Presidential Athletes: Gerald Ford's Football Career
Gerald Ford's name at birth was Leslie Lynch King, Jr. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 14, 1913. His mother, Dorothy Ayer Gardner, divorced Ford's birth father, who was a physically abusive alcoholic. She and her son moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she met Gerald Rudolph Ford, the owner of a paint store. She married him in 1916. Ford was fond of his mother's second husband and after graduating from college he officially changed his name to Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr.
Ford graduated from South High School in 1931, where he excelled in history and government. He finished in the top 5 percent of his class and was named the most popular senior by his classmates. In high school Ford worked at a local restaurant and began to play football. He played center on the offensive line, and he was considered to be one of the best in the state. His football talent helped him win a scholarship to the University of Michigan.
At college, Ford majored in economics. He worked a series of jobs that helped him pay for school, and was strong scholastically. Ford made the football team at Michigan. In his senior year, he started at center. He was a member of the University's national championship football teams in 1932 and 1933, and was voted the team's most valuable player in 1934. The team suffered a steep decline in 1934, Ford's senior year. They only won one game. After a game during which Michigan held heavily favored Minnesota (the eventual national champion) to a scoreless tie in the first half, assistant coach Bennie Oosterbaan later said, "When I walked into the dressing room at halftime, I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of them. Ford and [Cedric] Sweet played their hearts out. They were everywhere on defense."
Ford later recalled, "During 25 years in the rough-and-tumble world of politics, I often thought of the experiences before, during, and after that game in 1934. Remembering them has helped me many times to face a tough situation, take action, and make every effort possible despite adverse odds."
During Ford's senior year a controversy developed when the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets refused to play a scheduled game if an African-American player named Willis Ward played in the game. Michigan students, players and alumni protested, but university officials decided to keep Ward out of the game. Ford was Ward's best friend on the team and they roomed together while on road trips. At first Ford threatened to quit the team in response to the university's decision, but he eventually agreed to play against Georgia Tech after Ward personally asked him to play in the game.
In 1934, Ford was selected for the Eastern Team on the Shriner's East West Crippled Children game at San Francisco (a benefit for disabled children), played on January 1, 1935. In August 1935, he played center on the college team that lost to the Chicago Bears, 5 to 0, in the 1935 All-Star Football Game, played at Soldier Field. During the game Ford became the only future U.S. president to tackle a future Heisman Trophy winner when he brought down running back Jay Berwanger. Berwanger won the first Heisman the next year.
After graduation, both the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers offered Ford a professional contract. He turned them down, and instead decided to go to law school. Football, ironically, made that dream a reality. Ford hoped to attend Yale's law school beginning in 1935 while serving as boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach. Yale officials denied his admission to the law school at first because of his full-time coaching responsibilities. He spent the summer of 1937 as a student at the University of Michigan Law School. In the spring of 1938 he was admitted to Yale Law School. Yale University needed an assistant football coach. Ford took the job, which payed $2,400 a year. He was reputed to be an excellent coach. Some of the players he coached included future senators Robert Taft, Jr. of Ohio and William Proxmire of Wisconsin. Ford also coached boxing. Ford did well in his studies, graduating in the top third of his class in January 1941.
In honor of his athletic accomplishments and his later political career, the University of Michigan retired Ford's No. 48 jersey in 1994. It was placed back into circulation in 2012 as part of the Michigan Football Legends program and issued to sophomore linebacker Desmond Morgan before a home game against Illinois on October 13.
Ford remained interested in football throughout his life. He occasionally attended Michigan football games. He spoke to players and coaches during practices, and once he even asked to join the players in the huddle. He often had the Naval band play the University of Michigan fight song before state events instead of Hail to the Chief. He also chose the song to be played during his funeral procession at the U.S. Capitol. When Ford died in December of 2006, the University of Michigan Marching Band played the fight song for him one last time, for his last ride from the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Ford graduated from South High School in 1931, where he excelled in history and government. He finished in the top 5 percent of his class and was named the most popular senior by his classmates. In high school Ford worked at a local restaurant and began to play football. He played center on the offensive line, and he was considered to be one of the best in the state. His football talent helped him win a scholarship to the University of Michigan.
At college, Ford majored in economics. He worked a series of jobs that helped him pay for school, and was strong scholastically. Ford made the football team at Michigan. In his senior year, he started at center. He was a member of the University's national championship football teams in 1932 and 1933, and was voted the team's most valuable player in 1934. The team suffered a steep decline in 1934, Ford's senior year. They only won one game. After a game during which Michigan held heavily favored Minnesota (the eventual national champion) to a scoreless tie in the first half, assistant coach Bennie Oosterbaan later said, "When I walked into the dressing room at halftime, I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of them. Ford and [Cedric] Sweet played their hearts out. They were everywhere on defense."
Ford later recalled, "During 25 years in the rough-and-tumble world of politics, I often thought of the experiences before, during, and after that game in 1934. Remembering them has helped me many times to face a tough situation, take action, and make every effort possible despite adverse odds."
During Ford's senior year a controversy developed when the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets refused to play a scheduled game if an African-American player named Willis Ward played in the game. Michigan students, players and alumni protested, but university officials decided to keep Ward out of the game. Ford was Ward's best friend on the team and they roomed together while on road trips. At first Ford threatened to quit the team in response to the university's decision, but he eventually agreed to play against Georgia Tech after Ward personally asked him to play in the game.
In 1934, Ford was selected for the Eastern Team on the Shriner's East West Crippled Children game at San Francisco (a benefit for disabled children), played on January 1, 1935. In August 1935, he played center on the college team that lost to the Chicago Bears, 5 to 0, in the 1935 All-Star Football Game, played at Soldier Field. During the game Ford became the only future U.S. president to tackle a future Heisman Trophy winner when he brought down running back Jay Berwanger. Berwanger won the first Heisman the next year.
After graduation, both the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers offered Ford a professional contract. He turned them down, and instead decided to go to law school. Football, ironically, made that dream a reality. Ford hoped to attend Yale's law school beginning in 1935 while serving as boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach. Yale officials denied his admission to the law school at first because of his full-time coaching responsibilities. He spent the summer of 1937 as a student at the University of Michigan Law School. In the spring of 1938 he was admitted to Yale Law School. Yale University needed an assistant football coach. Ford took the job, which payed $2,400 a year. He was reputed to be an excellent coach. Some of the players he coached included future senators Robert Taft, Jr. of Ohio and William Proxmire of Wisconsin. Ford also coached boxing. Ford did well in his studies, graduating in the top third of his class in January 1941.
In honor of his athletic accomplishments and his later political career, the University of Michigan retired Ford's No. 48 jersey in 1994. It was placed back into circulation in 2012 as part of the Michigan Football Legends program and issued to sophomore linebacker Desmond Morgan before a home game against Illinois on October 13.
Ford remained interested in football throughout his life. He occasionally attended Michigan football games. He spoke to players and coaches during practices, and once he even asked to join the players in the huddle. He often had the Naval band play the University of Michigan fight song before state events instead of Hail to the Chief. He also chose the song to be played during his funeral procession at the U.S. Capitol. When Ford died in December of 2006, the University of Michigan Marching Band played the fight song for him one last time, for his last ride from the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan.