Laird Morris

Last updated

Laird Morris
Usa v australia test 1912.jpg
Morris passes back from a scrum during the 1912 match against Australia
Full nameLaird Monterey Morris
Date of birth(1889-10-09)October 9, 1889
Place of birth California
Date of deathAugust 19, 1954(1954-08-19) (aged 64)
Place of death San Francisco, California
Height5 ft 7.5 in (1.71 m) [1]
Weight150 lb (68 kg; 10 st 10 lb) [1]
University University of California
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1910–1912 University of California ()
Correct as of November 5, 2018
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1910–1912 United States 1 (0)
Correct as of November 5, 2018

Morris with the US team in 1912 (pictured front row, fifth from left) Usa rugby team v australia.jpg
Morris with the US team in 1912 (pictured front row, fifth from left)

Laird Monterey "Monte" Morris (October 9, 1889 – August 19, 1954) was an American rugby union player who played at scrum-half for the United States men's national team in its first capped match in 1912.

Contents

Biography

Morris was born on October 9, 1889, in California. [2] He was the son of Henry Bishop Morris and Mary Kathryn Morris (born Baker). [3]

Morris attended the University of California, where in 1910 he earned a place on the varsity rugby team. [4] In 1911, Morris was late to return to the university, [5] but eventually did so and rejoined the rugby team. [6] During the 1912 season, Morris saw his playing time reduced as the coaching staff attempted to develop other players to play his position, [7] although he remained the best player at that position on the university team. [8] At the end of the 1912 season, on November 16, 1912, Morris played for the United States team at scrum-half in its first capped match—a 12–8 loss to Australia. [9] Morris served as the team's captain for this match. [10]

In 1913, Morris did not return to the University of California rugby team. [11] Over the course of his collegiate rugby career, Morris was described as "one of the grittiest halves that ever trailed a scrum," [11] and as a member of "one of the most brilliant [back field] combinations ever seen on the Coast." [12] As a member of the class of 1913, Morris was a member of the Winged Helmet and Golden Bear honor societies at the University of California. [13] [14] Morris died on August 19, 1954, in San Francisco, California. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States men's national rugby union team</span> Mens rugby union team

The United States men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States of America Rugby Football Union in men's international rugby union. USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States, and is a member of Rugby Americas North, one of six regional governing bodies under World Rugby. Until rugby returned to Olympic competition, with sevens at the 2016 Rio Games, the United States was the reigning Olympic rugby champion, having won gold at the 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Golden Bears</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of California, Berkeley

The California Golden Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Berkeley. Referred to in athletic competition as California or Cal, the university fields 30 varsity athletic programs and various club teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I primarily as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, and for a limited number of sports as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). After more than 100 years in the Pac-12, California will depart to the Atlantic Coast Conference on August 2, 2024.

Australian rules football in the United States is a team and spectator sport which has grown rapidly since the late 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colby Slater</span> American rugby union player

Colby Edmund "Babe" Slater was an American rugby union player who captained the United States national rugby union team that won the gold medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics. He was a member of the American rugby union team, which won the gold medal in 1920 and 1924.

The 1921 California Golden Bears football team, also known as the Wonder Team, was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1921 college football season. In their sixth year under head coach Andy Smith, the team compiled a 9–0–1 record, won the PCC championship, and outscored its opponents by a combined total of 312 to 33. In the postseason, the Golden Bears played a scoreless tie against Washington & Jefferson in the rain-soaked 1922 Rose Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rugby union in the United States</span>

The first recorded match between two colleges in game played in United States using rugby union code rules occurred on May 14, 1874 between Harvard University and McGill University. Predating rugby using the rugby union rules were rugby union style "carrying games" with use of hands permitted including a game between Harvard College Freshmen and Sophomores at a game played at Harvard campus in 1858. Harvard varsity interscholastic rugby team was not founded until December 6, 1872

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Erb</span> American rugby union player (b. 1892)

Benjamin Edward Erb was an American rugby union player who played fullback for the United States men's national team in its first capped match in 1912.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Arrell</span> American rugby union player (b. 1888)

James Lee Arrell was an American rugby union player who played prop for the United States men's national team in its first capped match in 1912.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deke Gard</span> American rugby union player

