Wilbur Wade Card
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Wade "Cap" Card was an American
baseball
player, coach and athletic director at Duke University
. He initially introduced college
basketball
to the state of North Carolina
and became the university's first men's coach of that program from 1906 to 1912 as well as being Duke's first athletic director from 1902 to 1948.
Card was born in Franklinton
, North Carolina on October 29, 1873 to Sabert Henry Card and Cecilia Bennett Fuller. He attended Trinity College in Durham
in 1895, becoming one of the school's best athletes as an outfielder and batter, breaking a number of baseball records and eventually earning his nickname "Cap." Card was team captain in 1899. He graduated from college the following year.
In 1900, Card entered the School of Physical Education at Harvard University
and later trained and worked at the Sargent Normal School every summer through 1913. After graduating from Harvard in 1901, Card worked as director at the YMCA
in Mobile, Alabama
. In 1902, he was invited by President John Carlisle Kilgo to return to Trinity College and become director of the new physical education program there.
Card served as athletic director at Trinity College (later named Duke University in 1924) through the rest of his life. He also was a sports coach, including baseball and basketball, at the school through 1912. Card was first to introduce college basketball in North Carolina after being asked by coach Richard Crozier of Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University
) in 1905 about playing a game. After recruiting a makeshift team and setting the gym up for basketball, he coached Trinity College during its inaugural game played in Durham verus Wake Forest in 1906, but lost 24-10. From doing this, he was soon known as the "Father of Intercollegiate Basketball in North Carolina." Card would finish in 1912 with a 30-17 lifetime record as Duke University's first men's basketball coach.
On September 3, 1948, Card died from a heart attack at age 74. He is buried at Maplewood Cemetery in Durham. In his honor, the gymnasium at Duke University was renamed Card Gymnasium
in March 1958. The gym, which opened in 1930, is located adjacent to the famous Cameron Indoor Stadium
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach and athletic director at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. He initially introduced college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
to the state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and became the university's first men's coach of that program from 1906 to 1912 as well as being Duke's first athletic director from 1902 to 1948.
Card was born in Franklinton
Franklinton, North Carolina
Franklinton is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,745 at the 2000 census. It is home to a plant operated by Novozymes. Novozymes North America Inc...
, North Carolina on October 29, 1873 to Sabert Henry Card and Cecilia Bennett Fuller. He attended Trinity College in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
in 1895, becoming one of the school's best athletes as an outfielder and batter, breaking a number of baseball records and eventually earning his nickname "Cap." Card was team captain in 1899. He graduated from college the following year.
In 1900, Card entered the School of Physical Education at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and later trained and worked at the Sargent Normal School every summer through 1913. After graduating from Harvard in 1901, Card worked as director at the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. In 1902, he was invited by President John Carlisle Kilgo to return to Trinity College and become director of the new physical education program there.
Card served as athletic director at Trinity College (later named Duke University in 1924) through the rest of his life. He also was a sports coach, including baseball and basketball, at the school through 1912. Card was first to introduce college basketball in North Carolina after being asked by coach Richard Crozier of Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
) in 1905 about playing a game. After recruiting a makeshift team and setting the gym up for basketball, he coached Trinity College during its inaugural game played in Durham verus Wake Forest in 1906, but lost 24-10. From doing this, he was soon known as the "Father of Intercollegiate Basketball in North Carolina." Card would finish in 1912 with a 30-17 lifetime record as Duke University's first men's basketball coach.
On September 3, 1948, Card died from a heart attack at age 74. He is buried at Maplewood Cemetery in Durham. In his honor, the gymnasium at Duke University was renamed Card Gymnasium
Card Gymnasium
Card Gymnasium is a 4,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Durham, North Carolina. It was home to the Duke University Blue Devils basketball team until the Cameron Indoor Stadium opened in 1940 . It is named after former Blue Devils head basketball coach, Wilbur Wade Card....
in March 1958. The gym, which opened in 1930, is located adjacent to the famous Cameron Indoor Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium is an indoor arena located on the West Campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. It is home to the Duke Blue Devils men's and women's basketball teams, the women's volleyball team, and the men's wrestling team....
.