imported>WikiOriginal-9: ce

2025-02-07T13:59:23Z

New page

{{Short description|American football player (1910–1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ed Widseth
| image = Ed Widseth.jpg
| number = 77, 50
| position = [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|Offensive tackle]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|1|5|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Gonvick, Minnesota]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|12|3|1910|1|5|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[St. Paul, Minnesota]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 223
| high_school = [[McIntosh High School (Minnesota)|McIntosh (MN)]]
| college = [[Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles|Minnesota-Crookston]] <br> [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]]
| draftyear = 1937
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 4
| pastteams =
* [[New York Giants]] ({{NFL Year|1937|1940}})
| highlights =
* [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|NFL champion]] ([[1938 NFL Championship Game|1938]])
* [[NFL All-Star Game]] ([[1939 National Football League All-Star Game|1938]])
* 3× [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1934]], [[1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1935]], [[1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1936]])
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1936 College Football All-America Team|1936]])
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1935 College Football All-America Team|1935]])
* First-team All-American ([[1934 College Football All-America Team|1934]])
* 3× First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1934 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1934]], [[1935 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1935]], [[1936 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1936]])
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 44
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 22
| pfr = WidsEd20
| CollegeHOF = 1558
}}

'''Edwin Clarence Widseth''' (January 5, 1910 – December 3, 1998) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[tackle (American football)|tackle]] for the [[New York Giants]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for four seasons. He played [[college football]] for the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football]] team of the [[University of Minnesota]], where he was a consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] in 1935 and 1936. Widseth was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the [[1937 NFL draft]], and was chosen for the [[Pro Bowl]] in 1938. He was later inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

==University of Minnesota==
Widseth was born in Gonvick, Minnesota in 1910. He played high school football at the Northwest School of Agriculture (later renamed [[University of Minnesota, Crookston]]) where he graduated in 1932. At the time, NSA was a boarding school. His family's farm had no access to electricity. He was also student body president. Widseth next enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he played football for [[Bernie Bierman]]'s Minnesota Golden Gophers football teams of the mid-1930s. The Golden Gophers compiled a record of 23-1 during Widseth's three seasons on the team from 1934 to 1936.<ref name=Obit>{{cite news |title=College football loses member of Hall of Fame |publisher=The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY) |date=1998-12-05}}</ref> Widseth reportedly "'lived' in enemy backfields and was unquestionably the pillar of strength in the Gopher line" during a period in which they claimed three consecutive national championships.<ref name=CFHOF>{{cite web |title=Ed Widseth |publisher=College Football Hall of Fame |url={{College Football HoF/url|id=1558}}}}</ref> The only game the Golden Gophers lost during Widseth's three years as a starter was a 6–0 loss to Northwestern in 1936.<ref name=CFHOF /> Minnesota had a 28-game winning streak when they went to Evanston for a Halloween Day game against Northwestern. The game was scoreless when Widseth tackled a Northwestern player, and the referee accused Widseth of "slugging" the Northwestern player. After a 15-yard penalty was assessed, the ball was placed at Minnesota's one-yard line, and Northwestern scored a touchdown for the only points of the game.<ref name=Obit /> Widseth was a member of [[FarmHouse]] fraternity.<ref>[http://purl.umn.edu/134842 1936 ''Minnesota Gopher'' yearbook, p.336], accessed 12 Aug 2020.</ref>

Widseth also won two varsity letters as a pitcher and first baseman for the Minnesota baseball team.<ref name=CFHOF />

