George W. Gregory

George W. Gregory

Gregory cropped from 1902 Michigan football team portrait
Sport(s)	Football
Biographical details
Born	(1879-04-19)April 19, 1879 Placer County, California
Died	September 6, 1946(1946-09-06) (aged 67) Pierce County, Washington
Playing career
1900	Stanford
1901–1903	Michigan
Position(s)	Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1905	Kenyon
Head coaching record
Overall	5–5

George W. "Dad" Gregory (April 19, 1879 – September 6, 1946) was an American football player, coach and lawyer. He was the starting center for the University of Michigan's "Point-a-Minute" football teams of 1901, 1902 and 1903. He was the only player to start all 22 games for the 1901 and 1902 teams that compiled a record of 22-0 and outscored opponents 1,194 to 12. Michigan's football team was recognized as national champions for each of the three years in which Gregory was the starting center. After receiving his law degree from Michigan, Gregory moved to Seattle, Washington, where he was one of the founders of the Karr & Gregory law firm. He also served as the head football coach at Kenyon College during the 1905 football season.

Gregory was born in California in May 1879. His father, Nathan Gregory, was an Indiana native and an engineer. His mother, Marietta Gregory, was also an Indiana native. At the time of the 1880 United States Census, Gregory at age one was living in Lincoln, Placer County, California with his parents and three older sisters, Alameda, Cora and Louise.

In 1900, Gregory was living in Redding, California with his uncle, George Groves, who was a hotel-keeper. Gregory worked as a clerk in his uncle's hotel.

In 1900, Gregory enrolled at Stanford University as a law student. While at Stanford, he played football under head coach Fielding H. Yost in the fall of 1900. In 1901, Coach Yost accepted the position as head football coach at the University of Michigan. Pressure was placed on Gregory to remain at Stanford, but he opted to move east with Coach Yost.