Melvin J. "Tubby" Meyers (September 5, 1887 – May 2, 1940), sometimes spelled "Myers," was an American

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 coach. He was the first head coach and first captain of the Western State Normal football program, holding both titles as a player-coach during the 1906 college football season.

Early life

Meyers was born in Gobleville, Michigan in 1887,Draft Registration Card for M.J. Myers of Port Huron, Michigan, born Sept. 5, 1887. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 atabase on-line Registration Location: St Clair County, Michigan; Roll: 1682812; Draft Board: 1. and moved with his family to

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolit ...

in 1895. His father, Rollie Meyers was a Michigan native who worked as a mail clerk at the post office. His mother, Vivia Meyers, was an Ohio native. He had an older brother, Rauel, a younger brother, Carl, and a younger sister, Fern.

Education and career

Meyers enrolled at the Western State Normal School (now known as Western Michigan University) in Kalamazoo as a student in the Manual Training department. He was the coach, captain and halfback for the football team in the school's inaugural season of

in 1906. He is recognized both as the first head football coach and "the first great player" in the history of the Western Michigan Broncos football program. After graduating from Western State Normal in 1909, Myers was hired by

Port Huron High School Port Huron High School (PHHS) was founded in 1868, and has been in continuous operation as a secondary school in Port Huron, Michigan since then. PHHS athletic teams competed in the ''Eastern Michigan League'' (EML) until the 1990s; upon dissolu ...

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administered separately. Located along the St. Clair ...

. He served as supervisor of manual training and director of athletics at the school. He also served for many years as the school's football coach. In June 1917, Myers completed a draft registration card stating that he was employed at Port Huron High School as a manual training and athletics instructor. In 1920, he was married to Mary "Mayme" McCallum (1887–1978) at Port Huron. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Meyers was living with his wife, Mary A. Meyers, in Port Huron. His occupation was listed as a teacher in a high school. As of 1925, he was serving in the National Guard with the rank of first lieutenant. At the time of the

1930 United States Census The United States census of 1930, conducted by the Census Bureau one month from April 1, 1930, determined the resident population of the United States to be 122,775,046, an increase of 13.7 percent over the 106,021,537 persons enumerated during ...

, Meyers and his wife continued to reside in Port Huron. They had a daughter, Minola A. Meyers. His occupation was listed in 1930 as a teacher of

manual arts Industrial arts is an educational program that features the fabrication of objects in wood or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools. Industrial Arts are commonly referred to as Technology Education. It may include small engine rep ...

. McCallum died in 1942 at Port Huron. In 1939, he became the business manager and purchasing agent for the Port Huron board of education. He died at age in May 1940 after collapsing at the Masonic Temple in Sarnia. Since 1947, the "Tubby Meyers Award" has been presented each year to the outstanding player on the Port Huron High School football team.

Head coaching record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyers, Tubby 1887 births 1940 deaths American football halfbacks Western Michigan Broncos football players Western Michigan Broncos football coaches High school football coaches in Michigan Players of American football from Kalamazoo, Michigan People from Port Huron, Michigan Sportspeople from St. Clair County, Michigan People from Van Buren County, Michigan Coaches of American football from Michigan