Frank Jacob "Deke" Gard was an American rugby union player who played flanker for the United States men's national team in its first two capped matches in 1912 and 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stirling Peart</span> American rugby union player (b. 1890)

Stirling Benjamin Peart was an American rugby union player who played wing for the United States men's national team in its first two capped matches in 1912 and 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph McKim</span> American rugby union player (b. 1891)

Joseph Louis "Chalk" McKim was a Mexican-born American rugby union player who played prop for the United States men's national team in its first two capped matches in 1912 and 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Austin (rugby union)</span> American rugby union player and coach (b. 1892, d. 1980)

Charles Allphin Austin was an American rugby union player, official, and coach who played center for the United States men's national team in its first two capped matches in 1912 and 1913. Austin also served as coach of the United States team that won the gold medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William King (rugby union)</span> American rugby union player (b. 1890)

William Norris King was an American rugby union player who played in the back row for the United States men's national team in its first two capped matches in 1912 and 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Noble</span> American rugby union player (b. 1889)

Ralph Matthews Noble was an American rugby union player who played at wing for the United States men's national team in its first capped match in 1912.

Devereaux St Bruno Ferris is a New Zealand-born, American rugby union player who plays at scrum-half for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR). He also represents America as a member of the United States men's national team and USA Selects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Blase</span> American rugby union player (b. 1887)

Roland Roy Blase was an American rugby union player who played at lock for the United States men's national team in its first capped match against New Zealand in 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mow Mitchell</span> American rugby union player (b. 1886)

Mowatt Merrill "Mow" Mitchell was an American rugby union player and official who played at fly-half for the United States men's national team in its first capped match against New Zealand in 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Cass</span> American rugby union player (b. 1889)

Louis Cass was an American rugby union player who played at scrum-half for the United States men's national team in its first capped match against New Zealand in 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elwin Hall</span> American rugby union player (b. 1891)

Elwin Benoni Hall was an American rugby union player who played at hooker for the United States men's national team in its first capped match against New Zealand in 1913.

References

  1. 1 2 "Men Who Will Compose Blue and Gold Varsity Team on Sunday". The San Francisco Call . Vol. CVIII, no. 162. November 9, 1910. p. 10. Retrieved November 5, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "Laird Morris". espn.co.uk. ESPN . Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Laird Monterey Morris". The Rugby History Society. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Elliot (November 7, 1910). "California Camp is Confident of Victory". The San Francisco Chronicle . Vol. XCVII, no. 116. p. 10. Retrieved November 5, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Rugby Absentees Cause of Much Worry". The San Francisco Call . Vol. CX, no. 90. Berkeley, California. August 28, 1911. p. 11. Retrieved November 6, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Morris Returns to Berkeley Job". The San Francisco Call . Vol. CX, no. 91. Berkeley, California. August 29, 1911. p. 10. Retrieved November 6, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Erskine, Douglas (September 26, 1912). "Games with Clubmen Give Line on Material". The San Francisco Examiner . Vol. XCVII, no. 88. p. 11. Retrieved November 6, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "California Rugby Fifteen to Meet Barbs To-Day". The San Francisco Examiner . Vol. XCVII, no. 111. October 19, 1912. p. 13. Retrieved November 6, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Australia Tour - Berkeley, 16 November 1912". espn.co.uk. ESPN . Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  10. ↑ 1914 Blue & Gold, p. 145. "California was represented on the team by five players, one of whom, "Monte" Morris, the veteran half-back, was captain."
  11. 1 2 BOBS. (August 24, 1913). "California Must Depend on New Rugby Material". The San Francisco Chronicle . Vol. CIII, no. 40. p. 61. Retrieved November 6, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ BOBS. (December 14, 1917). "California Loses Popular Manager". The San Francisco Chronicle . Vol. CXI, no. 152. p. 10. Retrieved November 6, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ The 1913 Blue & Gold of the University of California: Being a Record of the College Year Published by the Junior Class in the Year 1912. University of California, Berkeley. 1912. p. 429.
  14. ↑ 1914 Blue & Gold, pp. 322–323.

Notes


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.