Dallas Marvil

Dallas Marvil
"Captain Marvil" from the 1933 "Syllabus"
Date of birth(1910-10-24)October 24, 1910
Place of birthLaurel, Delaware, U.S.
Date of deathMarch 12, 1977(1977-03-12) (aged 66)
Place of deathBroward County, Florida, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)Tackle
US collegeNorthwestern University
Career history
As player
1929–1931Northwestern
Career highlights and awards

Joshua Dallas "Dal" Marvil (October 24, 1910 – March 12, 1977)[1] was an American football player and coach. He played at the tackle position for the Northwestern Wildcats football team and was a consensus first-team All-American in 1931. He played for three Big Ten Conference championship teams at Northwestern University, two in football (1930, 1931) and one in basketball (1930–31). He also served as an assistant football coach at the University of San Francisco.

Early years

Marvil was raised in Laurel, Delaware. He played basketball and was a "weight man" for the track team at Laurel High School.[2]

Northwestern

Marvil played college football at the tackle position for Northwestern University.[2] In 1930, he helped lead the Wildcats football team to a Big Ten Conference championship and was selected by the Associated Press as a second-team All-Western player.[3] In 1931, he was selected as the team captain,[4] led the Wildcats to their second consecutive Big Ten championship,[5] and was a consensus first-team member of the 1931 College Football All-America Team.[6] Marvil was six feet, three inches, and weighed 233 pounds while playing football at Northwestern.[7]

Marvil was a member of Beta Theta Pi[2] and also played basketball at Northwestern.[5] Despite his size, weighing 254 pounds in December 1929, he reportedly "handle[d] his bulk well" on the basketball court.[8] Northwestern's 1931 basketball team won the Big Ten championship and compiled a record of 16-1.[9] The Chicago Daily Tribune in October 1931 commented on Marvil's weight: "Dal's chassis is of such a roly poly nature that it is very deceptive to his opponents. He has proved conclusively that a boy who looks blubbery may have plenty of muscle and sinew concealed about him."[2]

Later years and legacy

In February 1932, Marvil was hired to serve during the 1933 season as the head line coach for the University of San Francisco football team.[10][11] In April 1933, he became engaged to Dorothy Florence Ames of LaGrange, Illinois, who he met while attending Northwestern.[12] As of 1946, he was the president of the "N Men's club."[13]

Marvil died in Broward County, Florida, on March 12, 1977, at the age of 66.[14]

In 1978, he was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.[15]

References

  1. ^ Ancestry.com. Florida, Death Index, 1877-1998 [database on-line]. Joshua Dallas Marvil, born 24 Oct 1910 in Delaware, died 12 March 1977 in Broward, FL. Mother's maiden name: Yingling.
  2. ^ a b c d Charles Bartlett (October 7, 1931). "This Dal Marvil of N. U. May Be Fat, but Look Out". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 28. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  3. ^ "Big Ten Honor Team". Appleton Post-Crescent. November 28, 1930. p. 12.
  4. ^ "Wildcats Elect Marvil 1931 Football Captain". Chicago Daily Tribune. December 7, 1930. p. A1.
  5. ^ a b "J. Dallas Marvil Bio". NUSPorts.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  6. ^ "2012 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2012. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  7. ^ Alan Gould (December 5, 1931). "Associated Press All America Grid Team Includes Three 'Irish' Players". Nevada State Journal. Associated Press. p. 7.
  8. ^ "Swaps Grid for Court". The Kingsport Times, Kingsport, Tenn. December 6, 1929. p. 2.
  9. ^ "1931 Big Ten Champs Together Again". Chicago Daily Tribune. January 30, 1956. p. C3.
  10. ^ "Hanley Lends a Coach to S.F.U.". The Sheboygan Press. February 9, 1932. p. 10.
  11. ^ 1932 University of San Francisco yearbook, pp. 168 and 192, announcing Marvil's hiring as "Head Line Coach".
  12. ^ "Ceremony in June". Chicago Daily Tribune. April 9, 1932. p. 8.
  13. ^ "Lasting Taps To N.U. War Dead". Chicago Daily Tribune. May 26, 1946. p. A5.
  14. ^ Death record for Joshua Dallas Marvil, born October 24, 1910, in Delaware, died March 12, 1977, Broward, Florida. Ancestry.com. Florida, Death Index, 1877-1998 [database on-line].
  15. ^ "Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in Wilmington, Delaware - 1978". www.desports.org.