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Billy Edson

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Billy Edson
Biographical details
Born(1874-09-25)September 25, 1874
Wilton, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 1965(1965-03-05) (aged 90)
Storm Lake, Iowa, U.S.
Alma materBuena Vista College (1896)
Iowa State Normal School (1898, 1901)
Playing career
1894–1896Buena Vista
1899–1900Iowa
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1901Iowa State Normals (assistant)
1902–1905Buena Vista
1907Buena Vista
Head coaching record
Overall14–9–2

Willis Charles “Billy” Edson (September 25, 1874 – March 5, 1965) was an American college football player, coach, lawyer, and politician in Iowa. He was the head football coach for Buena Vista College—now known as Buena Vista University—from 1902 to 1904. He was a halfback on the University of Iowa's Big Ten championship team in 1900 and was the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1925–1926.

Playing career

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Edson learned football while attending Buena Vista College from 1894-1896. He transferred to Iowa State University, where he played two seasons on the football team and earned his bachelor's degree.[1] Edson attended law school at the University of Iowa, earning his law degree in 1901.

Edson starred on two undefeated Hawkeye teams in 1899 and 1900. As a junior in 1899, he helped Iowa to an 8–0–1 record, with the tie being a 5–5 draw against Amos Alonzo Stagg's University of Chicago team.[2] Edson scored the game's only touchdown in the contest against Chicago. In the final game of the season, he scored five touchdowns for Iowa in a 58-0 victory over Illinois.[3] At the end of the season, Iowa was admitted into the Big Ten Conference, beginning in 1900.

As a senior in 1900, Edson helped lead Iowa to a Big Ten championship in its first year in the conference. He scored one touchdown in Iowa's first ever Big Ten game, a 17-0 victory over Chicago, and he scored another touchdown the following week in a 28-5 victory over Michigan.[4] In two years at Iowa, Edson scored 23 touchdowns, including seven of fifty yards or more.[5]

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After obtaining his law degree in 1901, Edson spent one season as an assistant football coach at the University of Northern Iowa before beginning a long and successful legal and political career. He practiced law in Storm Lake, Iowa, for over sixty years and was a member of the Iowa State Legislature from 1919–1927.[6] Edson served as the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1925-1926 and was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 1936.[7]

Honors

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Edson served for decades on the Board of Trustees at Buena Vista College. For his long-standing support of the college, Buena Vista renamed their gymnasium, Victory Hall, in his honor. Edson Hall is now used by Buena Vista's music department.[8] For his athletic career, Billy Edson was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 1959.

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Buena Vista (Independent) (1902–1905)
1902 Buena Vista 2–3
1903 Buena Vista 3–2
1904 Buena Vista 5–2–1
1905 Buena Vista 0–1
Buena Vista (Independent) (1907)
1907 Buena Vista 4–1–1
Buena Vista: 14–9–2
Total: 14–9–2

References

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  1. ^ Billy Edson chronology
  2. ^ "Gridiron Glory". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
  3. ^ Billy Edson Iowa Hall of Fame bio
  4. ^ 75 Years With The Fighting Hawkeyes, by Bert McCrane & Dick Lamb, Page 21 (ASIN: B0007E01F8)
  5. ^ 75 Years With The Fighting Hawkeyes, by Bert McCrane & Dick Lamb, Page 24 (ASIN: B0007E01F8)
  6. ^ Billy Edson bio Archived August 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Billy Edson chronology
  8. ^ "Edson Hall". Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
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