Big Bill Edwards

NFL player
Name=Bill Edwards


DateOfBirth=February 23, 1877
Birthplace=Lisle, New York
DateOfDeath=January 4, 1943
Deathplace=New York, New York
Position=G
College=Princeton University
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CollegeHOF=90012
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Bill "Big Bill" Edwards (born February 23, 1877) was an American football player who played guard for the Princeton University Tigers from 1896 to 1899. After graduation, he became an official and wrote a book entitled "College Days".

In 1910, he averted an attempt on the life of New York mayor William Gaynor by tackling the assailant and incurring a flesh wound in the arm in the process. For his heroism, Edwards was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism. [ [http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=90012 College Football Hall of Fame biography of Big Bill Edwards] ]

Later that decade, US President Woodrow Wilson appointed Edwards as Collector of Internal Revenue for New York's Second District. [ [http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=90012 College Football Hall of Fame biography of Big Bill Edwards] ]

Edwards was deputy of street cleaning in New York before becoming chief of waster disposal at nearby Newark, New Jersey. [George Gipe, "The Great American Sports Book" (Doubleday 1978) ISBN 0-385-13091-0] In 1926, Edwards became the first president of the first American Football League, which disbanded at the end of the season. Fourteen years later, his name was mentioned as a possible president of the third AFL at the press conference announcing the formation of the league, but did not serve in that position.

He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

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