Joe Guyon

Joseph Napoleon Guyon (Anishinaabe: O-Gee-Chidah)^[1] (November 26, 1892 – November 27, 1971) was an American football and baseball player and coach. He played college football at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School from 1912 to 1913 and Georgia Institute of Technology from 1917 to 1918 and with a number of professional clubs from 1919 to 1927. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

Early life

Guyon was an American Indian from the Ojibwa tribe (Chippewa) and was born on the White Earth Indian Reservation in White Earth, Minnesota.^[1] He received only a sixth-grade education from the American government.^[1] Guyon also spent time in Magdalena, New Mexico.^[2]

Football career

College

Guyon attended and played college football at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School from 1912 to 1913 under head coach Pop Warner.^[3] While at Carlisle, the school had season records of 12–1–1, 10–1–1, scored 454 points one year, 296 another, and Guyon was honored as a halfback on Walter Camp's second-team All-America Team.^[3] From 1914 to 1916, he attended the Keewatin Academy in Chicago, Illinois.^[3]

Guyon then attended and played football at Georgia Tech from 1917 to 1918 under head coach John Heisman. His brother Charles "Wahoo" Guyon was the assistant coach. While he was at Georgia Tech, the team went 9–0 and 6–1, scoring 491 points then 462, and he was honored as a tackle on Frank G. Menke's first All-America team.^[3] Against Vanderbilt University in 1917, Guyon ran 12 times for 344 yards.^[3] Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were crowned national champions in 1917. From 1914 to 1918, Georgia Tech had a 33-game unbeaten streak, during which in four (nonconsecutive) games of the streak Georgia Tech scored 222, 128, 119, and then 118.^[3] Guyon was a unanimous selection for an Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era.^[4] Guyon coached the backs for Georgia Tech in 1920.

Professional

Guyon signed to play professional football with the Canton Bulldogs in 1919.^[1] After the NFL was organized in 1920, he played seven more seasons with the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians, Rock Island Independents, Kansas City Cowboys, and the New York Giants. From 1919 to 1924, he teamed with another outstanding Indian halfback, Jim Thorpe. They parted ways late in the 1924 season when Guyon left the Independents to go to Kansas City. He stayed with the Cowboys in 1925 while Thorpe went to the Giants.^[1]

Then in 1927, Guyon joined the Giants and helped lead the team to the 1927 NFL Championship.^[1]

Coaching

Guyon coached high school football at St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky from 1931 to 1933, with a 16–7–2 record.^[3]

Baseball career

Player

Guyon had previously hit over .340 three consecutive years for the Louisville Colonels in the American Association, which at AA, was at the highest classification of the era. His playing career as an outfielder extended from 1920 through 1936 with a break during his college coaching career.

Coach

Guyon was the head coach of the Clemson Tigers baseball team at Clemson University from 1928 to 1931. He managed the Anderson Electrics in the Palmetto League in 1931, the Asheville Tourists in 1932, and the Fieldale Towlers in 1936.

References

External links

• Joe Guyon at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Joe Guyon at the College Football Hall of Fame
• Joe Guyon at Pro-Football-Reference.com
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)