William E. Beard
Vanderbilt Commodores
PositionQuarterback
ClassGraduate
Personal information
Born:(1873-07-12)July 12, 1873
Estill Springs, Tennessee, U.S.
Died:December 21, 1950(1950-12-21) (aged 77)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Career history
College
Career highlights and awards
  • 1st Vanderbilt quarterback to play Tennessee.
  • Dubbed Vanderbilt the Commodores

William Ewing Beard (July 12, 1873 – December 21, 1950) was a college football player, soldier, journalist, war correspondent, naval historian, and long-time officer of the Tennessee Historical Commission and member of the Tennessee Historical Society.[1][2] He wrote several books on Nashville and dubbed Vanderbilt University the Commodores.

Early years

Beard was born on July 12, 1873, in Estill Springs, Tennessee, to Richard Beard, a Confederate captain, and Marie Dromgoole, of Estill Springs, Tennessee.[3] He attended Vanderbilt from 1890 to 1893.[2] In 1892 Beard was the first Vanderbilt quarterback to play Tennessee.[4]

Writer

Beard joined the staff of the Nashville American in 1896.[2][5] In 1897 he was the first to dub Vanderbilt the Commodores.[6][7][8] While at the American, Beard employed former Vandy player Bob Blake.[9]

Beard became the state news editor of the Banner in 1910, promoted to associated editor in 1933.[3]

Bibliography

  • It Happened in Nashville. 1912.
  • The Battle of Nashville. 1913.
  • Red Letter Days in Nashville. 1925.
  • Nashville, the Home of History Makers. 1929.
  • Andrew Jackson: Man of Destiny. 1942.
  • Nashville, a memoir. 1943.
  • Men Make the Navy: Recruiting of 17-year-olds Recalls Fact Most American Naval Heroes Joined Service in 'teens. 1943.

References

  1. ↑ "William Ewing Beard Papers, Addition" (PDF). Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "William Ewing Beard (Vanderbilt)". Caduceus of Kappa Sigma. 20: 425.
  3. 1 2 "Historical News and Notices: WILLIAM EWING BEARD". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 9 (4): 372–378. 1950. JSTOR 42621057.
  4. ↑ Bill Traughber (November 20, 2013). "Vanderbilt defeated Vols twice in 1892". Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Rice-Beard". Atlanta Constitution. May 30, 1909. p. 2. Retrieved March 11, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ↑ "Vanderbilt Commodores History". Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ Bill Traughber. Vanderbilt Football: Tales of Commodore Gridiron History. p. 20.
  8. ↑ "History of SEC School Mascots". Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  9. ↑ Bill Traughber (November 23, 2011). "Vandy's gridiron Rhodes Scholars". Retrieved February 5, 2015.
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