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Ben Roller
Ben Roller c. 1911
Date of birth(1876-07-01)July 1, 1876
Place of birthNewman, Illinois, U.S.
Date of deathApril 19, 1933(1933-04-19) (aged 56)[1]
Career information
Position(s)Guard
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight200 lb (91 kg)
US collegePurdue, De Pauw
Career history
As coach
1902Philadelphia Phillies
As player
1898–1899Pittsburgh Athletic Club
1900Duquesne C. & A. C.
1901Philadelphia Athletic Club
1902Philadelphia Phillies
1902"New York"
1903Syracuse Athletic Club
1903Franklin Athletic Club
Career highlights and awards

Benjamin Franklin Roller (July 1, 1876 – April 19, 1933) was an American physician, a professional wrestler and a football player.[2]

Biography

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Early life

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Roller was born in Newman, Illinois.[3] where he grew up on his family's farm. As a boy on the farm, Roller dreamed of becoming a doctor. His mother encouraged him to attend college, while his father felt that every man should make his way, picking up his education by experience.

He attended college at De Pauw University after his mother, a former school teacher, helped him prepare for the entrance examination. Due to the family's lack of money, Ben worked at a dry goods store, pulling nails for 15 cents an hour. He used the money to buy new clothes for attending school. Upon arriving at De Pauw, Roller started a gym class that began his athletic career in football and wrestling. He was the runt in his family of six, at 6'0 and 200 pounds.[2] He soon became the captain of the school's football and track teams.[4]

Roller in 1905

Upon graduation from De Pauw, Roller attended the University of Pennsylvania. With a lack of money for college, he soon began to play football in the professional ranks.[2]

Professional football career

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He played pro football for the Pittsburgh Athletic Club,[5] Duquesne Country and Athletic Club,[2] Philadelphia Athletic Club[6] and was later a player-coach with the Philadelphia Phillies of the first National Football League.[7] In December 1902, he played for the "New York" team during the World Series of Football.[8] In 1903, he played with the Franklin Athletic Club[9] and won his return trip to the World Series of Football with that team. He began the 1903 season with Syracuse Athletic Club.[8]

He also played on several of the Penn college teams and won the "university championship" in his second and fourth years. However, he never played for the varsity because of a four-year rule.[2]

Post-college

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After graduating from Penn, Roller assisted Dr. Barton Cooke, a professor at the medical school, in writing a textbook. He accepted a position as a professor of physiology at the University of Washington. He also supervised the school's athletics and was an advisor to the Seattle Athletic Club. After two years with the school, he decided to open an office. He also worked as a land speculator and acquired wealth until the Panic of 1907.[2]

Wrestling career

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Ben Roller
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Doc Roller
Dr. Benjamin Roller
Dr. B.F. Roller
Dr. Roller
Billed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Billed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Debut1906
Retired1918

He later resigned from that position in 1906 to become a full-time wrestler. Roller’s first professional match was against Jack Carkeek. Roller won two falls in 17 minutes and received $1,600. After that, he started having matches around the Northwest under the names Dr. Roller, Dr. Benjamin Roller, and Dr. B.F. Roller, and Doc Roller.[4] He next wrestled Frank Gotch in an exhibition match, for which he received $4,000. After the bout with Gotch, Roller decided to use wrestling as a tool for traveling the world and studying under the noted professors in both the United States and Europe. Throughout his career, Roller defeated many of the top wrestlers of his day. These wrestlers included Farmer Burns, Fred Beell, Ed Lewis, and Joe Stecher, who Gotch managed.[2] From 1906–1918, Roller posted a record of 39 wins, 26 losses, and four draws in 69 matches.[10]

Death

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Roller in 1916

Roller died of pneumonia on April 19, 1933, at the age of 56.[3]

Championships and accomplishments

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References

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  1. ^ "Dr. Roller, Famed Wrestler, is Dead". Classic Wrestling Articles. December 31, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Roller to Retire from Wrestling" (PDF). The New York Times. July 4, 1915. An unusual niche in the world of professional wrestling is that occupied by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Roller, American heavyweight champion. This physician and college graduate will tell you he had two reasons for becoming a professional wrestler. First, he liked the sport; second, he saw in it the way to physical perfection.
  3. ^ a b "Famous Wrestler Dies". Associated Press in the Lawrence Journal-World. April 21, 1933. p. 3.
  4. ^ a b "Dr. B.F. Roller". Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  5. ^ PFRA Research. "Stars Over All-Stars" (PDF). Professional Football Researchers Association. pp. 2–3. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  6. ^ PFRA Research. "And Yet Again" (PDF). Professional Football Researchers Association. p. 1. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  7. ^ Carroll, Bob (1980). "Dave Berry and the Philadelphia Story" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 2 (Annual). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2010.
  8. ^ a b Carroll, Bob (1980). "The First Football World Series" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 2 (Annual). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2010.
  9. ^ PFRA Research. "Franklins Hired Guns: 1903" (PDF). Coffin Corner (Annual). Professional Football Researchers Association: 4–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2010.
  10. ^ "Benjamin Roller". Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  11. ^ Oliver, Greg (March 16, 2023). "IPWHF Class of 2023 both 'Great' and 'Gorgeous'". Slam Wrestling. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
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