Date of birth | April 4, 1891 |
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Place of birth | Salem, Ohio |
Date of death | August 18, 1935 | (aged 44)
Place of death | Cleveland, Ohio |
Career information | |
Position(s) | End, halfback, fullback |
College | Ohio State |
Career history | |
As coach | |
1915 | East Technical HS (OH) |
1922–1925 | Iowa State |
1926–1928 | Ohio State (assistant) |
1929–1933 | Ohio State |
1934 | Western Reserve |
As player | |
1915 | Akron Indians |
1917 | Canton Bulldogs |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Samuel Stienneck Willaman (April 4, 1891 – August 18, 1935) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Iowa State University (1922–1925), Ohio State University (1929–1933), and Western Reserve University (1934), compliling a career college football record of 47–26–9. At Iowa State, Willaman integrated the team by playing Jack Trice.
In college, Willaman played for Ohio State at end, halfback, and fullback. He lettered in 1911 and 1913. In 1913 he was named All-Ohio. In 1921 he was selected to the Ohio State football all-time team at second-team halfback behind Chic Harley and Pete Stinchcomb.
While a student at Ohio State, Willaman was a member of the Sigma Pi Fraternity. After graduating in 1915, he became a high school football head coach. He had earlier coached at a high school in Alliance, Ohio, and in 1915 he was hired as head coach at Cleveland's East Technical High School. At this time he also began playing halfback for Peggy Parratt's Akron Indians football team. Playing professional football was not forbidden in Willaman's East Tech contract, but playing football for money was frowned upon at the time in academic circles. For this reason, Willaman played professionally under the name "Sam Williams".
In 1917, Willaman joined the Canton Bulldogs, where he played with Jim Thorpe. In Canton, Willaman moved to end, the position where he had started his college playing career. He was also Thorpe's backup at halfback. The Bulldogs finished the season 9–1 and won the championship of the "Ohio League", which was the direct predecessor to the National Football League.