Ed Withers
 Withers from 1951 Badger | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | August 28, 1926 Memphis, Tennessee |
| Died: | April 17, 1975 (age 48) Tomah, Wisconsin |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Madison (WI) Central |
| College: | Wisconsin |
| Position: | Defensive back |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Edward J. "Ed" Withers (August 28, 1926 – April 17, 1975) was an American football player. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and moved to Madison, Wisconsin, as a boy. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football team. He was one of the first African-Americans to be a regular starter for the Badgers, playing at the defensive back position.[1] He was selected by the Football Writers Association of America as a first-team defensive player on their 1950 College Football All-America Team.[2][3][4] Withers later worked as a teacher and coach at Roosevelt and North Division High Schools in Milwaukee and subsequently as an insurance salesman.[1] He died in Tomah, Wisconsin, in 1975 at age 48,[5] He was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison, Wisconsin.[6]
References
- ^ a b "Celebrate UW's Black History: Ed Withers". University of Wisconsin. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
- ^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia. ESPN Books. 2005. p. 1220. ISBN 1401337031.
- ^ Lawton Carver (1950-11-27). "Youth Dominates INS All-America Teams". Lebanon Daily News.
- ^ "FWAA All America" (PDF). Football Writers Association of America. 17 December 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
- ^ Dates of birth and death (and place of death) taken from: Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014 [database on-line].
- ^ "Edward J. Withers". Find-a-Grave.com. Retrieved February 5, 2015.