Percy Langdon Wendell

Percy Langdon "Bullet" Wendell (July 16, 1889 – March 13, 1932) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. He played college football at Harvard University, where he was a three-time All-American from 1910 to 1920. Wendell served as the head football coach at Boston University in 1920, at Williams College from 1921 to 1924, and at Lehigh University from 1925 to 1927, compiling a career college football coaching record of 30–33–4. He was also the head basketball coach at Boston University for one season, in 1919–20, tallying a mark of 0–6. Wendell was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1972.

Percy Langdon Wendell
Wendell at Harvard in 1912
Biographical details
Born(1889-07-16)July 16, 1889
Roxbury, Massachusetts
DiedMarch 13, 1932(1932-03-13) (aged 42)
Boston, Massachusetts
Playing career
Football
1910–1912Harvard
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1920Boston University
1921–1924Williams
1925–1927Lehigh
Basketball
1919–1920Boston University
Head coaching record
Overall30–33–4 (football)
0–6 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
All-American, 1910
All-American, 1911
All-American, 1912
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1972 (profile)

Biography

Wendell was born on July 16, 1889, in Roxbury, Massachusetts to Frank Thaxter Wendell and Helen Stamford. He attended the Roxbury Latin School and attended Harvard University from 1909 to 1913. He went on to attend two years of medical school.[1]

Wendell was issued a patent (US 1043649) for a design of football nose armor (also referred to as a nose mask or nose guard), a piece of protective equipment used in the early days of football before helmets with face masks.[2]

Wendell was the 16th head football coach at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and he held that position for three seasons, from 1925 until 1927. His record at Lehigh was 5–20–2.

Wendell died of pneumonia, on March 13, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts.[3]

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Boston University Terriers (Independent) (1920)
1920 Boston University 4–3–1
Boston University: 4–3–1
Williams Ephs (Independent) (1921–1924)
1921 Williams 5–2–1
1922 Williams 2–6
1923 Williams 7–1
1924 Williams 7–1
Williams: 21–10–1
Lehigh Brown and White (Independent) (1925–1927)
1925 Lehigh 3–5–1
1926 Lehigh 1–8
1927 Lehigh 1–7–1
Williams: 5–20–2
Total:30–33–4

References
  1. Percy Langdon Wendell. Harvard University. 1917. Retrieved December 4, 2009. Born at Roxbury, Mass., July 16, 1889. Parents: Frank Thaxter, Helen (Stamford) Wendell. School: Roxbury Latin School, Boston, Mass. Years in College: 1909-13. Degree: S.B. 1913. Unmarried. Occupation: Systematizer. Address: (home) 31 Massachusetts Ave.. Boston, Mass.; (businest) 115 Essex St., Haverhill, Mass. Two years in Medical School; nine months making paper cups and bags; three months in the export business; six months with the Bradley Shoe Company with Everett Bradley, '13, as Manager.
  2. Hornung, Chris (July 2, 2017). "The History of the Football Nose Mask". antiquefootball.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  3. "Pneumonia Proves Fatal to Former Lehigh Grid Coach". The Wilkes-Barre Record. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. March 14, 1932. p. 16. Retrieved July 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com .
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