James Van Cleve

James M. Van Cleve was an American football player and coach. He was the fourth ever known person to be paid to play the sport. Only Pudge Heffelfinger, Sport Donnelly and Peter Wright were professionals before him. Van Cleve's contract was with the Allegheny Athletic Association for $50 per game for the entire 1893 season.

James Van Cleve
Career information
Position(s)End, halfback
CollegeLehigh
Career history
As coach
1898Duquesne
As player
1893–1894Allegheny Athletic Association
1895Duquesne Country and Athletic Club
1896Allegheny Athletic Association
Career highlights and awards

In 1894, during a game against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Allegheny's quarterback, A. S. Valentine, was thrown out of the game after coming to the aid of Van Cleve during a fight against Pittsburgh's Joe Trees. After several appeals, Valentine left the field reportedly "crying like a baby" by the local media. During the 1895 season, Allegheny did not field a team after learning the club was under investigation by the Amateur Athletic Union for secretly paying its players. As a result, Van Cleve played for the upstart Duquesne Country and Athletic Club. He would return to Allegeheny for their last season in 1896.

College career

Prior to his professional career, Van Cleve played college football at Lehigh University. On October 15, 1892, Van Cleve scored Lehigh's only touchdown in a loss against the Orange Athletic Club. He would play for Lehigh five days later during a 50-0 loss to the Princeton Tigers.

Van Cleve served as the head football coach at Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost—later renamed Duquesne University—in 1898.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Pittsburgh College (Independent) (1898)
1898 Pittsburgh College 5–4–1
Pittsburgh College: 5–4–1
Total:5–4–1

References

  • PFRA Research. "The A's Have It The 3A's Triumph: 1894" (PDF). PFRA Books. Professional Football Researchers Association: 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26.
  • PFRA Research. "Ten Dollars and Cakes: The "Not Quite" First Pro: 1895" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-25.
  • "Orange Defeats Lehigh" (PDF). New York Times (October 15). 1892.
  • "Princeton's Big Score" (PDF). New York Times (October 20). 1892.
  • Peterson, Robert W. (1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
  • PFRA Research. "A Weekly Wage" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26.
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