Widseth was selected as a first-team All-American in all three seasons he played for the Golden Gophers. As a sophomore in 1934, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the [[International News Service]] ("INS")—the Hearst newspaper syndicate. In 1935, he received first-team All-American honors from the [[United Press]] ("UP"),<ref>{{cite news |author=Stuart Cameron |title=Grayson On U.P. All-American Team: MOSCRIP AND LUTZ PLACED ON RESERVES |publisher=Oakland Tribune |date=1935-11-29}}</ref> the All-America Board,<ref>{{cite news |author=Christy Walsh |title=Stars Listed on Official All-America Team |publisher=Salt Lake Tribune |date=1935-12-08}}</ref> ''[[Liberty (general interest magazine)|Liberty]]'',<ref>{{cite news |title=Grayson on Honor Team: Liberty's All-Star Eleven Released; Moscrip and Duvall Placed |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1936-01-02}}</ref> the INS,<ref>{{cite news |author=Davis Walsh |title=Walsh's National Eleven Leaves Ohio Out in Cold: Both Minnesota Tackles Chosen; Backfield Includes Smith, Berwanger, Wilson and Grayson |publisher=Circleville Herald |date=1935-12-05}}</ref> the North American Newspaper Alliance,<ref>{{cite news |title=Four Coast Stars on All-America Elevens: Kerr, McGugin, Phelan and Dorais Select 1935 All-Star Teams; Moscrip, Grayson Named |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1935-12-01}}</ref> the [[Central Press Association]],<ref>{{cite news |author=Bill Braucher |title=SOUTH LEADS OTHER SECTIONS – ALL AMERICA: 54~Captains Select Central Press All-American Teams |publisher=Kingsport Times |date=1935-12-08}}</ref> and the Walter Camp Football Foundation ("WCFF").<ref name=WC /> In 1936, he was a consensus All-American receiving first-team honors from the Associated Press,<ref>{{cite news |author=Alan Gould |title=East Dominates Positions on Mythical Grid Team |publisher=Ogden Standard-Examiner |date=1936-12-04}}</ref> the UP,<ref>{{cite news |title=All-America Team Chosen For Season |publisher=The Times (San Mateo, CA) |date=1936-11-24}}</ref> ''Collier's Weekly'',<ref>{{cite news |title=All-American Team Named by Collier's: Tinsley, Frank and Francis Picked as Three Outstanding Players |publisher=Hope Star |date=1936-12-11}}</ref> the INS,<ref>{{cite news |title=All-American For I.N.S. Service |publisher=Chester Times |date=1936-12-01}}</ref> the Newspaper Editors Association,<ref>{{cite news |title=NEA Names Slingin' Sammy Baugh On All-America Team: NEA PICKS FOOTBALL'S FINEST OF 1936 |publisher=Abilene Daily Reporter |date=1936-11-24}}</ref> ''[[Liberty (general interest magazine)|Liberty]]'',<ref>{{cite news |title=Francis Leads Players' 'Team' |publisher=Salt Lake Tribune |date=1937-01-06}}</ref> the Central Press,<ref>{{cite news |author=Bill Braucher |title=YANKEE TEAMS STEP OUT IN ALL-STAR VOTING: Playing Captains Pick Top Warriors |publisher=Post-Herald (WV) |date=1936-12-05}}</ref> and WCFF.<ref name=WC>{{cite web |title=Walter Camp Football Foundation |url=http://waltercamp.org/index.php/teams_and_awards// |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330065940/http://waltercamp.org/index.php/teams_and_awards |archive-date=2009-03-30 }}</ref>

==Professional football==
Widseth was [[NFL draft|drafted]] in the first round (fourth overall) of the [[1937 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1937 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1937/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He played for the New York Giants from 1937 to 1940. Widseth was recognized as an all-NFL player three consecutive years. As a rookie in 1937, he was selected as a second-team All-NFL player by Collyers Eye Magazine, the INS, the NFL, the New York Daily News and the United Press.<ref name=PFR /> In 1938, he was rated a first-team All-NFL player by Collyer's Eye, the Pro Football Writers, the INS, the NFL, the ''New York Daily News'', and the United Press. He was selected to the 1938 [[Pro Bowl]]. In 1939, he was selected as a second-team All-NFL player by the NFL and ''New York Daily News''.<ref name=PFR>{{cite news |title=Ed Widseth |publisher=pro-football-reference.com |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WidsEd20.htm}}</ref>

==Later years and honors==
Widseth coached St. Thomas College from 1945 to 1946 and his team won the Minnesota College Conference title both years.<ref name=CFHOF />

Widseth was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1954. His official biography at the Hall of Fame describes him as follows: "A slashing, driving invader, Widseth used his 6-2 220-pound body to pummel opposing players, relentlessly advancing until the ball-carrier was within his grasp and quickly felled."<ref name=CFHOF />

The football field at the [[University of Minnesota Crookston]] is named Ed Widseth Field in honor of Widseth.<ref>{{cite news |title=Campus Maps and Virtual Tour: Widseth Field |publisher=University of Minnesota Crookston |url=http://www2.crk.umn.edu/info/Tours/buildings/Widsethfield/index.htm |access-date=2009-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906050336/http://www.crk.umn.edu/info/tours/buildings/Widsethfield/index.htm |archive-date=2006-09-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Widseth died in 1998 at [[St. Paul, Minnesota]].<ref name=Obit /> He is buried at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]].

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{College Football HoF|1558}}
* {{Find a Grave|5756}}

{{St. Thomas Tommies football coach navbox}}
{{1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{1937 NFL Draft}}
{{Giants1937DraftPicks}}
{{1938 New York Giants}}
{{GiantsFirstPick}}
{{1935 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1936 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Widseth, Ed}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:American football tackles]]
[[Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football players]]
[[Category:New York Giants players]]
[[Category:St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies football coaches]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:People from Clearwater County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:People from Polk County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Minnesota]]
[[Category:University of Minnesota Crookston alumni]]

Ed Widseth - Revision history

imported>WikiOriginal-9: ce