Henry Schoellkopf
Encyclopedia
Henry Schoellkopf was an American football
player and coach. He was selected as an All-American fullback
while attending Harvard Law School
in 1903. He was the head coach of the Cornell Big Red football
team from 1907 to 1908, compiling a record of 15 wins, three losses and one tie.
, where he played fullback. He then enrolled at Cornell University
and played college football
for the Cornell Big Red football
team from 1900 to 1901. While at Cornell, he also was president of both the Quill and Dagger
society and the Zeta Psi Fraternity and contributed to the development of the original Slope Day
iteration. After graduating from Cornell in 1902, Schoellkopf enrolled at Harvard Law School
. He played for the Harvard Crimson football
team while he was a second-year law student at Harvard in 1903. He played principally at the fullback
position and some at the halfback
position. While playing at Harvard, Schoellkopf was 23 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighed 183 pounds. After the 1903 college football season, Schoellkopf was selected as a first-team All-American fullback by Fielding H. Yost, Charles Chadwick, and the San Antonio Daily Light.
, he served for two years (1907 and 1908) as the head coach of Cornell's football team. In two years as Cornell's coach, Schoellkopf compiled a record of 15 wins, three losses and one tie. His winning percentage of .816 ranks second all-time among Cornell coaches, trailing only Raymond Starbuck
but ranking ahead of Glenn "Pop" Warner.
, where he became a member in the law firm of Marksam & Schoellkopf and one of the most well known attorneys in Milwaukee. In December 1912, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a revolver while alone in his office in Milwaukee. He was aged 36 at the time of his death. Following Schoellkopf's death his close friend, Willard Straight
, donated $100,000 to construct the Schoellkopf Memorial Hall in his honor. In response to Straight's generous gift, members of the Schoellkopf family and the Zeta Psi Fraternity donated $70,000 for the construction of Schoellkopf Field
in honor of the Schoellkopf family patriarch, Jacob F. Schoellkopf Sr.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He was selected as an All-American fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
while attending Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1903. He was the head coach of the Cornell Big Red football
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
team from 1907 to 1908, compiling a record of 15 wins, three losses and one tie.
Athlete
Schoellkopf began his career as a football player at the Cascadilla SchoolCascadilla School
Cascadilla School is a preparatory school in Ithaca, New York. It was founded in 1876 as a boys' preparatory school for Cornell University. At this time Universities typically required students to be proficient in Latin and Greek. However, students from rural areas often did not have access to...
, where he played fullback. He then enrolled at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Cornell Big Red football
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
team from 1900 to 1901. While at Cornell, he also was president of both the Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University. It is often recognized as one of the most prominent collegiate societies of its type, along with Skull and Bones of Yale University...
society and the Zeta Psi Fraternity and contributed to the development of the original Slope Day
Slope Day
Slope Day is an annual day of celebration held at Cornell University during the last day of regular undergraduate classes. It usually falls on the first Friday of May and the official site of Slope Day is the Libe Slope, on the university campus. Though Slope Day has gone through many phases, in...
iteration. After graduating from Cornell in 1902, Schoellkopf enrolled at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. He played for the Harvard Crimson football
Harvard Crimson football
The Harvard Crimson football program represents Harvard University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Harvard's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1873...
team while he was a second-year law student at Harvard in 1903. He played principally at the fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
position and some at the halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
position. While playing at Harvard, Schoellkopf was 23 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighed 183 pounds. After the 1903 college football season, Schoellkopf was selected as a first-team All-American fullback by Fielding H. Yost, Charles Chadwick, and the San Antonio Daily Light.
Football coach
After graduating from Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, he served for two years (1907 and 1908) as the head coach of Cornell's football team. In two years as Cornell's coach, Schoellkopf compiled a record of 15 wins, three losses and one tie. His winning percentage of .816 ranks second all-time among Cornell coaches, trailing only Raymond Starbuck
Raymond Starbuck
Raymond D. Starbuck was an American football player and coach and railroad executive.Born in Fort Ann, New York, and raised in Glen Falls, New York, Starbuck attended Cornell University. He played fullback on the varsity football team in 1899 and 1900. He was captain of the football team in 1899...
but ranking ahead of Glenn "Pop" Warner.
Legal career and death
Schoellkopf moved to Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, where he became a member in the law firm of Marksam & Schoellkopf and one of the most well known attorneys in Milwaukee. In December 1912, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a revolver while alone in his office in Milwaukee. He was aged 36 at the time of his death. Following Schoellkopf's death his close friend, Willard Straight
Willard Straight
Willard Dickerman Straight was an American investment banker, publisher, reporter and diplomat.-Biography:...
, donated $100,000 to construct the Schoellkopf Memorial Hall in his honor. In response to Straight's generous gift, members of the Schoellkopf family and the Zeta Psi Fraternity donated $70,000 for the construction of Schoellkopf Field
Schoellkopf Field
Schoellkopf Field is a 25,597-capacity stadium at Cornell University's Ithaca-campus that opened in 1915 and is used for the Cornell Big Red football, sprint football, lacrosse and field hockey teams...
in honor of the Schoellkopf family patriarch, Jacob F. Schoellkopf Sr.