over Oberlin in a dual meet by a score of 52–33 the Buckeyes won the state championship for 1905.[43]

Colgate

After helping Pop Warner at Cornell as an alumni football coach, Sweetland returned to being a head coach in 1907 at Colgate University where he coached the track team.[44] The team was successful in winning both triangular meets they entered including one against nearby rivals Hamilton and Rochester.[45] He was then named head football coach for the 1908 season. Going into the season the team prospects were considered poor. Nine of the top 17 players from the previous season did not return including standouts Milton Proctor, Theodore Sprague, Joseph Kronenburg, and Arthur Clark. The only experience lineman, Evan Boardman, caught pneumonia before the season and missed several practices. The university's athletic department was not able to provide a training table for the team because of lack of funds. Sweetland also had to deal with a tough schedule that included Cornell, Brown, Army and Syracuse.[46] Even with those obstacles Sweetland was able to guide Colgate to a winning record in his only season as the thirteenth coach of the Raiders. After getting shut out in three of the first four games of the season, the Raiders were able to turn the season around with a strong finish. The offense out-scored, Union, Syracuse and Hamilton by 53–4 in the last three games to secure a winning record. Though Sweetland was able to beat his former employer, Syracuse, he lost to his alma mater, Cornell, by a score of 9–0.[47]

Kentucky

Sweetland left Colgate and was hired as head football coach at the University of Kentucky (known as Kentucky State University at the time) in the fall of 1909. Kentucky was able to hire him due to a financially successfully 1908 Thanksgiving game versus in state rival Centre College, This game allowed them afford "eastern" coach to lead the football team.[48]

During the 1909 season the Wildcats scored several notable victories including a 6–2 over the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. The head of the military department at Kentucky, Commandant Corbusier, stated that the team "fought like Wildcats." Shortly after this, "Wildcats" became synonymous with the university and would eventually become the official nickname.[49] Other victories that year included a shutout victory over University of Tennessee Volunteers and a blow out of cross town rival Transylvania College. The team finished the season with a 15–6 victory over Centre before 6,-000 fans to win the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association (KIAA) state title.[50] The Sweetland-led Wildcats finished the year at 9–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 261 to 29 with the only blemish being a 15–6 loss to North Carolina A&M.[51] The gridiron success was more remarkable considering Sweetland became ill during the season and was feared that he could not continue to coach the football team. The local newspaper went so far to report that a replacement was selected.[50]

In the fall of 1909 the faculty athletic senate voted to abolish the men's basketball at Kentucky due to a poor record and an overcrowded gym. As a reaction to this, the University of Kentucky students presented the board of trustees with a solution to the overcrowding. The plan was for a wooden floor and new lighting to be installed in the Armory. To address the poor record of the past teams Sweetland was named coach. This made him first paid coach in Kentucky's basketball history. Before this time the team only had managers. In his first year the basketball team finished 4–8. R. E. Spahr assumed coaching duties during the season when Sweetland once again became ill.[52]

Sweetland had recovered from his Illness to coach the 1910 football season. The season went well for the Wildcats as they won the first seven straight victories. Among their victims were the North Carolina, Tennessee and Tulane. The last two games of the season did not go the Wildcats way. Team traveled to St. Louis University in the eighth game and was shut out by a score of 9–0. Centre College beat Kentucky on Thanksgiving Day in the last game of the season by a score of 12–6. Sweetland's team had several costly fumbles to allow Centre to claim the State title. This game was marred by several controversies. The first was before the game A. H. Throckmorton of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association (KIAA) ruled that several of Centre College players were not eligible to play because their educational background did not meet the minimum requirement set out by the KIAA. Centre played the players that KIAA stated that were ineligible in the game anyway. It did so since both Kentucky and Centre were also members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) who had not ruled on the players' eligibility. The second was due to a verbal argument before the game that escalated to a point that Centre stated it was fearful of UK's actions and also stated it would never play Kentucky again.[53]

