John Field (American football)

John Field

John Field from 1920 passport application
Sport(s)	Football
Biographical details
Born	September 26, 1886 Viroqua, Wisconsin
Died	May 3, 1979(1979-05-03) (aged 92) Fairfield, Connecticut
Playing career
1908–1910	Yale
Position(s)	Fullback, halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1911	Yale
Head coaching record
Overall	7–2–1

John Field (September 26, 1886 – May 3, 1979) was an American football player and coach. Field played college football for Yale University from 1908 to 1910 and was captain of Yale's football team. He also served as the head coach of the 1911 Yale football team. He later worked for more than 60 years as manufacturer of corsets and lingerie.

Field was born in Viroqua, Wisconsin, in 1886. His father, Walter S. Field (born October 1856), was a Wisconsin native and an attorney. His mother, Emma (Tourjee) Field (born October 1858), was also a Wisconsin native. He moved with his family to Oklahoma as a boy. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Field was living with his parents and three sisters (Eva, Ruth and Luella) in Washington, D.C.. His father was employed at that time as an attorney. Field attended high school at the local high school in Washington, D.C.

Field enrolled at Yale University. He played for Yale's freshman football team in 1907 and then at the halfback and fullback positions for the Yale Bulldogs football team from to 1908 to 1910. During his three years as a player, the Yale football team compiled an overall record of 23–3–3, and has been recognized as national champions in 1909.

After graduating from Yale in 1911, Field was hired to stay on at Yale as the head football coach. Field coached the 1911 Yale football team to a 7–2–1 record, outscoring opponents 191 to 16. Field continued to serve the Yale football team as an assistant coach in several subsequent seasons.

During the period from 1899 to 1912, Yale had 14 different head football coaches in 14 years – despite compiling a combined record of 127–11–10 in those years. During that 14-year span, the Yale football team has also been recognized as the national championship team by one or more of the major national championship selectors on seven occasions – 1900 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis), 1901 (Parke Davis), 1902 (Parke Davis), 1905 (Parke Davis, Whitney), 1906 (Billingsley, Parke Davis, Whitney), 1907 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis, Whitney), and 1909 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis).

Field was married to Margaret Lucetta Warner (born October 15, 1891), the daughter of corset manufacturer, DeVer Warner.