George M. Crowther (1972) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

George M. Crowther

Induction:
1972
Class:
1913

George M. Crowther '13
Hometown: Fitchburg, MA
Sport: Football
Year Inducted: 1972
Other Sports Played: Baseball

George M. Crowther '13 was Walter Camp's choice for quarterback in his All-American backfield of 1912. Although he weighed only 135 pounds, Kid Crowther deserves top ranking as one of Brown's toughest football players. In three seasons, the diminutive signal caller scored 77 points on 14 touchdowns and a field goal (touchdowns were worth five points his first two years and six the third). One of his touchdowns is still in the record books. He took a kickoff on the goal line against UMass. in 1911 and raced the length of the field (then 110 yards long) for a score. A slippery runner with good speed, Crowther had many other long jaunts, including a 65-yard kickoff return against Bowdoin and a 48-yard end sweep for a touchdown against one o Percy Haughton's fine Harvard teams. Kid Crowther was the heart of the 1912 team, which was rather short on material. He took the slender group and brought it close to greatness. In late October, with Crowther barking the signals and directing the offense, Brown destroyed a good Penn team, 30-7. Crowther swept the ends, returned punts like a demon, and crisply directed four touchdown drives that had the fans at old Andrews Field delirious with joy. The native of Fitchburg, MA, never wore a helmet, playing instead with a white elastic band around his head. Crowther was also a fine baseball player, both at Brown and in the semi-pro leagues around New England.