Tubby Meyers

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1887–1940)}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Tubby Meyers

| image = Tubby Meyers.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1887|9|5}}

| birth_place = Gobleville, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1940|5|2|1887|9|5}}

| death_place = Sarnia, Ontario, U.S.

| alma_mater =

| player_years1 = 1906–1908

| player_team1 = Western State Normal

| player_positions = Halfback

| coach_years1 = 1906

| coach_team1 = Western State Normal

| overall_record = 1–3

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Melvin J. "Tubby" Meyers (September 5, 1887 – May 2, 1940), sometimes spelled "Myers," was an American college football player and coach. He was the first head coach and first captain of the Western State Normal football program, holding both titles as a player-coach during the 1906 college football season.

Early life

Meyers was born in Gobleville, Michigan in 1887,Draft Registration Card for M.J. Myers of Port Huron, Michigan, born Sept. 5, 1887. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Registration Location: St Clair County, Michigan; Roll: 1682812; Draft Board: 1. and moved with his family to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1895.{{cite news|title=Melvin J. Myers '09|publisher=The Kalamazoo Normal Record, Volume 7, Issue 4|year=1917|page=171|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ry7mAAAAMAAJ}} His father, Rollie Meyers was a Michigan native who worked as a mail clerk at the post office. His mother, Vivia Meyers, was an Ohio native. He had an older brother, Rauel, a younger brother, Carl, and a younger sister, Fern.Census entry for Rollie Meyers and family. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Kalamazoo Ward 4, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Roll: T623_720; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 119.Census entry for Rowley Meyers and family. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Kalamazoo Ward 3, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Roll: T624_654; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0142; Image: 594; FHL Number: 1374667.

Education and career

Meyers enrolled at the Western State Normal School (now known as Western Michigan University) in Kalamazoo as a student in the Manual Training department. He was the coach, captain and halfback for the football team in the school's inaugural season of college football in 1906.{{cite book|title=History of Western State Teachers College, 1904-1929|author=James Owen Knauss|publisher=Western State Teachers College|year=1929|page=74}} He is recognized both as the first head football coach and "the first great player" in the history of the Western Michigan Broncos football program.{{cite web|title=2006 Football Media Guide: WMU History|author=Mark Brohan and John Beatty|publisher=Western Michigan University|page=122|year=2006|url=http://www.wmubroncos.com/pdf4/40075.pdf}}

After graduating from Western State Normal in 1909, Myers was hired by Port Huron High School in Port Huron, Michigan. He served as supervisor of manual training and director of athletics at the school. He also served for many years as the school's football coach. In June 1917, Myers completed a draft registration card stating that he was employed at Port Huron High School as a manual training and athletics instructor.

In 1920, he was married to Mary "Mayme" McCallum (1887–1978) at Port Huron. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Meyers was living with his wife, Mary A. Meyers, in Port Huron. His occupation was listed as a teacher in a high school.Census entry for Melvin J. Meyers, age 35. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Port Huron Precinct 2, St Clair, Michigan; Roll: T625_795; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 115; Image: 639. As of 1925, he was serving in the National Guard with the rank of first lieutenant.U.S. Military Records, 1925: Official National Guard Register. Entry for Melvin J. Meyers, 2nd lieutenant, 125th Infantry, Co. L (Port Huron). U.S. Military Records, 1925: Official National Guard Register [database on-line]. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Meyers and his wife continued to reside in Port Huron. They had a daughter, Minola A. Meyers. His occupation was listed in 1930 as a teacher of manual arts.Census entry for Melvin J. Meyers, age 42. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Port Huron, St Clair, Michigan; Roll: 1025; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 29; Image: 78.0. McCallum died in 1942 at Port Huron.

In 1939, he became the business manager and purchasing agent for the Port Huron board of education. He died at age in May 1940 after collapsing at the Masonic Temple in Sarnia.{{cite news|title=Melvin Myers Drops Dead In Sarnia Temple|newspaper=Port Huron Times Herald|date=May 3, 1940|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18490255/melvin_myers_drops_dead_in_sarnia_temple/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Melvin Myers Drops Dead In Sarnia Temple (part 2)|newspaper=Port Huron Times Herald|date=May 3, 1940|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18490336/tubby_myers_obituary_part_2/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Since 1947, the "Tubby Meyers Award" has been presented each year to the outstanding player on the Port Huron High School football team.{{cite web|title=Tubby Meyers Award|publisher=Port Huron School District|url=http://bigred.port-huron.k12.mi.us/sports/awards/football.htm#TUBBY%20MEYERS%20AWARD}}