Hall of Fame
Position: Guard
Years: 1896-1899
Place of Birth: Lisle, NY
Date of Birth: Feb 23, 1877
Place of Death: New York, NY
Date of Death: Jan 04, 1943
Height: 6-0
Weight: 225
High School: Lisle, NY (Lisle HS) & Saltsburg, PA (Kiski Prep)
Bill Edwards was a guard at Princeton, but the most important tackle he ever made in his life would come long after he set aside his Orange and Black uniform. Edwards won international accalim in 1910 when he tackled and subdued a would-be assassin who had attempted to take the life of New York Mayor William Gaynor. The Mayor was shot and seriously wounded but survived the assassination attempt. Edwards suffered a flesh wound in the arm and was later awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism. Edwards'act of bravery was in character. He was a man of great proportion - in excess of 220 pounds - but a soft heart pulsed within his bear-like frame. He was extremely dedicated to each goal he would set for himself. A college diploma was one of those goals as Edwards worked his way through Princeton, gaining gridiron fame along the way. In 1900, he was named class orator and served as master of ceremonies on Graduation Day. He later became a referee and authored a book entitled "Football Days." President Woodrow Wilson appointed Edwards as Collector of Internal Revenue for New York's Second District. Edwards also served as president of the American Professional Football League from 1926 to 1929. He played four years at Princeton and was captain in 1899.
