100 years ago today, The Milwaukee Leader (Milwaukee, Wis.) ran a pretty interesting article on its sports page. It was a notable moment in October 17 football history, offering a unique glimpse into the sporting world of that era. In fact, stories like this are important parts of October 17 football history that deserve to be remembered.
The image below features athletes who were excelling in both baseball and football at the time. One of these is a man we know quite well from his time spent with the Pottsville Maroons, and he is featured in our book Marooned: The Rise, The Fall, and The Redemption of the Pottsville Maroons. As a result, his career has become interwoven with October 17 football history.
Walter Edward French (July 12, 1899 – May 13, 1984) was a dual-sport American athlete who competed in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL) during the 1920s. Notably, he played a central role in October 17 football history thanks to his contributions on and off the field.
- College Athletics: French attended Rutgers University and the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. In 1920, he earned All-American honors as a football player for Army.
- NFL Career: As a halfback, French played for the Rochester Jeffersons and the Pottsville Maroons. During his 1925 season with Pottsville, he led the NFL with a 5.4 yards-per-carry average, playing an instrumental role in the Maroons claiming the highly disputed 1925 NFL Championship.
- MLB Career: French spent six seasons as an outfielder for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics (1923, 1925–1929). Known for his speed and bunting ability, he posted a .303 career batting average and hit .370 in 1925 to become the league’s top pinch-hitter. He concluded his major league career by winning the 1929 World Series with the Athletics.
- Coaching: Years after his playing career ended, French returned to West Point to serve as the academy’s head baseball coach from 1937 to 1942.
Feg Murray’s article, of course, covers many other great two-sport stars and is available in the Library of Congress archives to read for free.
Image provided by: Wisconsin Historical Society.