At the end of the season Sweetland's health once again began to fail. He submitted his resignation and accepted what he hoped would be a "less stressful job" as the University of Wisconsin–Madison rowing coach. By mid January, Sweetland, had to send word to University of Wisconsin–Madison Athletic Director George W. Ehler that he will be unable to continue his duties due to his ongoing illness.[54][55]

Edwin R. Sweetland while at Miami University

Miami

After leaving Kentucky, Sweetland wound up as head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for the 1911 season. He replaced Harold Iddings, who ended up replacing Sweetland as head basketball coach at UK. After scoring a 46–0 victory over Wilmington, Miami's offense only scored 11 points and finished the season 2–4–2. One of his team's losses was to his former employer, the University of Kentucky by the score of 12–0. He returned to coach the Wildcats for the 1912 season. He was the last head coach to leave Miami with a losing record until 1989 when Tim Rose's contract was not renewed.[56]

Return to Kentucky

1911-12 UK Wildcat Basketball Team coached by E. R. Sweetland

Sweetland returned to the University of Kentucky in 1912 as part of an overall revamping of athletic programs by University President Henry Stites Barker. Barker created a position of Athletic Director to oversee all athletics and physical education. The position had the faculty status of a department chair. Baker hired Sweetland to fill this position, which included that he serve as both head coach of the football and basketball team.[57]

The second edition of Sweetland basketball team at Kentucky was more successful than his first. His second stint as head basketball coach went better than his first. The Wildcats posted an undefeated season with a record of 9–0.

Even with the success on the hard court Sweetland's return was marred by several problems and troubles. Sweetland had to deal with disciplinary action by KIAA who had been investigating the use of ineligible athletes. Sweetland announced that Kentucky would leave the KIAA after the end of the academic year. Even with this announcement the KIAA suspended the Wildcats for one year. This caused Sweetland several problems including putting together a schedule for the 1912 football season. Most games had to be filled with schools from outside the state with emphasis put on games with fellow SIAA schools. Rumors that the KIAA had informed the SIAA of its findings plus strong criticism from the faculty council, most notably the dean of the engineering department, Paul Anderson were ongoing issues that Sweetland had to deal with.[57]

The 1912 Wildcats posted a 7–2 record, losing only to Sweetland's former school, Miami University, by a score of 13–8 and VMI by a score of 3-2.[51] During the season, Sweetland had to fire his assistant coach Richard S. Webb after he took several team members to a Knoxville Red-light district after the football game versus the University of Tennessee.[57]

Near the end of the season a fire broke out in the on-campus office of Athletic Department critic Paul Anderson. The fire caused little damage to the building but destroyed several items in the office. Originally it was reported as an electrical fire but latter changed to arson. This was reinforced by discovery of several items from Anderson's office near the football field.[57] In early December Sweetland, along with six students with ties to the athletic department, were arrested for starting the fire. The warrants for arrest were sworn to by Captain Richard Webb.[58] As well as being a former Kentucky football coach and captain of the 1910 Wildcat football team, Webb was from a prominent Lexington family as well as being an officer of the court. Sweetland and Webb had been close friends and business partners but their friendship had deteriorated.[59]

The case took an unexpected turn when the investigation by the State Fire Marshall, Police and District Attorney changed its focus from Sweetland to Richard Webb. Webb hired a prominent legal team which included Henry S. Breckinridge. During the preliminary trial Webb's defense attorneys tried to paint Sweetland mentally unstable and tried to switch suspicion to Sweetland. At the end of the preliminary trail the judge ruled that probable cause existed to hold Webb on the charge of arson.

