Ben Roller
Ben Roller c. 1911
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| Date of birth | July 1, 1876 |
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| Place of birth | Newman, Illinois, U.S. |
| Date of death | April 19, 1933 (age 57) |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| College | Purdue, De Pauw |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1902 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| As player | |
| 1898–1899 | Pittsburgh Athletic Club |
| 1900 | Duquesne C. & A. C. |
| 1901 | Philadelphia Athletic Club |
| 1902 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| 1902 | "New York" |
| 1903 | Syracuse Athletic Club |
| 1903 | Franklin Athletic Club |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Professional wrestling career | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Doc Roller Dr. Benjamin Roller Dr. B.F. Roller Dr. Roller |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Billed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Debut | 1906 |
| Retired | 1918 |
Benjamin Franklin "Ben" Roller (July 1, 1876 – April 19, 1933) was a physician, a professional wrestler and a football player.
Roller was born in Newman, Illinois,. 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 own 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. He soon became the captain of the school's football and track teams.
Upon graduation from De Pauw, Roller attended the University of Pennsylvania. With a lack of money for college, he soon began to play football at the professional ranks.
He played pro football for the Pittsburgh Athletic Club,Duquesne Country and Athletic Club,Philadelphia Athletic Club and was later a player-coach with the Philadelphia Phillies of the first National Football League. In December 1902, he played for the "New York" team during the World Series of Football. In 1903, he played with the Franklin Athletic Club and won his return trip to the World Series of Football with that team. He began the 1903 season with Syracuse Athletic Club.
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