Robert Emmons

Robert Emmons

1894 Mayo tobacco card
Date of birth	(1872-12-28)December 28, 1872
Place of birth	Boston, Massachusetts
Date of death	April 29, 1928(1928-04-29) (aged 55)
Place of death	Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Career information
Position(s)	End
Career history
As coach
1895	Harvard
As player
1891–1894	Harvard
Career highlights and awards
Coaching record: 8–2–1
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	U.S. Navy
Years of service	1918–1919
Rank	Lt. Commander
Battles/wars	World War I

Robert Wales Emmons II (December 28, 1872 – April 29, 1928) was an American football player, coach, yachtsman, and millionaire. He played and coached college football for Harvard University from 1891 to 1895. He later had a successful career in the banking and stock brokerage business. He was an avid yachtsman who was the managing owner of the Resolute in its successful defense of the America's Cup in 1920.

Emmons was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1872. He was the son of Nathaniel H. Emmons and Eleanor G. (Bacon) Emmons. He attended preparatory school at Groton School.

Emmons enrolled at Harvard University where he played college football as an end for the Harvard Crimson football team from 1891 to 1894. He was elected by his teammates to serve as captain of the 1894 Harvard football team. He was president of his class at Harvard as a junior, and The New York Times wrote that "[h]is popularity depends mostly upon the great enthusiasm with which he has clung to football at Harvard during four steady years of defeat." He graduated from Harvard in 1895 but returned in the fall of 1895 as the Harvard Crimson football team's head football coach. He led Harvard to an 8–2–1 record in his only year as the head coach.

After leaving Harvard, Emmons became the treasurer of the Lawrence Gaslight Co., and a banker and bondsman associated with the firm of F.A. Schirmer & Co. in Boston. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Emmons was living in Boston with his wife, Helen, and their son, Robert W. Emmons III. His occupation was listed at that time as a stock broker. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Emmons continued to live in both with his wife, Helen. At that time, they had two sons, Robert W. Emmons 3rd and Gardner Emmons. They also had five live-in servants, and Emmons' occupation was listed as a stock broker. In 1920, he was still living in Boston with his wife and two sons; he was listed as being employed in the shipping business.