At the trial Webb's defense team dropped the tactic of switching blame to Sweetland. Instead they focused on discrediting the testimony of Thomas Baker who had confessed to a charge of arson and implicated Webb as his accomplice. They also had several family members provide an alibi for Webb and were successful in having the fingerprint evidence thrown out. During final arguments the defense team argued that the prosecution had failed to Webb's motive. In the end the jury only took 45 minutes to reach a not guilty verdict.[60]

Early in 1913, before the Webb arson case went to trial, Edwin Sweetland resigned his duties as coach and athletic administrator. The UK athletic department announced that he "could not be induced to stay."[61] As the football coach of the Wildcats, Sweetland compiled a 23–5 mark in three seasons.[51]

West Virginia

After the second stint at Kentucky, Sweetland moved on to West Virginia University for the 1913 season. After starting the season with two convincing wins over Davis & Elkins College and Waynesburg the Mountaineer stumbled the rest of the way to a 3–4–2 record. This did not sit well with West Virginia fans and alumni. "When WVU lost to (West Virginia) Wesleyan for the second straight season, 21–0, outraged alumni called for the hiring of a nationally known coach."[62]

The 1914 Tulane University Football team holding a football painted to celebrate their 0-0 tie with LSU

Tulane

Sweetland left West Virginia and took a job to coach football for the 1914 season at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Shortly before Sweetland was supposed to leave for New Orleans, he almost reneged of his commitment to coach Tulane. This was due to the slow recovery of a broken ankle caused by a stray foul ball while at a park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Tulane administration successfully persuaded Sweetland that the college needed his coaching experience.[63] In his only year as the head coach for the Green Wave, Sweetland, had a record of 3–3–1. The highlight of the season was an 82–0 victory over Centenary and a 0–0 tie with archrival LSU in the season finale.[64] In addition to coaching football, Sweetland also coached the basketball and track teams during the 1914-15 academic year.[65]

E. R. Sweetland while coach of Tulane

Alfred

After leaving Tulane, Sweetland returned to his native Western New York and spent several seasons in a part-time job as football coach at Alfred University. Under Sweetland leadership Saxons won regularly, posting a 17–5 record during his four years as coach. He took over the team in 1915 and coached it to a 4–2 record. The biggest win that season was a 13–7 victory over nearby Syracuse University's freshman team.[66] After the season he hired to coach the team the next season as well as being a given a "22 savage rifle" in appreciation for his success.[67] Before the 1916 Season, Sweetland instituted pre-season practice which helped Alfred achieve one of the "most memorable football years."[68] The team finished with a record of 5-1 including two noteworthy victories. The Saxons defeated rival Hobart College for the first time since 1907 and defeated national power Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Sweetland's 1917 squad finished the season with a 3-0 record that was shortened when two colleges cancelled games. The season included 2-0 victory over Grove City College on a field described as "liquid chocolate glue".[68] This was the school's first unbeaten and untied season.[66] In 1918, due to World War I, Alfred campus life was dominated by the Student Army Training Corps. The Corps was designed to provide the military with officers during the War. Alfred did not hire Sweetland to be their football coach, but instead used multiple officers from the Corps.[69] Sweetland however did return for the 1919 season. The Saxons played seven games but only three against other four year colleges. Sweetland was critiqued for the overall play of the team and practice schedule. An open meeting was called in which criticism directed at the coach. During this meeting Sweetland declared that he could no longer coach at Alfred.[68]

After coaching

After coaching Sweetland became a farmer and lawyer in hometown Dryden, New York. In a draft registration card completed in September 1918, Sweetland listed his residence as Dryden and his occupation as farmer.[70] At the time of the 1920 and 1930 United States Censuses, he was living in Dryden with his wife, Hester, and his occupation was again listed as a farmer.[71][72]

