Lucius Edward "Luke" Burch (December 10, 1874 – October 15, 1959) was a

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

player and prominent

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

in the

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

who was once Dean of Vanderbilt University Medical School. He was the father of

Lucius E. Burch Jr. Lucius Edward Burch Jr. (January 25, 1912 – March 10, 1996) was an American lawyer based in Memphis, Tennessee, best known for his contributions in the areas of conservation movement, conservation and civil rights and has been describe ...

Early years

Burch attended the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

Vanderbilt University

Burch received his

M. D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. ...

Degree in 1896.

Football

He was a prominent player on the Vanderbilt Commodores football team from

1894 Events January–March * January 4 – A military alliance is established between the French Third Republic and the Russian Empire. * January 7 – William Kennedy Dickson receives a patent for motion picture film in the United S ...

1897 Events January–March * January 2 – The International Alpha Omicron Pi sorority is founded, in New York City. * January 4 – A British force is ambushed by Chief Ologbosere, son-in-law of the ruler. This leads to a puniti ...

– "one of the best guards developed in the United States during his athletic career." Burch was selected first team for an all-time Vanderbilt football team in 1912. One writer opines "Captain Keller...was the greatest football expert that ever played on a southern field. I think also that Luke Burch was the greatest guard and that Phil Connell was the greatest fullback that has ever played on a southern field."

1897

The 1897 team went undefeated allowing no points and had the first conference championship for the school.

Medical practice

Burch practiced briefly in Bear Spring, Tennessee before studying surgery at St. George's Hospital in London. He joined the Vanderbilt School of Medicine in 1904 as Professor of

Gynecology Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...

before becoming dean ten years later.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Burch, Lucius E. American football guards Vanderbilt Commodores football players Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee Physicians from Tennessee American surgeons 1874 births 1959 deaths 19th-century players of American football Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tennessee) alumni