Joel D. Whitaker (October 5, 1877 – October 13, 1947) was an American

ophthalmologist Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

and

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

player and coach. He was hired as one of the first coaches of the Guilford Quakers in 1897, posting a 2–2–1 record. Whitaker played

at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

, where he was a prominent fullback, described by Kemp Plummer Battle as "probably the university's best all around athlete." In the 1895 Georgia vs. North Carolina football game, Whitaker threw what is purported by some to be the first

forward pass In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The legal and widespread use of the forward pass distinguishes grid ...

. He picked an all-time UNC team in 1910. Whitaker was born on October 5, 1877, in

Warrenton, North Carolina Warrenton is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 862 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Warrenton, now served by U.S. Route 158, U.S. routes 158 and U.S. Route 401 in North ...

. He died on October 13, 1947, at St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

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* 1877 births 1947 deaths American football fullbacks American football punters American football quarterbacks American ophthalmologists Guilford Quakers football coaches North Carolina Tar Heels football players North Carolina Tar Heels baseball players People from Warrenton, North Carolina Players of American football from Raleigh, North Carolina Physicians from Florida Physicians from Indiana Baseball players from Wake County, North Carolina {{1890s-collegefootball-coach-stub