Sweetland also was involved in Dryden, New York and Tompkins County politics. Sweetland was a prominent member of the local Democratic Party. He served his community by holding numerous town offices including serving as member of the local draft board.[5][6] In 1937 he was named "Superintendent of Sheep and Swine" of the New York State Fair succeeding E. S. Hill of Freeville, New York.[73] He also served as Supervisor of the Town of Dryden from 1938 to 1944[5][6] In his political career he had to overcome being a Democrat in an overwhelming Republican county. The local voter rolls when he was elected Supervisor, shows that Republican outnumbered Democrats by close to a 2.5 to one margin in Tompkins County and a 3 to 1 margin in his hometown of Dryden.[74]

Family

On September 28, 1914, Edwin Sweetland married Hester Donnelly a nurse whom he meet at a West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while recuperating from a broken leg he suffered at a baseball game when he was hit by a foul ball while working for the Pittsburgh Playground Association. Mrs. Sweetland was born in Armagh, Ireland and emigrated with her family when she was five years old. After secretly being married in a small town in Ohio, the couple spent a short time at Sweetland home in Dryden, New York before heading to New Orleans for his job as head football coach of Tulane University. They returned to Dryden after his only season as Tulane football coach. They had one child named Edwin R. Sweetland Jr. Mrs. Sweetland died in 1930 at Memorial Hospital in Ithaca, New York.[63][75][76]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Hamilton Continentals (Independent) (1899)
1899 Hamilton 8–2–1
Syracuse Orangemen (Independent) (1900–1902)
1900 Syracuse 7–2–1
1901 Syracuse 7–1
1902 Syracuse 6–2–1
Syracuse: 20–5–2
Hamilton Continentals (Independent) (1903)
1903 Hamilton 6–3
Hamilton: 14–5–1
Ohio State Buckeyes (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1904–1905)
1904 Ohio State 6–5 2–1 2nd
1905 Ohio State 8–2–2 2–0–1 2nd
Ohio State: 14–7–2 4–1–1
Colgate (Independent) (1908)
1908 Colgate 4–3
Colgate: 4–3
Kentucky Wildcats (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1909–1910)
1909 Kentucky 9–1
1910 Kentucky 7–2
Miami Redskins (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1911)
1911 Miami 2–4–2 1–3–1 9th
Miami: 2–4–2
Kentucky Wildcats (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1912)
1912 Kentucky 7–2
Kentucky: 23–5
West Virginia Mountaineers (Independent) (1913)
1913 West Virginia 3–4–2
West Virginia: 3–4–2
Tulane Olive and Blue (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1914)
1914 Tulane 3–3–1
Tulane: 3–3–1
Alfred Saxons (Independent) (1915–1917)
1915 Alfred 4–2
1916 Alfred 5–1
1917 Alfred 3–0
Alfred Saxons (Independent) (1919)
1919 Alfred 5–2
Alfred: 17–5
Total: 100–41–10

Basketball

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Kentucky Wildcats (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1909–1912)
1909–10 Kentucky 4–8
1911–12 Kentucky 9–0
Kentucky: 13–8
Tulane Green Wave (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1914–1915)
1914–15 Tulane 2–3
Tulane: 2–3
Total: 15–11

