George M. Lawton: Difference between revisions

George M. Lawton
	Lawton from 1910 Michigan football team portrait
Biographical details
Born	August 3, 1886; Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada
Died	September 30, 1941 (aged 55); Scio Township, Michigan, U.S.
Playing career
1908–1910	Michigan
Position(s)	Fullback, punter
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1913–1914	Detroit
Head coaching record
Overall	7–6–3

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George Morrison Lawton (August 3, 1886 – September 30, 1941) was an American football player and coach. He played at the fullback and punter positions for the University of Michigan football team from 1908 to 1910. He was the head coach for the University of Detroit Titans football team for the 1913 and 1914 seasons.

Early years

Lawton was born in Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada in 1886. He moved with his parents to Detroit, Michigan as an infant. His father, Thomas M. Lawton was a prominent physician in Detroit for 25 years. Lawton was educated in the Detroit public schools and graduated from Detroit Central High School.^[1]

University of Michigan

Lawton enrolled in the law department at the University of Michigan and received his LL.B. degree in 1911.^[1] While attending Michigan, he played for Fielding H. Yost's Michigan Wolverines football team as a fullback and punter from 1908 to 1910.^[2]

Coaching career

In August 1913, Lawton was hired as the head coach of Detroit Titans football team.^[3] He served in that capacity from 1913 to 1914. In two seasons as the team's head coach, he compiled a record of 6–6–3 (.500).^[4]

Curling

At the age of 43 he skipped the Michigan rink at the demonstration curling event at the 1932 Winter Olympics

Business career and family

After graduating from Michigan, Lawton was admitted to the Michigan bar, but he never practiced as an attorney. He worked for several years on YMCA activities in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the circulation department of The Detroit News, and in the real estate business. In 1913, he formed an insurance partnership called Lawton & Ouellette in Detroit. He worked for many years in the insurance business and also officiated at college and high school football games. Lawton married Laura Bessie Newton in 1917, and they had five children, Thomas Stanley,^[1] Bessie Jean,^[1] Louie Jane, Diana Howard and George Francis Eugene.

Lawton's brother, J. Fred Lawton, wrote the song "Varsity" for the Michigan football team. Lawton died in 1941 after several months of illness at his home in Ann Arbor at age 55.^[5]

Head coaching record


Year	Team	Overall
Detroit Tigers (Independent) (1913–1914)
1913	Detroit	5–3–1
1914	Detroit	2–3–2
Detroit College:		7–6–3
Total:		7–6–3

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller (1922). The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Volume 5. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 558, 561.
^ "George Lawton's Case Proves That Athletes Can Come Back: After a Brilliant Career on Preparatory School and Club Football Elevens, Lanky Detroiter Proves a Disappointment in College Until Latter Part of His Final Season". Detroit Free Press. November 23, 1910. p. 10. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
^ "'George Lawton Will Coach the 1913 U. of D. Football Eleven: Former U. of M. Fullback and Punter to Take Charge of the Destinies of Local University Team--Good Material at Hand". Detroit Free Press. August 29, 1913. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
^ Shafer, Ian. "University of Detroit Mercy (All seasons results)". College Football Reference. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
^ "George Morrison Lawton: Football Star on University of Michigan Teams, 1909-1910". The New York Times. October 1, 1941.

External links

George M. Lawton at Find a Grave

[Bio-1] William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller (1922). The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Volume 5. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 558, 561.

[2] "George Lawton's Case Proves That Athletes Can Come Back: After a Brilliant Career on Preparatory School and Club Football Elevens, Lanky Detroiter Proves a Disappointment in College Until Latter Part of His Final Season". Detroit Free Press. November 23, 1910. p. 10. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.

[3] "'George Lawton Will Coach the 1913 U. of D. Football Eleven: Former U. of M. Fullback and Punter to Take Charge of the Destinies of Local University Team--Good Material at Hand". Detroit Free Press. August 29, 1913. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.

[4] Shafer, Ian. "University of Detroit Mercy (All seasons results)". College Football Reference. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2010.

