Edward N. Robinson
 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 15, 1873 Sabattus, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 1945 (aged 71) Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1892–1895 | Brown |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1896–1897 | Nebraska |
| 1898–1901 | Brown |
| 1902 | Maine |
| 1903 | Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) |
| 1904–1907 | Brown |
| 1909 | Tufts |
| 1910–1925 | Brown |
| 1926–1929 | Boston University |
| 1931 | Providence Steam Roller |
| Baseball | |
| 1897 | Nebraska |
| 1901 | Yale |
| 1902–1903 | Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 170–113–16 (college football) 4–4–3 (NFL) 8–5–1 (college baseball) |
| Bowls | 0–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 WIUFA (1897) 1 MIAA (1902) | |
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1955 (profile) | |
Edward North "Robbie" Robinson (October 15, 1873 – March 10, 1945) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Brown University, University of Maine, and Tufts College—now known as Tufts University, and co-head football coach at Boston University.[1][2] He also coached for the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
Early life
Robinson was born in Sabattus, Maine, and attended Danvers High School the Dean Academy.[3][4] He played halfback for the Brown Bears football team and was a pitcher and right field for the Brown Bears baseball team.[3] Robinson was selected by Walter Camp in 1895 as a Third Team All-American. He graduated from Brown in 1896 and earned a degree from the Boston University School of Law in 1898.[5]
Coaching
Football
Robinson began his coaching career at Nebraska. He compiled a 11-4-1 record over two seasons and led Nebraska to its ever first conference championship.[6] He then coached at his alma mater from 1898 to 1901.[4] He coached at the University of Maine in 1902 and at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1903.[7] He returned to Brown in 1904 and remained there until 1907. After one year as the head coach at Tufts, he returned to Brown for his third stint as head coach.[8] In 1923 he turned down the opportunity to become the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.[9] Robinson and his assistant Reggie Brown were let go after the 1925 season, ending his 24 year tenure as Brown’s head coach.[10] On April 2, 1926, athletic director George V. Brown hired Robinson and Brown to coach the Boston University football team.[11] They served as co-head coaches of BU until 1930, when they were replaced by Hilary Mahaney.[12] In 1931, Robinson coached the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League.[13] Under Robinson, the Steam Roller finished the 1931 season 4–4–3 record.[14]
Baseball
In 1901, Robinson was hired to coach baseball at Yale University.[15] The following year he led the Phillips Exeter baseball team to a championship.[16] He was retained by Phillips Exeter for the following season and given the additional role as head football coach.[7]
Later life
A longtime resident of Danvers, Massachusetts, Robinson spent his later years in Boston's Brighton neighborhood and was in charge of football for the Boston Parks Department.[3][4] He died on March 10, 1945, at Corey Hill Hospital in Brookline, Massachusetts.[4]
Head coaching record
College football
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Bugeaters (Western Interstate University Football Association) (1896–1897) | |||||||||
| 1896 | Nebraska | 6–3–1 | 1–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1897 | Nebraska | 5–1 | 3–0 | 1st | |||||
| Nebraska: | 11–4–1 | 4–1–1 | |||||||
| Brown Bears (Independent) (1898–1901) | |||||||||
| 1898 | Brown | 6–4 | |||||||
| 1899 | Brown | 7–3–1 | |||||||
| 1900 | Brown | 7–3–1 | |||||||
| 1901 | Brown | 4–7–1 | |||||||
| Maine Black Bears (Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1902) | |||||||||
| 1902 | Maine | 6–2 | 3–1 | 1st | |||||
| Maine: | 6–2 | 3–1 | |||||||
| Brown Bears (Independent) (1904–1907) | |||||||||
| 1904 | Brown | 6–5 | |||||||
| 1905 | Brown | 7–4 | |||||||
| 1906 | Brown | 6–3 | |||||||
| 1907 | Brown | 7–3 | |||||||
| Tufts Jumbos (Independent) (1909) | |||||||||
| 1909 | Tufts | 2–6 | |||||||
| Tufts: | 2–6 | ||||||||
| Brown Bears (Independent) (1910–1925) | |||||||||
| 1910 | Brown | 7–2–1 | |||||||
| 1911 | Brown | 7–3–1 | |||||||
| 1912 | Brown | 6–4 | |||||||
| 1913 | Brown | 4–5 | |||||||
| 1914 | Brown | 5–2–1 | |||||||
| 1915 | Brown | 5–4–1 | L Rose | ||||||
| 1916 | Brown | 8–1 | |||||||
| 1917 | Brown | 8–2 | |||||||
| 1918 | Brown | 2–3 | |||||||
| 1919 | Brown | 5–4–1 | |||||||
| 1920 | Brown | 6–3 | |||||||
| 1921 | Brown | 5–3–1 | |||||||
| 1922 | Brown | 6–2–1 | |||||||
| 1923 | Brown | 6–4 | |||||||
| 1924 | Brown | 5–4 | |||||||
| 1925 | Brown | 5–4–1 | |||||||
| Brown: | 140–82–12 | ||||||||
| Boston University Terriers/Pioneers (Independent) (1926–1929) | |||||||||
| 1926 | Boston University | 2–6 | |||||||
| 1927 | Boston University | 3–4–1 | |||||||
| 1928 | Boston University | 3–3–2 | |||||||
| 1929 | Boston University | 3–6 | |||||||
| Boston University: | 11–19–3 | ||||||||
| Total: | 170–113–16 | ||||||||
NFL
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| PSR | 1931 | 4 | 4 | 3 | .500 | 6th | – | – | – | – |
| PSR Total | 4 | 4 | 3 | .500 | – | – | – | – | ||
| Total | 4 | 4 | 3 | .500 | – | – | – | – | ||
References
- ^ "Going Back to Brown: Edward N. Robinson Again Appointed Football Coach There - With Tufts Last Year". The Boston Daily Globe. February 12, 1910.
- ^ "Marsters Is Engaged as Co-Coach of Eleven At Boston University for Coming Season". The New York Times. January 19, 1930.
- ^ a b c Mack, Gene (November 14, 1924). "Coaches Who Once Played the Game: Edward N. Robinson, Brown". The Boston Daily Globe.
- ^ a b c d "Ed Robinson; Noted Football Mentor, Dies". The Boston Daily Globe. March 11, 1945.
- ^ "Edward N. Robinson Former Brown grid coach". New York Daily News. New York, New York. Associated Press. March 11, 1945. p. 76. Retrieved October 21, 2018 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ "Mick Stoltenberg on Nebraska's future". The Breeze. January 17, 2019.
- ^ a b "Decide on Robinson". The Boston Daily Globe. January 31, 1903.
- ^ "Going Back to Brown". The Boston Daily Globe. February 12, 1910.
- ^ "Brown Coach Turns Down Alabama Job". The Boston Daily Globe. January 26, 1923.
- ^ "Robinson Not to Coach at Brown Next Season". The Boston Daily Globe. December 24, 1925.
- ^ Hallahan, John (April 3, 1926). "Robinson and Brown Signed to Coach B. U.". The Boston Daily Globe.
- ^ "Marsters Is Engaged as Co-Coach of Eleven At Boston University for Coming Season". The New York Times. January 19, 1930.
- ^ Sportsman (February 16, 1931). "Tips and Topics". The Boston Daily Globe.
- ^ "Ed Robinson Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "School News". Yale Alumni Weekly. March 8, 1901. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ "Triumph for the Coach: Much of the Credit for Exeter's Victory Due to Edward N. Robinson". The Boston Daily Globe. June 9, 1902.