      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

  1. ↑ "The Founding of The Delta Chi Fraternity". deltachi.org. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 "Union's New Football Captain". New York Times. December 2, 1895. p. 3.
  3. ↑ Raymond, Andrew Van Vranken, " Union University: Its History, Influence, Characteristics and Equipment," Vol. III (Lewis Publishing Company, New York New York 1907), p. 258
  4. ↑ "Thirty-first commencement" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News publishing Co. 1 (12): 33. January 13, 1938. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Edwin R. Sweetland - University of Kentucky Coaching Record". www.bigbluehistory.net. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Political advertisement, 1933". livingindryden.org. April 11, 2007. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Prominent Figures in Three Decades of Cornell Football" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News Publishing Co. XXIX (18): 218. February 3, 1927. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
  8. 1 2 3 "2007 Cornell Football Media Guide". CornellBigRed.com. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
  9. ↑ "CORNELL'S FOOTBALL OUTLOOK.; Many Old Players Will Have to be Replaced by New Men". New York Times. September 19, 1897. p. 10.
  10. ↑ "Football at Cornell". New York Times. September 11, 1898. p. 20.
  11. ↑ Davis, Parke Hill, "Football, the American Intercollegiate Game," (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York New York 1911), p. 177
  12. ↑ "Camp's 1898 All-America Teams". Evening Independent. 1930-11-21.
  13. ↑ "Cornell's New Football Captain". New York Times. December 4, 1898. p. 2.
  14. ↑ "CORNELL'S FOOTBALL CAPTAIN.; The Members of The Team Elect Edwin R. Sweetland". New York Times. January 15, 1899. p. 8.
  15. ↑ Maxwell, W. H. (May 1899). "College Athletics". Recreation. New York: Charles Francis Press, G. O. Shields (editor). X (5): 408–415.
  16. ↑ "Cornell's New Football Captain". New York Times. February 19, 1899. p. 9.
  17. ↑ "OARSMEN AT CORNELL; Members of Both the University and Annapolis Crews Being Rapidly Whipped Into Shape". New York Times. April 11, 1897. p. 20.
  18. ↑ "CORNELL'S STROKE FASTER.; No Truth in the Rumor of Another Shake-up the Boat". New York Times. June 8, 1897. p. 5.
  19. ↑ Hewett, Waterman Thomas, "Cornell University: A History," (The University Publishing Society, New York, USA, 1905), vol 3, p. 196-200, 257-258,
  20. ↑ Smalley, p. 258,
  21. 1 2 "Hamilton 2007 football media guide" (PDF). Hamilton.edu. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
  22. ↑ Smalley, Frank (editor), "Alumni Record and General Catalogue of Syracuse University 1899-1904," (Alumni Association of Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA, 1904), Vol II (supplement) p.15-16
  23. ↑ "2007 Syracuse Rowing Media Guide" (PDF). suathletics.com. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  24. ↑ "COLLEGE ATHLETES' WORK; Men Being Rapidly Whipped Into Shape for Contests". New York Times. April 8, 1900. p. 10.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Smalley, p. 457-461
  26. ↑ "Cornell Crew Won". New York Times. June 16, 1900. p. 5. Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  27. ↑ Smalley, p. 20
  28. 1 2 3 4 "Syracuse Yearly Results". cfbdatawarehouse.com. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  29. ↑ "FOOTBALL VICTORIES - Cornell Defeats Colgate and Syracuse in the Opening: Games." (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News publishing Co. III (2): 11. October 3, 1900. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  30. ↑ "The Alumni" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News publishing Co. III (33): 253. May 22, 1901. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  31. ↑ "THE ROWING SITUATION. At the Universities Which Will Be Represented at Poughkeepsie" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News publishing Co. IV (22): 165. March 12, 1902. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  32. ↑ "CORNELL IS THE FAVORITE; But Courtney Says His Crew Has Been Overrated – Good Work by the Columbia Oarsmen.". New York Times. June 20, 1902. p. 10.
  33. ↑ "CORNELL OARSMEN SWEPT THE RIVER; Ithaca Crews Won All Three Races at Poughkeepsie". New York Times. June 22, 1902. p. 1.
  34. ↑ "Ten Eyck to Coach Syracuse Crew". New York Times. January 23, 1903. p. 10.
  35. ↑ "Syracuse not to come" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News publishing Co. V (19): 151. February 19, 1903. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  36. ↑ "Sweetland to Coach Hamilton". New York Times. February 26, 1903. p. 10.
