William Henry Dietz
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Lone Star" Dietz (August 17, 1884 – July 20, 1964) was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Washington State University
(1915–1917), Purdue University
(1921), Louisiana Tech University
(1922–1923), University of Wyoming
(1924–1926), and Albright College
(1937–1942) compiling a career college football
record of 70–47–6. From 1933 to 1934, Dietz was the head coach of the National Football League
's Boston Redskins
, where he tallied a mark of 11–11–2.
of Carlisle, Pennsylvania
, a teammate of Jim Thorpe
, under famed coach Pop Warner
.
coach for the Washington State University Cougars
located in Pullman, Washington
, a position he held for three seasons, from 1915 until 1917. His coaching record at Washington State was 17 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie. As of the conclusion of the 2007 season, this ranks him eighth at Washington State in total wins and third at Washington State in winning percentage (.875). He also led Washington State to its only Rose Bowl
win in 1916. Dietz also coached at Purdue University
, the University of Wyoming
, Louisiana Tech University
, and Albright College
. He coached professional football for the Boston Redskins
.
George Preston Marshall
, owner and founder of the Boston Braves in 1932, sought to rename the franchise in 1933 after leaving the stadium they shared with the baseball team of the same name. He chose the name Redskins in "honor" of Dietz, who is of the Sioux
Nation, although Dietz only coached two seasons. Owner Marshall also made Dietz put on war paint and dance for games.
when Dietz registered himself as a "Non-Citizen Indian," as the U.S. Government had not yet acknowledged Native Americans as U.S. citizens at that time.
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 served as the head football coach at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
(1915–1917), Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
(1921), Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
(1922–1923), University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
(1924–1926), and Albright College
Albright College
Albright College is a private, co-ed, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1856 and is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.-Overview:...
(1937–1942) compiling a career 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...
record of 70–47–6. From 1933 to 1934, Dietz was the head coach of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Boston Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, where he tallied a mark of 11–11–2.
Playing career
Dietz played at the Carlisle Indian Industrial SchoolCarlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations...
of Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, a teammate of Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
, under famed coach Pop Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...
.
Coaching career
Dietz was the 14th head college footballCollege 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...
coach for the Washington State University Cougars
Washington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
located in Pullman, Washington
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
, a position he held for three seasons, from 1915 until 1917. His coaching record at Washington State was 17 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie. As of the conclusion of the 2007 season, this ranks him eighth at Washington State in total wins and third at Washington State in winning percentage (.875). He also led Washington State to its only Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
win in 1916. Dietz also coached at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
, Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, and Albright College
Albright College
Albright College is a private, co-ed, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1856 and is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.-Overview:...
. He coached professional football for the Boston Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
George Preston Marshall
George Preston Marshall
George Preston Marshall was the owner and president of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League from 1932 until his death in 1969.-Contributions:...
, owner and founder of the Boston Braves in 1932, sought to rename the franchise in 1933 after leaving the stadium they shared with the baseball team of the same name. He chose the name Redskins in "honor" of Dietz, who is of the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
Nation, although Dietz only coached two seasons. Owner Marshall also made Dietz put on war paint and dance for games.
Contested heritage
Dietz's Indian heritage was first contested in 1918 by a draft agent for the U.S. Armed Forces during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when Dietz registered himself as a "Non-Citizen Indian," as the U.S. Government had not yet acknowledged Native Americans as U.S. citizens at that time.
College football
NFL
College baseball
Further reading
- Keep A-goin': the life of Lone Star Dietz (2006) ISBN 0-9774486-1-4, hardback; ISBN 0-9774486-0-6, softcover (2006)
- Doctors, Lawyers, Indian Chiefs (2008) ISBN 978-0-9774486-7-8 softcover devotes a chapter to Lone Star Dietz