George Stephens (American football)
{{Short description|American journalist and football player (1873–1946)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
|name=George Stephens
|birth_date={{birth date|1873|4|8}}
|birth_place=Summerfield, North Carolina
|death_date={{death date and age|mf=y|1946|4|1|1873|4|8}}
|death_place=Asheville, North Carolina
|occupation=Journalist
|known for=Myers Park
|module = {{Infobox college football player|embed=yes
|pastschools=North Carolina (1894–1895)
|school=North Carolina Tar Heels
|weight_lb=154
|class=1896
|currentposition=Halfback
|highlights=
- All-Southern (1895)
- SIAA championship (1895)
}}
}}
George Erwin Gullett Stephens (April 8, 1873 – April 1, 1946) was a college football player. He caught the first forward pass in the history of the sport. He was later a journalist who also sold insurance and real estate.{{cite web|url=http://www2.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/s/Stephens,George_Erwin_Gullett.html|title=George Erwin Gullett Stephens Papers, 1884-1988}}
University of North Carolina
He was a prominent running back for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team of the University of North Carolina. He was selected third-team for an all-time Carolina football team of Dr. R. B. Lawson in 1934.{{cite journal|journal=Carolina Alumni Review|title=All-Time Carolina Football Team Selected|page=168|url=http://www.carolinaalumnireview.com/carolinaalumnireview/193403?pg=15#pg9|date=March 1934|volume=22|number=6}} Joel Whitaker selected him first-team for his all-time UNC squad.{{cite book|author=Kemp Plummer Battle|author-link=Kemp Plummer Battle|page=752|title=History of the University of North Carolina|year=1912|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rCwzG7qDUx4C&pg=PA752}}
=1895=
It is thought that the first forward pass in football occurred on October 26, 1895 in a game between Georgia and North Carolina when, out of desperation, the ball was thrown by the North Carolina back Joel Whitaker instead of punted. Stephens caught the ball and ran 70 yards for a touchdown.{{cite web |url=http://www.tarheeltimes.com/football/first-forward-pass.aspx |title=Tarheels Credited With Throwing First Forward Pass|work=Tar Heel Times |accessdate=January 14, 2013}} He was selected All-Southern.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1986569//|work=The Daily Tar Heel|title=[No title]|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 18, 1896|page=4|accessdate=March 14, 2015}} {{Open access}}
Myers Park
Stephens was much involved in the expansion of Myers Park.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQ5aWVubTfAC&pg=PR87|page=lxxxvii|title=New Towns For Old|author=John Nolen|year=2005|publisher=University of Massachusetts Press |isbn=9781558494800}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dFwsbCpyaH8C&pg=PA89|page=89|via=Google books|title=A Guide to Historic Henderson County, North Carolina|author=Alexia Jones Helsley|year=2007|publisher=History Press |isbn=9781596292758}} {{Open access}}
Journalist
He was joint president and publisher of the Charlotte Observer and joint owner and publisher of the Asheville Citizen.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1895 College Football Composite All-Southerns}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, George}}
Category:American football halfbacks
Category:American male journalists
Category:American real estate brokers
Category:19th-century players of American football
Category:North Carolina Tar Heels football players
Category:All-Southern college football players
Category:Players of American football from Asheville, North Carolina
Category:People from Summerfield, North Carolina
Category:Players of American football from Guilford County, North Carolina