Stanfield Wells was the first in a long line of All-Americans to come out of Massillon Washington High School, and was one of the pioneers of the forward pass.
18 Facts About Stanfield Wells
1.
2.
Stanfield Wells threw two passes to help Michigan win the Western Conference championship against Minnesota in 1910.
3.
Stanfield Wells played professional football after college and wrote a chapter of a book on playing the end position.
4.
Stanfield Wells later became the manager of an insurance company in Nashville, Tennessee.
5.
Stanfield Wells played left halfback in high school and graduated in 1907.
6.
Stanfield Wells's high school coach Fritz Merwin was a volunteer who helped the players get organized.
7.
Massillon's Washington High School has produced more than ten All-Americans, with Stanfield Wells being the first and others including Harry Stuhldreher, Ed Molinski, Lin Houston, Chris Spielman, and Coach Paul Brown.
8.
At the time of the induction ceremony, Stanfield Wells was unable to attend but wrote a letter that was published in the Massillon newspaper.
9.
Stanfield Wells didn't get paid anything, and if a coach ever had an awkward squad of 11 nit-wits, he did.
10.
The pigskin came sailing through the air on a perfect line, Stanfield Wells grabbed it and ran for a touchdown.
11.
Stanfield Wells had stepped out of bounds for an instant, just as he received the ball.
12.
That game secured the Western Conference championship for Michigan, and Stanfield Wells was credited with the win after he led a fourth quarter drive and scored the winning touchdown with three minutes remaining.
13.
Stanfield Wells ran to the sideline as before and threw diagonally down the field as before to Borleske.
14.
Stanfield Wells was hurled against center, but the whole Minnesota team got into the defense and stopped the play about where it had started.
15.
Stanfield Wells found a hole at left tackle, and although the enemy fell upon him furiously, they were too late, for he twisted across the line and emerged a hero.
16.
In 1914, Stanfield Wells published a chapter in "The Book of Athletics" providing details and advice on playing the end position in football.
17.
Stanfield Wells later became a successful executive with a life and casualty insurance company in Nashville, Tennessee.
18.
In 1964, Stanfield Wells was retired with homes in Sun City, Arizona and a summer home in Cedarville, Michigan.