Martin Wheelock
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Carlisle Indians | |
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Position | Tackle |
Career history | |
College | Carlisle Indian School (1894–1902) |
Personal information | |
Date of birth | 1874 |
Place of birth | Oneida, Wisconsin |
Date of death | May 25, 1937 (aged 62–63) |
Place of death | Belle Plaine, Wisconsin |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
Martin Frederick Wheelock (1874 – May 25, 1937) (Oneida) was a Native American football player in the United States who achieved a national reputation while playing American football for the Carlisle Indian School from 1894-1902. Captain of the team in 1899, Wheelock was selected as a first-team All-American by the New York Sun in 1899, a second-team All-American by Walter Camp in 1901, and to the All-University Team by the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1902. In later life, he worked as a blacksmith and farmer.
In 1913, coach Pop Warner named Wheelock to the All-Time American Indian Football Team. In 1980, he was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
Martin Frederick Wheelock was born into the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin at Oneida in 1874. He first attended local schools.
The Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania recruited students from all Native American tribes. It recruited Wheelock, at age 16, and several other Oneida youth as students, who started at the school in September 1890. In the late 19th century the school started to build up its football team and competed against college football teams by the turn of the century.
Wheelock played tackle for the Carlisle Indians football team from 1894-1902. He was captain of the team in 1899. The success of the Carlisle football team against college teams was a source of great pride for Native Americans.
In 1897, the Indian Helper (the Carlisle school newspaper) described a celebration that greeted the football team on its return from a game played in New York City against students from Yale University:
”On Monday morning after breakfast, the football team, who returned the evening before from the Yale game which was played at New York last Saturday, was treated to a free ride across the parade, in the large four horse herdic, drawn by the entire battalion. Capt. Pierce, Frank Cayou, Frank Hudson, and Martin Wheelock occupied the small phaeton drawn by boys, and went in advance of the others. The band played lively marches, as handkerchiefs waved and mouths shouted. The demonstration was a great surprise to all making a unique scene for such an early morning hour. The school is proud of the record made for clean playing, and were gratified that the boys scored.”