By Darin “I shall not make a pretence of yielding to an overwhelming public demand… It has been my good fortune to have served the city in a responsible position.. To that I have given my best endeavours.” ~ former football star player and respected coach Big Bill Edwards in 1915 while running for NYC Sheriff.
William Hanford “Big Bill” Edwards was a dominant force on the gridiron for Princeton University from 1896 to 1899. Standing 6’0″ and weighing 225 pounds—a massive frame for the era—he excelled at the guard position.+1
His accolades at Princeton include:
- National Championships: Helped lead the Tigers to two national titles in 1898 and 1899.
- All-American Honors: Earned Second-team All-America honors in 1898 and was a consensus First-team All-American in 1899.
- Team Leadership: Served as the Princeton team captain during his final season in 1899.
In recognition of his legendary collegiate career, Edwards was posthumously inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971. Beyond his playing days, he remained a prominent figure in the sport as a respected official and author of the 1916 book Football Days, one of the most comprehensive accounts of 19th-century college football.
