Melvin J. "Tubby" Meyers (September 5, 1887 – May 2, 1940), sometimes spelled "Myers," was an American

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 the first head coach and first captain of the Western State Normal football program, holding both titles as a player-coach during the 1906 college football season.

Early life

Meyers was born in Gobleville, Michigan in 1887,Draft Registration Card for M.J. Myers of Port Huron, Michigan, born Sept. 5, 1887. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 atabase on-line Registration Location: St Clair County, Michigan; Roll: 1682812; Draft Board: 1. and moved with his family to

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

in 1895. 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.

Education and career

Meyers enrolled at the Western State Normal School (now known as

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...

) in Kalamazoo as a student in the

Manual Training Vocational education is education that prepares people for a skilled craft. Vocational education can also be seen as that type of education given to an individual to prepare that individual to be gainfully employed or self employed with req ...

department. He was the coach, captain and halfback for the football team in the school's inaugural season of

in 1906. He is recognized both as the first head football coach and "the first great player" in the history of the

Western Michigan Broncos football The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I (NCAA), Division I and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, w ...

program. After graduating from Western State Normal in 1909, Myers was hired by Port Huron High School in

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in and seat of government of St. Clair County, Michigan, United States. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Po ...

. He served as supervisor of manual training and director of athletics at the school. 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. In 1920, he was married to Mary "Mayme" McCallum (1887–1978) at Port Huron. At the time of the

1920 United States Census The 1920 United States census, conducted by the Census Bureau during one month from January 5, 1920, determined the resident population of the United States to be 106,021,537, an increase of 15.0 percent over the 92,228,496 persons enumerated ...

, Meyers was living with his wife, Mary A. Meyers, in Port Huron. His occupation was listed as a teacher in a high school. As of 1925, he was serving in the National Guard with the rank of first lieutenant. At the time of the

1930 United States Census The 1930 United States census, conducted by the Census Bureau one month from April 1, 1930, determined the resident population of the United States to be 122,775,046, an increase of 13.7 percent over the 106,021,537 persons enumerated during t ...

, 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 of

manual arts Industrial arts is an educational program that features the fabrication of objects in wood or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools. Industrial Arts are commonly referred to as Technology education, Technology Education. It may i ...

. 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 in

Sarnia Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes, ...

. Since 1947, the "Tubby Meyers Award" has been presented each year to the outstanding player on the Port Huron High School football team.

Head coaching record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyers, Tubby 1887 births 1940 deaths American football halfbacks Western Michigan Broncos football players Western Michigan Broncos football coaches High school football coaches in Michigan Players of American football from Kalamazoo, Michigan Sportspeople from Port Huron, Michigan Sportspeople from Van Buren County, Michigan Coaches of American football from Michigan