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Richmond County, Georgia Obituaries
HOPE
Died in Georgia - James Hope, of Augusta.
[The Daily Constitution, Atlanta Georgia Oct. 20, 1876 - submitted by
Shauna Williams]
SHERIDAN
Cadet’s Neck Broken in Game With Yale
Condition of Richard B. Sheridan, Augusta Ga., Described As Being Very Serious
The Frederick Post, Frederick Maryland, October 26, 1931
New Haven, Conn., Oct. 25
Cadet Richard B. Sheridan, Augusta, Ga., Army football player, whose neck was broken yesterday in the game with
Yale, lay in a critical condition tonight. Physicians held out little hope for his recovery.
Sheridan was placed in a respirator last night after an emergency operation in which the surgeons were guided by
x-ray photographs. The fourth cervical vertebra was fractured and a twisting of the neck partly obstructed breathing.
Prayers for the youth’s recovery were said in St. John’s Catholic church. The extreme unction was administered
after the operation. Major Philip H. Fleming of the Military Academy staff with three other officers remained near
Sheridan throughout the night and day answering a steady stream of inquiries about his condition.
The Frederick Post, Frederick Maryland, October 27, 1931
As a tragic climax to two sensational plays in the Yale-Army game at New Haven, Conn., when both teams scored in
rapid succession, Richard B. Sheridan, above, one of the West Point Ends, sustained a broken neck. The cadet,
from Augusta, Ga., a member of the class of ’33, was rushed from the field to a New Haven hospital and died there
Monday afternoon.
The Frederick Post, Frederick Maryland, October 29, 1931
Taps Is Sounded For Cadet Sheridan
Bugler Gives Soldiers Farewell As His Body Is Lowered Into Grave
West Point, N.Y., Oct 26 – Cadet Richard Brinsley Sheridan of Augusta, Ga., who died from a broken neck received
in last Saturday’s Army-Yale football game was buried here this afternoon with full military honors. While a hollow
square of his comrades stood rigidly at attention, their black pom-poms waving slightly in the breeze, Sheridan’s
body was lowered to its last resting place in the Cadet Cemetery.
Services Earlier
The services began in the tiny Roman Catholic chapel of the United States Military Academy, where Sheridan’s body
had been lying in state since this forenoon, attended by a guard of honor selected from his classmates. His family,
a few classmates, the football team and senior officers of the military academy were present. Outside a thousand
cadets under arms stood at ease on the historic North road, which has resounded to the tread of George Washington
and the Continental soldiers.
Band Leads Cortege -- As the brief chapel
service was brought to a close, the United States Military Academy Band took its place at the head of the funeral
cortege and the corps of cadets, their fixed bayonets moving with the precision of clockwork swung into a column
of squads.
Down the old North road marched the cortege. Behind the cadets came Father J. A. Langston, Roman Catholic chaplain.
He walked in front of the caisson on which rested the plain flag-draped coffin. Behind the caisson walked an officer’s
black charger, heavily caparisoned, with a pair of Cadet Sheridan’s boots reversed in the stirrups – the army’s
symbol for the dead. Sheridan’s family rode behind his horse.
From Hollow Square
As the cortege reached the cemetery the whole cadet corps nearly 1,200 strong, formed a vast hollow square about
the grave. There was a moment of silence and Sheridan’s body was quickly lowered. Company I. Sheridan’s unit,
fired the traditional three volleys over the grave.
The Lima Sunday News, Lima, Ohio, November 26 1933
Making Football a Safer Game
By Gilmore Dobie
As told to Harold E. Jansen
Football has been criticized as being the most dangerous of high school, college and sandlot sports. Parents have
refused to allow their sons to engage in the gridiron game for fear of broken bones, sprained ligaments and the
possibility of death. There have seemingly been adequate grounds for their fears. Seven college players died from
injuries received during the 1931 season and four last fall. In 1931 seven high school boys succumbed to football
injuries while in 1932 the number had increased to 14. According to reliable estimates, there were more than 6300
injuries among college gridiron men in the fall of 1932.
Charges have been made of deliberate attempts to cripple players. There have been allegations of slugging, kicking
a player in a convenient part of the anatomy and using him as a floor mat to wipe the feet on. Coaches have been
accused of sanctioning dirty play. Charges of laxness in enforcing the rules have been hurled at officials. In
order to understand the reason for this caustic criticism of the game from the danger standpoint, let us review
recent history.
Seventy-five thousand football fans sat in the Yale Bowl on October 24, 1931, electrified with excitement. It
ws the fourth period of the colorful Yale-Army battle, and in the first two plays of that quarter the cadets had
busted up a scoreless tie by staging a brief march across the goal line. On the subsequent kickoff Bud Parker of
the Yale eleven completed the third longest similar run as Eli ball carrier had ever made – 88 yards – behind impregnable
interferences to know the score, 6-6. The unexpected swiftness with which the Blue tied the count threw its supporters
into a pandemonium of delight.
But just a couple of minutes later the entire throng was hushed by the knowledge of a tragedy. Army again booted
the pigskin to the Bulldogs, and the receiver started his dash down the field. Cadet Richard B. Sheridan of Augusta,
Ga., 149 pound right end, attempted to interrupt his progress. Parker had made his touchdown on Sheridan’s side
of the field and the light Army end was out to nail his man in a whole-hearted way this time.
Sports writers gave different versions of the accident that followed. Major Philip B. Fleming, graduate manager
of athletics at the U. S. Military Academy and Head coach Marvin A. Stevens of Yale, who investigated, found that
Sheridan had eluded the Yale man’s interference, and in tackling him hard, his head struck the ball carrier’s knee
or upper leg just as it was raised in a swift running stride. The Army star fell, unconscious.
Forty-eight hours later Sheridan died of a broken neck, despite the best medical attention. King Football had
stepped in among one of the country’s major educational institutions to exact toll.
Walter K. Wilson, acting superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy told the Army corps and the press: “The accident
of Cadet Sheridan was unavoidable and not the slightest blame in connection therewith attaches to any member of
the opposing team.”
The Sheridan fatality was purely an accident, the same as practically every serious injury sustained on the college
gridiron today. Yet the toll of lives and the number of hurts suffered throughout the season have made people
wonder as to their cause, and have led a few to charge poor sportsmanship and dirty playing.
When the fatality and injury roster had been completed at the and of the 1931 season, it was found that the number
of deaths was variously reported by newspapers at between 43 and 50, and seven of the men were on college teams.
Becaue of the prominence of the players and the universities involved, a wave of criticism arose over the dangers
of the game. As the result of the unfavorable publicity that the casualties gave the game, and a sincere desire
on the part of all those teaching it to decrease the number of fatalities and injures, the American Football Coaches
Association at the close of the 1931 season appointed Dr. Marvin A. Stevene, Yale’s head coach, as chairman of
a committee to investigate football injuries and fatalities. This led to drastic changes in the football rules
for the 1932 season.
When the roll was called among football players at the close of last year, it was ascertained that the number of
fatalities among college players had decreased to four and the total to 36. The decrease may be attributed directly
to the changes in the rules.
[Transcribed by Nancy Piper]
PHILIP
DIED. In Augusta, Ga., on the 27th ult. Mr. Robert Philip. [Macon Weekly Telegraph, March 2, 1841
- submitted by Christina Anthony]
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