Charles ‘Babe’ Rinehart: The Lafayette College Guard Who Broke the Ivy League Barrier

Before the College Football Hall of Fame, before legendary Walter Camp named him All-American, Charles “Babe” Rinehart was setting an indelible standard for interior linemen outside of the major powerhouses. Learn about the early gridiron legend born in 1875 whose excellence earned him recognition that defined his era.

Football Bio

December 31, 1875 – Uniontown, New Jersey – Lafayette College’s stellar guard Charles “Babe” Rinehart was born. The NFF says that Rinehart was one of the first players outside the Ivy League to earn All-America recognition from the legendary Walter Camp, who selected the teams. Other experts of the gridiron era had high regard for Babe; Parke Davis, an authority on football’s early era, named Rinehart to his All-Time All-America first team, while New York Sun football editor George Trevor hailed Rinehart as “one of the great guards of the era.” The College Football Hall of Fame inducted Babe Rinehart in 1964.

Conclusion

Charles “Babe” Rinehart’s career serves as a crucial testament to the fact that football excellence was never limited to the traditional power structures of the early era. As one of the first non-Ivy League players to capture the attention of the game’s ultimate authority, Walter Camp, Rinehart not only achieved individual greatness but also helped expand the geographical footprint of recognized college football talent. His enduring spot on Parke Davis’ All-Time All-America team and his subsequent induction into the College Football Hall of Fame solidify his legacy as one of the sport’s original, and greatest, interior linemen.

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

• Walter Camp All-American: One of the first players outside the Ivy League to earn All-America recognition from the legendary Walter Camp.
• All-Time All-America: Named to Parke Davis’ All-Time All-America first team.
• Era Recognition: Hailed as “one of the great guards of the era” by New York Sun football editor George Trevor.
• College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1964.
• Position: Stellar Guard for Lafayette College.