Title: |
Benny Friedman Papers |
Repository: |
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722 http://www.wrhs.org |
Creator: |
Friedman, Benny |
Dates: |
1920-2005 |
Quantity: |
2.20 linear feet (1 container and 2 oversize volumes) |
Abstract: |
Benjamin "Benny" Friedman (1905-1982) was a high school, college, and professional football player, coach, and athletic administrator. One of six children of immigrant parents, he was raised in Glenville, a predominantly Jewish neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. As Glenville High School's star quarterback, he led his team to the City Football Championship and the National High School Championship in 1922. He entered the University of Michigan in 1923, became the starting quarterback in his sophomore season, and earned a reputation as the greatest passer of his day in college football. He was named an All-American in 1925 and 1926. In 1927, he joined the struggling professional National Football League, playing with the Cleveland Indians, the Detroit Wolverines, the New York Giants, and the Brooklyn Dodgers, whom he also coached. He made every All-Pro team of the era and revolutionized the game with his passing. He was backfield coach at Yale University in 1930. From 1934 to 1941 he coached football at City College of New York. After World War II, he became the football coach and athletic director at Brandeis University until they discontinued the sport in 1963. In 1951, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in its charter class. He began a football camp for young quarterbacks in Oxford, Maine in 1964. In 2005, Benny Friedman was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. The collection consists of articles, biographical entries, a certificate, correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, programs, scrapbooks, speech text, and trading cards. |
Identification: |
MS 5072 |
Location: |
closed stacks |
Language: |
The records are in English |
Benjamin "Benny" Friedman (1905-1982) was a high school, college, and professional football player, coach, and athletic administrator. One of six children of immigrant parents, he was raised in Glenville, a predominantly Jewish neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. As Glenville High School's star quarterback, he led his team to the City Football Championship and the National High School Championship in 1922. He entered the University of Michigan in 1923, became the starting quarterback in his sophomore season, and earned a reputation as the greatest passer of his day in college football. He was named an All-American in 1925 and 1926. In 1927, he joined the struggling professional National Football League, playing with the Cleveland Indians, the Detroit Wolverines, the New York Giants, and the Brooklyn Dodgers, whom he also coached. He made every All-Pro team of the era and revolutionized the game with his passing. He was backfield coach at Yale University in 1930. From 1934 to 1941 he coached football at City College of New York. After World War II, he became the football coach and athletic director at Brandeis University until they discontinued the sport in 1963. In 1951, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in its charter class. He began a football camp for young quarterbacks in Oxford, Maine in 1964. In 2005, Benny Friedman was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Benny Friedman
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Bulldogs
The Benny Friedman Papers, 1920-2005 and undated, consist of articles, biographical entries, a certificate, correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, programs, scrapbooks, speech text, and trading cards.
This collection is of interest to researchers studying sports history, football, and the history of the Glenville neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio. Those interested in the evolution and development of the techniques and strategies of high school, college, and professional football will find the collection useful. Those interested in the history of the Jewish community in Cleveland will find this collection useful. Those studying the early years of the National Football League will find this collection useful.
None.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5072 Benny Friedman Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gift of Marilyn Myers in 2010.
Processed by Philip Wasserstrom in 2011.