  37. ↑ "Praise for E. R. Sweetland, '99" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News Publishing Co. VI (17): 218. January 27, 1904. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  38. ↑ "ATHLETICS AT CORNELL.; Negotiations Looking to Lueder as Rowing Coach Are Suspended – Work of the Teams". New York Times. January 11, 1904. p. 8.
  39. ↑ "Courtney wins his point". New York Times. February 4, 1904. p. 10.
  40. ↑ "The History of Ohio State Football" (PDF). Ohio State University. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
  41. ↑ "Buckeyes and Sabermetrics, A Brief History". gosu02.tripod.com. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
  42. ↑ "Cornell Smoker at Philadelphia." (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News Publishing Co. VII (6): 90. November 9, 1904. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  43. ↑ "Cornell Alumni Notes" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News Publishing Co. VII (27): 457. April 12, 1905. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  44. ↑ "Princeton 14 cornell 5" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News Publishing Co. IX (5): 218. October 31, 1906. Retrieved January 30, 2008.
  45. ↑ "Sweetland is in Syracuse". The Post Standard (Syracuse, New York). June 3, 1907. p. 10.
  46. ↑ "Dubious Outlook For Colgate". Syracuse Herald. September 23, 1908. p. 12.
  47. ↑ "Colgate 2007 media guide". gocolgateraiders.com. Retrieved January 29, 2008.
  48. ↑ Stanly, Gregory Kent, "Before Big Blue – Sports at the University of Kentucky 1880-1940," (The University Press of Kentucky, 1996), p. 48, ISBN 0-8131-1991-X.
  49. ↑ "Wildcats Nickname". ukathletics.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  50. 1 2 Stanly, p. 49
  51. 1 2 3 "2007 University of Kentucky Football Media Guide". ukathletics.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  52. ↑ Stanly, p. 115-116
  53. ↑ Stanly, p. 50-51
  54. ↑ "Vail to Coach Wisconsin Crew". New York Times. January 20, 1911.
  55. ↑ "1911 Season". wiscorowinghistory.org. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  56. ↑ "Miami 2005 media guide". muredhawks.com. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  57. 1 2 3 4 Stanly, p. 58-59
  58. ↑ "Desk Burned, Six Arrested". New York Times. December 10, 1912.
  59. ↑ Stanly, p. 66-67
  60. ↑ Stanly, p. 64-72
  61. ↑ Stanly, p. 68
  62. ↑ "WVU football timeline". Charleston Daily Mail. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
  63. 1 2 "Sweetland Weds His Nurse". The Phi Gamma Delta. Board of Trustees of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta. 37 (2): 133. November 1914.
  64. ↑ "Tulane Green Wave 2005 football media guide". Tulane University. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  65. ↑ Jambalaya, Year Book of Tulane University 1915, Nashville: The Benson Printing Company, 1915, p. 343
  66. 1 2 "Alfred Football History". herrick.alfred.edu. Archived from the original on August 16, 2007. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
  67. ↑ Norwood, John Nelson (1957), Fiat Lux: The Story of Alfred University, Alfred, New York: Alfred University, p. 180
  68. 1 2 3 Norwood p. 181
  69. ↑ Norwood p. 165
  70. ↑ Draft registration card for Edwin Regur Sweetland. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Registration Location: Tompkins County, New York; Roll: 1819049; Draft Board: 0.
  71. ↑ Census entry for Edwin R. Sweetland and family. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Dryden, Tompkins, New York; Roll: T625_1265; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 173; Image: 348.
  72. ↑ Census entry for Edwin R. Sweetland and family. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Dryden, Tompkins, New York; Roll: 1654; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 12; Image: 149.0.
  73. ↑ "State Fair Post Goes to Dr. Turk". Syracuse Herald. March 7, 1937. p. 20. Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  74. ↑ "On the Campus and Down The Hill" (PDF). Cornell Alumni News. Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Alumni News publishing Co. 40 (14): 195. January 13, 1938. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
  75. ↑ "Wife of Grid Coach Dies at Dryden Home". Syracuse Herald. July 10, 1930. p. 4.
  76. ↑ Palmer, Sophia (editor) (November 1914). "Marriages". The American Journal of Nursing. Baltimore, Maryland: The Waverly Press. XV (2): 170.

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