Benton Bangs
Personal information
Born:(1893-09-05)September 5, 1893
Moscow, Idaho, U.S.
Died:June 7, 1970(1970-06-07) (aged 76)
Wenatchee, Washington, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:180 lb (82 kg)
Position:Halfback
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Player stats at PFR

Benton Maxwell "Biff" Bangs Jr. (September 5, 1893 – June 7, 1970) was an American football player. He played college football for Washington State from 1914 to 1917 and for the 1918 Mare Island Marines football team during World War I. He also played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) with the Los Angeles Buccaneers in 1926.

Early years

Bangs was born in 1893 in Moscow, Idaho, United States.[1] He was the son of H.H. Bangs who served several terms in the Idaho state legislature.[2] His father died in November 1914.[3]

Football career

Albion

Bang began his college career at the Albion Normal School in Albion, Idaho. He was the team captain and star punter, rusher and passer for the Albion football team in 1913. After a strong showing, he was recruited as a transfer student by both the University of Idaho and Washington State College.[4][5]

Washington State

Bangs enrolled at Washington State in September 1914.[5] He played at the halfback and fullback positions for Washington State from 1914 to 1917.[1] He was a key player on the 1915 Washington State football team that compiled an undefeated 7–0 record and defeated Brown in the 1916 Rose Bowl.[6][7] After the team's victory in the Rose Bowl, Bangs was elected as captain of the 1916 team.[8] He received both bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture.[9]

Mare Island Marines

After graduating from Washington State, Bangs was appointed county agriculturist for Skagit County, Washington.[9] With the United States entering World War I, Bangs joined the US Marine Corps. He played for the 1918 Mare Island Marines football team that compiled a 10-0 record before losing in the 1919 Rose Bowl against Great Lakes Navy.[10][11] in its coverage of the Rose Bowl game, the Los Angeles Times called Bangs "the greatest line plunger the colleges of the Pacific Coast have ever produced."[12]

Professional football

After the war, Bangs lived for several years in Wenatchee, Washington.[13] He played football for a local team, the Wenatchee All-Stars.[14] In 1926, he also played professional football with the Los Angeles Buccaneers.[1]

Family and later years

Bangs moved in 1929 to Chelan, Washington, where he owned and operated an orchard.[13] He was also a Chelan County commissioner in the 1950s and 1960s.[13][15] He also raced pigeons, winning pigeon racing competitions in 1955, 1956, and 1957.[16][17][18]

Bangs and his wife Esther had two sons, Henry H. Bangs and Benton M. Bangs Jr. He died in 1970 at age 76 at a hospital in Wenatchee.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ben Bang". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  2. ↑ "H. H. Bangs Passes Away". The Idaho Statesman. November 6, 1914. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Players To Bangs' Funeral". The Spokesman-Review. November 11, 1914 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Pocatello Academy Loses Game to the Albion Normals". The Idaho Statesman. November 17, 1913. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 "W.S.C. Football Fans Joyful: Benton Bangs, Albion Star, Enrolls at State College". The Spokesman-Review. September 12, 1914. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Cougar Rose Bowler, Benton Bangs Is Dead". The Spokesman-Review. June 11, 1970. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Pullman to Boost Bang For All-American Team". The Spokesman-Review. November 10, 1915. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Biff Bangs Elected W.S.C. Captain: Washington State Footballers Name Halfback Leader". Los Angeles Express. January 5, 1916. p. Sporting 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Football Star Gets County Job: Skagit Commissioners Name Benton Bangs of W.S.C. Agriculturist". The Spokesman-Review. December 27, 1917. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Benton Bangs on His Way to Join Mare Island Team: Marines Get Sterling Halfback in Plunging Pullman Grid Star". Tacoma Daily Ledger. October 30, 1918. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Dietz's Marines Show Their Class: Benton Bangs a Shining Light in a Victory Over Vancouver Barracks Eleven". The Spokesman-Review. November 24, 1918. p. Sporting 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Sailors Win U.S. Title". Los Angeles Times. January 2, 1919. p. II-7.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Death Listed of Long-Time County Chief". The Spokesman-Review. June 10, 1970. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Wenatchee Wins, 17 to 0". The Spokesman-Review. October 2, 1926. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Chelan County Position Filled". The Spokesman-Review. April 1, 1951. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Prexy's Bird Wins". Spokane Daily Chronicle. September 19, 1955. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Benton Bangs' Pigeons Win Race From Pasco". The Spokesman-Review. April 30, 1956. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Benton Bangs' Birds In First". The Spokesman-Review. May 20, 1957. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
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