Howard R. Reiter
Reiter pictured in The Epitome 1914, Lehigh yearbook
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| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born | c. 1871 |
| Died | November 11, 1957 |
| Playing career | |
| 1897–1899 | Princeton |
| 1902 | Philadelphia Athletics (NFL) |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1903–1909 | Wesleyan |
| 1910–1911 | Lehigh |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| 1899 College Football All-America Team | |
Howard Roland "Bosey" Reiter (c. 1871 – November 11, 1957) was an All-American football player, coach and athletic director. He was selected for the 1899 College Football All-America Team and played professional football as a player coach for the Philadelphia Athletics of the first National Football League in 1902. He was the head football coach at Wesleyan University from 1903 to 1909 and at Lehigh University from 1910 to 1911. Reiter has been credited by some with the development of the overhand spiral forward pass, which he claimed to have developed while playing for the Athletics in 1902.
Reiter was raised in Philadelphia, the son of Benjamin O. Reiter. Reiter enrolled at Princeton University where he played football and baseball and was selected as a halfback on the 1899 College Football All-America Team. Upon completing his undergraduate coursework at Princeton, Reiter attended the Princeton Theological Seminary for three years. He tried out for the Princeton football team in 1900 while studying at the seminary, but was declared ineligible by Princeton's faculty committee on athletics, because he had already played four years of football while an undergraduate. Despite the ruling, rumors spread that Reiter continued to play for Princeton in 1900 under an assumed name.
In September 1902, while still a seminary student, Reiter signed up to play professional football for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics of the 1902 version of the National Football League. Reiter was hired not only as a player but also as coach of the Athletics.The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Reiter's signing as follows:
"H.R. Reiter, one of Princeton's most noted graduate football players, who is now a senior in the Theological Seminary here, has been signed by the management of the Philadelphia American League football team to play halfback during the coming season. ... He will not let the engagement interfere with his course in the seminary, but will go to Philadelphia twice a week to practice and play the scheduled contests."
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