Edwin Foster Blair (1901-1970) was the co-founder of a New York law firm, a member of many corporate boards, a lineman on the undefeated1923 Yale Bulldogs football team, and an alumni leader atYale University. He won the 1968Walter Camp Award.
Edwin F. Blair graduated from Terrill School for Boys in Dallas (a precursor toSt. Mark's School of Texas)[1] before spending an additional year at theHotchkiss School, where he graduated 1920.
He then graduated fromYale University with an AB in 1924. At Yale, he was member ofPhi Beta Kappa,Delta Kappa Epsilon andSkull and Bones.[2] He was a tackle for the undefeated 1923 Yale football team; one service named him to a1923 College Football All-America Team.[3]
Blair then graduatedcum laude fromYale Law School.[4]
In 1928, Blair was hired as an instructor in theYale Law School. The following year, he joined the New York law firm Davis, Polk, Wardwell, Gardiner & Reed as an associate. In 1940 Blair organized the law firm Blair, Polk & Ogden. Two years later the firm became Blair & Reed. Blair practiced law in New York until 1968.
Blair served on the board of directors of theCanada Dry Corp.,Holly Sugar Corporation, Mohasco Industries (later known asMohawk Industries), and the Union Bag-Camp Paper Corporation (later known asUnion Camp Corporation) He was also Chairman of the Board of T.A.D. Jones & Co., Inc. and a member of the advisory board of the Chemical Corn Exchange Bank (later known asChemical Bank).
Blair was so heavily involved withYale University that hisThe New York Times obituary referred to him as "Mr. Yale."[5] From 1942 to 1944 he was Chairman of the Alumni Fund, and from 1949 to 1952 he was Chairman of the Alumni Board. He was also a Fellow of theYale Corporation, director of the Yale Football Association and Chairman of the Yale Graduate Football Committee. He received the 1968Walter Camp Man of the Year award. The year after his death, the Yale football team began awarding theEdwin Foster Blair Award to the team's most valuable player, an award funded by theYale Club of New York City[6]
A lifelongRepublican, Blair served on the Republican Finance Committee and was a delegate to theRepublican National Convention from Connecticut. Blair was a supporter ofglobal governance.
Blair was born inWeatherford, Texas and grew up in Wichita Falls and then Dallas. His father's business, Anderson & Blair, involved wholesale stock and grocers. Blair's father was also involved in local newspapers and was president of Southwestern National Bank. Blair married Rosemary Kane, of Dallas, in 1925. They went on to have five children. In addition to his decades of service to Yale, Blair served on the board of trustees of theHotchkiss School and theFairfield Country Day School.
{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|url= (help)