[5] "George Morrison Lawton: Football Star on University of Michigan Teams, 1909-1910". The New York Times. October 1, 1941.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American football player and coach (1886–1941)}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
 {{Infobox college coach
-| name             = George Morrison Lawton
+| name = George M. Lawton
-| image            = George M. Lawton.jpg
+| image = George M. Lawton.jpg
-| alt              =
+| alt =
-| caption          = Lawton from 1910 Michigan football team portrait
+| caption = Lawton from 1910 Michigan football team portrait
+| birth_date = {{Birth date|1886|8|3}}
-| sport            = [[American football|Football]]
+| birth_place = [[Ridgetown|Ridgetown, Ontario]], Canada
-| current_title            =
+| death_date = {{Death date and age|1941|9|30|1886|8|3}}
-| current_team          =
+| death_place = [[Scio Township, Michigan]], U.S.
-| current_conference       =
-| current_record    =
+| alma_mater =
+| player_years1 = 1908–1910
-| contract         =
+| player_team1 = [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]]
-| birth_date      = {{Birth date|1886|8|3}}
+| player_positions = [[Fullback (gridiron football)|Fullback]], [[Punter (football)|punter]]
-| birth_place       = [[Ridgetown]], [[Ontario]], Canada
+| coach_years1 = 1913–1914
-| death_date      = {{Death date and age|1941|9|30|1886|8|3}}
+| coach_team1 = [[Detroit Titans football|Detroit]]
-| death_place       =
+| overall_record = 7–6–3
-| player_years            = 1908&ndash;1910
+| bowl_record =
-| player_teams             = [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]]
+| tournament_record =
-| player_positions         = [[Fullback (American football)|Fullback]], [[punter (football)|punter]]
+| championships =
-| coach_years       = 1913&ndash;1914
+| awards =
-| coach_teams       = [[Detroit Titans|Detroit]]
+| coaching_records =
-| admin_years       =
-| admin_teams       =
-| overall_record    = 6&ndash;6&ndash;3 ({{Winning percentage|6|6|3}})
-| bowl_record       =
-| tournament_record =
-| CFbDWID          = 3991
-| championships    =
-| awards           =
-| coaching_records  =
-| CFBHOF_year      =
-| CFBHOF_id     =
-| BASKHOF_year         =
-| BASKHOF_id       =
-| CBBASKHOF_year        =
 }}
-'''George Morrison Lawton''' (August 3, 1886 - September 30, 1941) was an [[American football]] player and coach. He played at the [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] and [[Punter (American football)|punter]] positions for the [[University of Michigan]] football team from 1908 to 1910.  He was the head coach for the [[University of Detroit Mercy|University of Detroit]] [[Detroit Titans football|Titans football]] team for the 1913 and 1914 seasons.
+'''George Morrison Lawton''' (August 3, 1886 – September 30, 1941) was an [[American football]] player and coach. He played at the [[Fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]] and [[Punter (American football)|punter]] positions for the [[University of Michigan]] football team from 1908 to 1910.  He was the head coach for the [[University of Detroit Mercy|University of Detroit]] [[Detroit Titans football|Titans football]] team for the 1913 and 1914 seasons.
 ==Early years==
-Lawton was born in [[Ridgetown]], [[Ontario]], Canada in 1886.  He moved with his parents to [[Detroit]], Michigan as an infant. His father, Thomas M. Lawton was a prominent physician in Detroit for 25 years.  Lawton was educated in the Detroit public schools and graduated from Detroit Central High School.<ref name=Bio>{{cite book|author=William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller|title=The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Volume 5|publisher=The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company|year=1922|pages=558, 561|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=4hgVAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>
+Lawton was born in [[Ridgetown|Ridgetown, Ontario]], Canada in 1886.  He moved with his parents to [[Detroit]], Michigan as an infant. His father, Thomas M. Lawton was a prominent physician in Detroit for 25 years.  Lawton was educated in the Detroit public schools and graduated from Detroit Central High School.<ref name=Bio>{{cite book|author=William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller|title=The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Volume 5|publisher=The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company|year=1922|pages=558, 561|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4hgVAAAAYAAJ}}</ref>
 ==University of Michigan==
