Andy Oberlander

Andrew James "Swede" Oberlander (February 17, 1905 – January 1, 1968) was an American football player and coach. He was an All-American halfback for Dartmouth College's Indians undefeated and national championship football team in 1925.[1] Oberlander was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1954.[2]

Andy Oberlander
Biographical details
Born(1905-02-17)February 17, 1905
Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJanuary 1, 1968(1968-01-01) (aged 62)
New Vernon, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
1925Dartmouth
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1926–1929Ohio State (assistant)
1930–1933Wesleyan
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
As a player
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1954 (profile)

Dartmouth College

Oberlander was converted to halfback from the tackle position, and had a "terrific straight arm".[3] In 1925, Oberlander passed for 14 touchdowns and ran for 12. Dartmouth defeated Harvard 32–9, its best victory to date over the Crimson.[4] In a 62–13 victory over Cornell, Oberlander had 477 yards in total offense, including six touchdown passes,[5] a Dartmouth record which still stands. He was responsible for some 500 yards of total offense.[6] Cornell coach Gil Dobie responded "We won the game 13–0, passing is not football."[7] The season closed with a 33–7 victory over defending Big Ten champion Chicago. Oberlander threw three touchdowns.[8]

Coaching career

Oberlander was an assistant coach at Ohio State University from 1926 to 1929 and head coach at Wesleyan University from 1930 to 1933. While at Wesleyan, he commuted to New Haven and received his MD from Yale School of Medicine.

World War II

In World War II, as a Lt. Commander in the United States Navy Reserve, he was chief medical officer aboard the USS Samaritan (AH-10), in the Pacific Fleet. When the war ended, many U.S. troops remained in the Far East awaiting transportation back to the States. Oberlander was head coach of the Navy All-Stars team that beat the Army team 12–0 in the China Bowl on November 30, 1945, in Shanghai.

Insurance

Later, Oberlander served as Medical Director for National Life Insurance Company of Vermont and Prudential Insurance Company in Chicago and Newark.

References
  1. "Andrew Oberlander, All American Football Team, 1925 Dec 1, Certificate: Full Finding Aid". dartmouth.edu.
  2. "Andy "Swede" Oberlander". footballfoundation.org. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. "The Pittsburgh Press - Google News Archive Search". google.com.
  4. "Football Games 1920s". dartmouth.edu.
  5. "Dartmouth Shoots Down Cornell, 62-13, with Aerials". Chicago Tribune. November 8, 1925.
  6. Bernie McCarty. "Oberlander's 500-yard game" (PDF). p. 17.
  7. "Evolution of the Game: The Introduction of the Forward Pass" (PDF). National Football Foundation's Football Letter. 3 (56): 30. October 2014.
  8. "How Swede it was: 1924 football". thedartmouth.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
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