Eddie Robinson

Bio

For more than a quarter-century, when Ivy League fans thought of Brown University, they thought of "Coach Robbie". Ed Robinson dominated Brown football from 1892 until 1925, first as a player and later as its most-revered coach. Robinson earned nine varsity letters at Brown - four in football, three in baseball and two in track. He coached at Nebraska in 1896 and 1897 with a 10-4-1 record and Maine in 1902 with a 6-2 mark. He returned to Brown on three occasions as coach. His years were 1898-1901, 1904-1907 and 1910-1925, and his record at Brown was 146-84-12. His 1915 Brown Bears played in the Rose Bowl. Robinson was a soft-spoken, coach who frowned upon pep talks and was incapable of hurting a boy's feelings when he had missed an assignment. His kindly approach to football drew the best from his athletes. He much preferred to put the welfare of his players above winning. His coaching record for 27 years at three schools was 156-86-13. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame posthumously in 1955. At the on-campus salute, his award was presented to his son, Edward North Robinson Jr. . Fifteen members of his 1915 Rose Bowl team attended the ceremony. He became the fourth alumnus of Brown University to be named to the Hall of Fame. The university's statement on Robinson's election called him "the father of Brown football" .