-Lawton enrolled in the law department at the [[University of Michigan]] and received his LL.B. degree in 1911.<ref name=Bio/>  While attending Michigan, he played for [[Fielding H. Yost]]'s [[Michigan Wolverines football]] team as a fullback and punter from 1908 to 1910.<ref>{{cite news|title=George Lawton's Case Proves That Athletes Can Come Back: After a Brilliant Career on Preparatory School and Club Football Elevens, Lanky Detroiter Proves a Disappointment in College Until Latter Part of His Final Season|newspaper=Detroit Free Press |date=November 23, 1910|page=10|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1749216512.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23%2C+1910&author=Special+to+The+Free+Press&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=10&desc=GEORGE+LAWTON%27S+CASE+PROVES+THAT+ATHLETES+CAN+COME+BACK}}</ref>
+Lawton enrolled in the law department at the [[University of Michigan]] and received his LL.B. degree in 1911.<ref name=Bio/>  While attending Michigan, he played for [[Fielding H. Yost]]'s [[Michigan Wolverines football]] team as a fullback and punter from 1908 to 1910.<ref>{{cite news|title=George Lawton's Case Proves That Athletes Can Come Back: After a Brilliant Career on Preparatory School and Club Football Elevens, Lanky Detroiter Proves a Disappointment in College Until Latter Part of His Final Season|newspaper=Detroit Free Press |date=November 23, 1910|page=10|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1749216512.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23%2C+1910&author=Special+to+The+Free+Press&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=10&desc=GEORGE+LAWTON%27S+CASE+PROVES+THAT+ATHLETES+CAN+COME+BACK|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131163150/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1749216512.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23,+1910&author=Special+to+The+Free+Press&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=10&desc=GEORGE+LAWTON'S+CASE+PROVES+THAT+ATHLETES+CAN+COME+BACK|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2013}}</ref>
 ==Coaching career==
-In August 1913, Lawton was hired as the head coach of [[Detroit Titans football]] team.<ref>{{cite news|title='George Lawton Will Coach the 1913 U. of D. Football Eleven: Former U. of M. Fullback and Punter to Take Charge of the Destinies of Local University Team--Good Material at Hand|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=August 29, 1913|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764896292.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+29%2C+1913&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&desc='George+Lawton+Will+Coach+the+1913+U.+of+P.+Football+Eleven&pqatl=google}}</ref>  He served in that capacity from 1913 to 1914.  In two seasons as the team's head coach, he compiled a record of 6&ndash;6&ndash;3 ({{Winning percentage|6|6|3}}).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Shafer|first=Ian|title=University of Detroit Mercy (All seasons results)|publisher=College Football Reference|url=http://cfreference.net/cfr/school.s?id=888|accessdate=November 29, 2010}}</ref>
+In August 1913, Lawton was hired as the head coach of [[Detroit Titans football]] team.<ref>{{cite news|title='George Lawton Will Coach the 1913 U. of D. Football Eleven: Former U. of M. Fullback and Punter to Take Charge of the Destinies of Local University Team--Good Material at Hand|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=August 29, 1913|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1764896292.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AAI&type=historic&date=Aug+29%2C+1913&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+%281858-1922%29&desc=%27George+Lawton+Will+Coach+the+1913+U.+of+P.+Football+Eleven&pqatl=google|access-date=July 6, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001944/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/doc/565230063.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AAI&type=historic&date=Aug%2029%2C%201913&author=&pub=Detroit%20Free%20Press%20%281858-1922%29&edition=&startpage=&desc=%27George%20Lawton%20Will%20Coach%20the%201913%20U.%20of%20P.%20Football%20Eleven|url-status=dead}}</ref>  He served in that capacity from 1913 to 1914.  In two seasons as the team's head coach, he compiled a record of 6&ndash;6&ndash;3 ({{Winning percentage|6|6|3}}).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Shafer |first=Ian |title=University of Detroit Mercy (All seasons results) |publisher=College Football Reference |url=http://cfreference.net/cfr/school.s?id=888 |accessdate=November 29, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208054052/http://cfreference.net/cfr/school.s?id=888 |archivedate=December 8, 2015 }}</ref>
