 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1887-09-05)September 5, 1887 Gobleville, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | May 2, 1940(1940-05-02) (aged 52) Sarnia, Ontario, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1906–1908 | Western State Normal |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1906 | Western State Normal |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1–3 |
Melvin J. "Tubby"Meyers (September 5, 1887 – May 2, 1940), sometimes spelled "Myers," was an Americancollege football player and coach. He was the first head coach and first captain of theWestern State Normal football program, holding both titles as a player-coach during the 1906 college football season.
Meyers was born inGobleville, Michigan in 1887,[1] and moved with his family toKalamazoo, Michigan in 1895.[2] His father, Rollie Meyers was a Michigan native who worked as a mail clerk at the post office. His mother, Vivia Meyers, was an Ohio native. He had an older brother, Rauel, a younger brother, Carl, and a younger sister, Fern.[3][4]
Meyers enrolled at the Western State Normal School (now known asWestern Michigan University) in Kalamazoo as a student in theManual Training department.[2] He was the coach, captain and halfback for the football team in the school's inaugural season ofcollege football in 1906.[5][6] He is recognized both as the first head football coach and "the first great player" in the history of theWestern Michigan Broncos football program.[5]
After graduating from Western State Normal in 1909, Myers was hired byPort Huron High School inPort Huron, Michigan. He served as supervisor of manual training and director of athletics at the school.[2] He also served for many years as the school's football coach. In June 1917, Myers completed a draft registration card stating that he was employed at Port Huron High School as a manual training and athletics instructor.[1]
In 1920, he was married to Mary "Mayme" McCallum (1887–1978) at Port Huron. At the time of the1920 United States Census, Meyers was living with his wife, Mary A. Meyers, in Port Huron. His occupation was listed as a teacher in a high school.[7] As of 1925, he was serving in the National Guard with the rank of first lieutenant.[8] At the time of the1930 United States Census, Meyers and his wife continued to reside in Port Huron. They had a daughter, Minola A. Meyers. His occupation was listed in 1930 as a teacher ofmanual arts.[9] McCallum died in 1942 at Port Huron.
In 1939, he became the business manager and purchasing agent for the Port Huron board of education. He died at age in May 1940 after collapsing at the Masonic Temple inSarnia.[10][11]
Since 1947, the "Tubby Meyers Award" has been presented each year to the outstanding player on the Port Huron High School football team.[12]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western State Normal Hilltoppers(Independent)(1906) | |||||||||
| 1906 | Western State Normal | 1–3 | |||||||
| Western State Normal: | 1–3 | ||||||||
| Total: | 1–3 | ||||||||