Ray Eichenlaub
{{Short description|American football player (1892–1949)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ray Eichenlaub
| image = Ray Eichenlaub (1913).JPG
| caption = Eichenlaub in 1913
| position = Fullback
| birth_date = 1892/1893
| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1949|11|9|1892}}
| death_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 210
| high_school = East (Columbus)
| college = Notre Dame (1911–1914)
| pastteams =
| CollegeHOF = 1295
|highlights =
}}
Raymond Joseph Eichenlaub (1892/1893 – November 9, 1949) was an American football player. Nicknamed "Eich",{{efn|A nickname of "Iron Eich" is noted by the College Football Hall of Fame, but examples of that nickname being used when Eichenlaub was an active player are lacking.}} he was best known for playing college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Biography
Eichenlaub was born in Columbus, Ohio—his date of birth varies by source, most indicating January 10 of 1892 or 1893.{{efn|Eichenlaub's 1942 draft registration card listed January 10, 1892.{{cite web |url=https://www.fold3.com/image/281886094 |title=Draft Registration Card |publisher=Selective Service System |date=April 1942 |via=fold3.com |url-access=subscription |accessdate=July 19, 2023}} His 1957 headstone application initially listed January 10, 1893, with the year manually altered to 1892. Online images of his death certificate and actual headstone indicate January 10, 1893. The College Football Hall of Fame and pro-football-reference.com both list July 15, 1892.}}
After graduating from East High School in his hometown, Eichenlaub received collegiate offers from Notre Dame and Michigan.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-eichenlaub-in-d/128543234/ |title=Eichenlaub in Demand |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |page=7 |date=September 12, 1911 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} He selected Notre Dame, where he played as a fullback for the Fighting Irish football teams of 1911 to 1914. Eichenlaub wore uniform number 13 for his first three seasons, then number 33 as a senior.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-lookin-on-the-w/128591128/ |title=Lookin' On: The Wearer of No. 13 |newspaper=South Bend Tribune |location=South Bend, Indiana |page=16 |date=September 28, 1927 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} The Fighting Irish compiled a record of {{winpct|26|2|2|record=y}} during his four seasons.
With the 1913 Fighting Irish, which featured Gus Dorais and Knute Rockne and finished with a 7–0 record, Eichenlaub scored 12 touchdowns.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-seasons-score-cre/128545470/ |title=Seasons Score Credited to Stars: Eich Got 12 Touchdowns |newspaper=South Bend Tribune |location=South Bend, Indiana |page=12 |date=December 2, 1913 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} In the spring of 1914, various newspapers reported that Eichenlaub was in danger of losing his eyesight due to conjunctivitis,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-total-blindness/128543739/ |title=Total Blindness Threatens Star Full Back of Notre Dame Eleven |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |page=6 |date=March 27, 1914 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} but this was refuted by Notre Dame head coach Jesse Harper.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/university-oklahoman-untitled/128543909/ |title=(untitled) |newspaper=University Oklahoman |location=Norman, Oklahoma |page=2 |date=May 5, 1914 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} For all but his freshman season, Eichenlaub was named to All-Western teams and received All-America honors from some selectors of the era.
{{more|1912 All-Western college football team|1913 All-Western college football team|1914 All-Western college football team |label1=1912|label2=1913}}
{{more|1912 College Football All-America Team|1913 College Football All-America Team|1914 College Football All-America Team |label1=1912|label2=1913}}
Eichenlaub also competed in track and field, in shot put and discus, for Notre Dame. Initially elected as captain of the 1915 track and field team,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-eichenlaub-is-chos/128544182/ |title=Eichenlaub Is Chosen to Lead Next Year's Track Team |newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |page=6 |date=June 15, 1914 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} Eichenlaub quit athletics early in 1915 and was succeeded by Dutch Bergman.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bismarck-tribune-bergman-elected-cap/128544127/ |title=Bergman Elected Captain |newspaper=The Bismarck Tribune |location=Bismarck, North Dakota |page=5 |date=February 28, 1915 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}
Eichenlaub served in the United States Army in the 12th Field Artillery Regiment from September 1917 to December 1918, and was honorably discharged as a lieutenant.{{cite web |url=https://www.fold3.com/image/320743191 |title=Application for Headstone or Marker |publisher=National Archives |date=February 1957 |via=fold3.com |url-access=subscription |accessdate=July 19, 2023}} He played on the military football team at Camp Sherman, Ohio, in the fall of 1917.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-eichenlaub-star-o/128546111/ |title=Eichenlaub Star on Camp Eleven |newspaper=South Bend Tribune |location=South Bend, Indiana |page=10 |date=November 14, 1917 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} In December 1922, Eichenlaub played in an all-star charity game at Ohio State University.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-west-defeats-east/128546042/ |title=West Defeats East in All-Star Grid Fracas |newspaper=South Bend Tribune |location=South Bend, Indiana |page=13 |date=December 3, 1922 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} He also played four games for the Columbus Tigers of the National Football League (NFL) in 1925,{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EichRa20.htm |title=Ray Eichenlaub |website=pro-football-reference.com |accessdate=July 19, 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-national-pro-grid/128540437/ |title=National Pro Grid Notes |newspaper=The Rock Island Argus |location=Rock Island, Illinois |page=37 |date=October 23, 1925 |accessdate=July 19, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} and served as a college football official for 25 years.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-former-notre-dame-ace-o/128592311/ |title=Former Notre Dame Ace Officiates Here Sunday |newspaper=The Buffalo News |page=10 |date=November 2, 1934 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}
Outside of athletics, Eichenlaub was an insurance executive in his hometown of Columbus. During his time in the military, he married Emma Elizabeth Eberle on August 2, 1918.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chillicothe-gazette-eichenlaub-eberle/128539689/ |title=Eichenlaub-Eberle |newspaper=Chillicothe Gazette |location=Chillicothe, Ohio |page=5 |date=August 5, 1918 |accessdate=July 19, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} A son, Ray Jr., played football at Notre Dame in the early 1940s.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-joseph-news-press-wise-owl-column/128594884/ |title=Wise Owl (column) |first=Gene |last=Sullivan |newspaper=St. Joseph News-Press |location=St. Joseph, Missouri |page=7 |date=September 7, 1940 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} Eichenlaub was elected president of the Notre Dame alumni association for 1940–41.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/vidette-messenger-of-porter-county-forme/128594022/ |title=Former Grid Star Is N. D. Alumni Prexy |newspaper=Vidette-Messenger |location=Valparaiso, Indiana |page=6 |date=June 15, 1940 |accessdate=July 20, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} He died in Columbus in 1949 of a heart attack,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/troy-daily-news-former-notre-dame-star-d/128537301/ |title=Former Notre Dame Star Dies of Heart Attack |agency=UP |newspaper=Troy Daily News |location=Troy, Ohio |page=12 |date=November 10, 1949 |accessdate=July 19, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} and was buried in Lockbourne, Ohio. In 1972, Eichenlaub was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame.{{cite web |url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1295 |title=Ray Eichenlaub (1972) |website=footballfoundation.org |accessdate=July 19, 2023}}
Notes
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References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eichenlaub, Ray}}
Category:Date of birth uncertain
Category:Players of American football from Columbus, Ohio
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players
Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Columbus Tigers players