+==Curling==
+At the age of 43 he skipped the Michigan rink at the demonstration curling event at the [[Curling_at_the_1932_Winter_Olympics|1932 Winter Olympics]]
 ==Business career and family==
-After graduating from Michigan, Lawton was admitted to the Michigan bar, but he never practiced as an attorney.  He worked for single years on YMCA activities in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]], in the circulation department of ''[[The Detroit News]]'', and in the real estate business.  In 1913, he formed an insurance partnership called Lawton & Ouellette in Detroit.  He worked for many years in the insurance business and also officiated at college and high school football games.  Lawton married Laura Bessie Newton in 1917, and they had five children, Thomas Stanley,<ref name=Bio/> Bessie Jean,<ref name=Bio/> Louie Jane, Diana Howard and George Francis Eugene.
+After graduating from Michigan, Lawton was admitted to the Michigan bar, but he never practiced as an attorney.  He worked for several years on YMCA activities in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]], in the circulation department of ''[[The Detroit News]]'', and in the real estate business.  In 1913, he formed an insurance partnership called Lawton & Ouellette in Detroit.  He worked for many years in the insurance business and also officiated at college and high school football games.  Lawton married Laura Bessie Newton in 1917, and they had five children, Thomas Stanley,<ref name=Bio/> Bessie Jean,<ref name=Bio/> Louie Jane, Diana Howard and George Francis Eugene.
+Lawton's brother, [[J. Fred Lawton]], wrote the song "Varsity" for the Michigan football team.  Lawton died in 1941 after several months of illness at his home in Ann Arbor at age 55.<ref>{{cite news|title=George Morrison Lawton: Football Star on University of Michigan Teams, 1909-1910|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 1, 1941|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B0DE2DA113FE13BBC4953DFB667838A659EDE}}</ref>
-== References ==
+==Head coaching record==
+{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
+{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
+ | name      = [[Detroit Titans football|Detroit Tigers]]
+ | conf      = Independent
+ | startyear = 1913
+ | endyear   = 1914
+}}
+{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
+ | championship =
+ | year         = [[1913 college football season|1913]]
+ | name         = [[1913 Detroit Tigers football team|Detroit]]
+ | overall      = 5–3–1
+ | conference   =
+ | confstanding =
+ | bowlname     =
+ | bowloutcome  =
+ | bcsbowl      =
+ | ranking      = no
+ | ranking2     = no
+}}
+{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
+ | championship =
+ | year         = [[1914 college football season|1914]]
+ | name         = [[1914 Detroit Tigers football team|Detroit]]
+ | overall      = 2–3–2
+ | conference   =
+ | confstanding =
+ | bowlname     =
+ | bowloutcome  =
+ | bcsbowl      =
+ | ranking      = no
+ | ranking2     = no
+}}
+{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
+ | name       = Detroit College
+ | overall    = 7–6–3
+ | confrecord =
+}}
+{{CFB Yearly Record End
+ | overall  = 7–6–3
+ | bowls    = no
+ | poll     = no
+ | polltype =
+ | legend   = no
+}}
+==References==
 {{Reflist}}
+==External links==
+* {{Find a Grave|11197105}}
 {{Detroit Titans football coach navbox}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Lawton, George Morrison
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Coach Lawton
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION = [[American football]] player and coach
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = August 3, 1886
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[Ridgetown]], [[Ontario]], Canada
-| DATE OF DEATH     = September 30, 1941
-| PLACE OF DEATH    =
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawton, George M.}}
 [[Category:1886 births]]
+[[Category:1941 deaths]]
+[[Category:American football fullbacks]]
+[[Category:American football punters]]
 [[Category:Detroit Titans football coaches]]
 [[Category:Michigan Wolverines football players]]
-[[Category:Players of American football from Michigan]]
+[[Category:University of Michigan Law School alumni]]
-[[Category:1941 deaths]]
+[[Category:Sportspeople from Chatham-Kent]]
-[[Category:University of Michigan School of Law alumni]]
+[[Category:Coaches of American football from Michigan]]
+[[Category:Players of American football from Detroit]]
+[[Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States]]