Bangs was born in 1893 in Moscow, Idaho, United States.[1] He was the son of H.H. Bangs who served several terms in the Idaho state legislature.[2] His father died in November 1914.[3]
Bangs enrolled at Washington State in September 1914.[5] He played at the halfback and fullback positions for Washington State from 1914 to 1917.[1] He was a key player on the 1915 Washington State football team that compiled an undefeated 7–0 record and defeated Brown in the 1916 Rose Bowl.[6][7] After the team's victory in the Rose Bowl, Bangs was elected as captain of the 1916 team.[8] He received both bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture.[9]
Mare Island Marines
After graduating from Washington State, Bangs was appointed county agriculturist for Skagit County, Washington.[9] With the United States entering World War I, Bangs joined the US Marine Corps. He played for the 1918 Mare Island Marines football team that compiled a 10-0 record before losing in the 1919 Rose Bowl against Great Lakes Navy.[10][11] in its coverage of the Rose Bowl game, the Los Angeles Times called Bangs "the greatest line plunger the colleges of the Pacific Coast have ever produced."[12]
Professional football
After the war, Bangs lived for several years in Wenatchee, Washington.[13] He played football for a local team, the Wenatchee All-Stars.[14] In 1926, he also played professional football with the Los Angeles Buccaneers.[1]
Family and later years
Bangs moved in 1929 to Chelan, Washington, where he owned and operated an orchard.[13] He was also a Chelan County commissioner in the 1950s and 1960s.[13][15] He also raced pigeons, winning pigeon racing competitions in 1955, 1956, and 1957.[16][17][18]
Bangs and his wife Esther had two sons, Henry H. Bangs and Benton M. Bangs Jr. He died in 1970 at age 76 at a hospital in Wenatchee.[13]
References
^ abc"Ben Bang". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved November 29, 2022.