Ernest "Aqua" Allmendinger (August 25, 1890 – May 7, 1973) was an All-American college football player.
Ernest Allmendinger | |
|---|---|
 Ernest Allmendinger cropped from 1912 Michigan football team photograph | |
| Born | August 25, 1890[1] |
| Died | May 7, 1973 |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Known for | All-American, 1917 |
Early years
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Allmendinger played right guard and right tackle at Ann Arbor High School, for teams that lost one game in three seasons.[1] He acquired the nickname "Aqua" after working as a waterboy for railroad building crews.[1]
University of Michigan
Allmendinger played the guard position at the University of Michigan from 1911–1913. In November 1913, Allmendinger helped Michigan to a 17–0 win over Cornell leading The Washington Post to report: "Allmendinger played a brilliant game on the defense. Three hundred Michigan rooters, headed by their brass band, paraded and snake-danced after the game."[2] At the end of the 1913 season, Allmendinger was picked as an All-Western guard on nearly all of the honorary All-Western teams.[3] A newspaper account in the summer of 1917 described Allmendinger's progression as follows:
"Allmendinger, a young giant in perfect physical condition tried unsuccessfully for two years to make the varsity eleven. His quiet temperament was the handicap and during these years Coach Yost declared that if Allmendinger 'could get good and mad once, he would be one of the greatest linemen in the game.' The third season Yost became desperate. He used third degree methods, and finally the giant awoke, Allmendinger became a demon on the gridiron, nearly every western critic put him on their all-star elevens and some experts thought he should have made the All-American."[4]
Service in World War I and Walter Camp's All-Service Team
In July 1917, as the United States entered World War I, Allmendinger enrolled in the U.S. Army, I Company, 31st Michigan Infantry, becoming "another University of Michigan athlete to answer his country's call."[4] Allmendinger was one of several prominent football players commissioned at Fort Sheridan in the fall of 1917; others included former Michigan All-Americans Albert Benbrook and James B. Craig.[5] On Thanksgiving Day 1917, with the country's top players in the military, an All-Star game between the country's top Army and Navy players was held at Stagg Field in Chicago. Almmendinger was the starting right tackle on the Army team.[6] Because of the war, Walter Camp did not select an All-America team in 1917. Instead, Camp named an All-America service team in 1917, recognizing the country's top football players serving in the military.[7] Allmendinger was named to Camp's 1917 All-Service team.[7] Allmendinger rose to the rank of captain before being discharged in 1919.[1] He also worked as an assistant football coach at Michigan during the 1919 season.[8]
Career outside football
Allmendinger received a forestry degree from the University of Michigan and worked in the western forests after graduating.[1] He later worked for 34 years as an engineer for the Washtenaw County Road Commission from 1921–1954, and after that for the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Madej, Bruce (1997). Michigan: Champions of the West, p. 45. Sport Publishing. ISBN 1-57167-115-3.
- ^ "Michigan Wins: Betters Cornell in All Departments, Gaining Victory, 17 to 0". The Washington Post. 1913-11-09.
- ^ "Yost Will Remain At Michigan". Ludington Daily News. 1913-12-06.
- ^ a b "Grid Star Joins Guard". Eau Claire Leader. 1917-07-27.
- ^ "Wolverine Star Wins Commission". Eau Claire Leader. 1917-12-09.
- ^ "John Richards Referee of Army-Navy Battle". Wisconsin State Journal. 1917-11-28.
- ^ a b "Coach Yost Has Developed Half the Players Selected from Middle West on Camp's All-America Eleven". Ironwood Daily Globe. 1921-12-27.
- ^ "1919 Football Team". Univ. of Michigan.