Frank Lester Murrey (July 27, 1900 – February 14, 1977) was an American college football player, track athlete, and banker. He plaued football at Princeton University from 1918 to 1920 and was selected by Walter Camp as the first-team quarterback on the 1918 All-America college football team.
 | |
| Princeton Tigers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Class | Graduate |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 27, 1900 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died: | February 14, 1977 (aged 76) Franklin, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Career history | |
| College | Princeton (1918–1920) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early years
editMurrey was born in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] He attended the Tabox School and at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. He played sandlot football in Nashville and at The Webb School.[2][3][4]
Princeton
editMurrey played quarterback for Princeton University from 1918 to 1921. As a freshman, he was selected by both Walter Camp and the Frank Menke Syndicate as a first-team player on the 1918 All-America college football team.[5][6] Murrey was a prominent athlete and won the British AAA Championships title in the javelin event at the 1920 AAA Championships.[7][8][9]
Also in 1920, Murrey ran 77 yards for a touchdown in Princeton's 14–0 victory over Navy. The New York Times described the run as a "nerve-tingling moment" and a "dazzling serpentine gallop."[10] He was also rated as "one of the all-time great dropkickers."[4] He reportedly once converted 50 consecutive field goals from a distance of 40 yards.[2] In 2000, Murrey was named as one of the backs on Princeton's All-Century Team 1900-99.[11]
In 1921, he won the Elks Grand Prix, a 600-meter special invitation race featuring the nine top college stars.[12]
Later years
editMurphy served in the military during World War I. He also worked for a banking house in New York and then returned to Tennessee where he worked for Rogers Caldwell Co. He later worked for an investment banking firm in Chicago and then returned to Tennessee where he worked as president of Franklin Industrial Corp., founded the Dixie Poultry Processing Company, and finally worked as a public relations director for Harpeth National Bank until retiring in 1972. He died on February 14, 1977, after a lengthy illness at age 76, at Williamson County Memorial Hospital in Franklin, Tennessee.[3][4]
Murrey was married to Mary Farr Denton. They had two children, Lale and Betty.[2]
References
edit- ^ Bob Rule (October 21, 1941). "Nashville Man Who Was a 1918 All-America At Princeton, Calls All-America 'Foolish'". Nashville Banner. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Franklin All-American (1918) Deplors 'Lost Football Arts'". Nashville Banner. December 2, 1950. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Mac Harris (April 18, 1960). "Murrey Starred in the Ivy League". The Tennessean. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Rites Today For Banker Frank Murrey". The Tennessean. February 15, 1977. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Camp's All American: Football Dean Names Three Teams from Last Season's Records" (PDF). The New York Times. December 31, 1918.
- ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1153
- ^ "The Athletic Championships". Weekly Dispatch (London). July 4, 1920. Retrieved November 23, 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Athletics". Newcastle Journal. July 5, 1920. Retrieved November 23, 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ "Princeton Beats Navy by 14 to 0: Murrey's Dazzling Run of 77 Yards to a Touchdown Is feature of Battle; Dodges Past Whole Team; Good Interference Helps Tiger Quarterback to Zigzag His Way to a Score". New YOrk Times. October 24, 1920.
- ^ "Princeton's All-Century Team 1900-99". Princeton University.
- ^ "Murrey Captures 500-Metre Race: Finish So Close Judges Have Difficulty Naming Winner at Legion Games" (PDF). The New York Times. February 23, 1921.