|
He
was born on 3rd December 1890 Beresford, San Mateo,
California, USA the son of Frederic Randolph King (a lawyer) and Edith (nee
Boswell). His grandfather was Thomas Starr King an American Unitarian and Universalist minister, influential in California politics during the American Civil War. Starr King spoke zealously in favor of the Union and was credited by Abraham Lincoln with preventing California from becoming a separate republic. He is
sometimes referred to as "the orator who saved the nation.
Above
his grandfather Thomas Starr King
As part of
honors originally paid to Rev. King, he was judged worthy of representing
California in the National Statuary Hall
Collection displayed in the United States Capitol. In 1913 King was voted one of California's two
greatest heroes and funds were appropriated for a statue. In 1931, California
officially donated a bronze statue of King to be mounted in Statuary Hall.
On August 31,
2006, however, the California Legislature approved a joint resolution to replace
Thomas Starr King's statue in Statuary Hall with a statue of Ronald Reagan. The resolution was authored by State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, who stated the reason for the resolution as,
"To be honest with you, I wasn't sure who Thomas Starr King was, and I
think there's probably a lot of Californians like me." He also went on to
observe that King was not a native of the state. However, Junipero Serra, who is California’s other contribution to Statuary Hall, was in fact
born in Majorca, and Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois.
Bill King was educated at the
University of California where he played rugby.
Above the University of California side in 1911.J.Schaeffer (Coach), 2.
Pauley, 3. Watts, 4. Hardy, 5. Jordan, 6. W.Christie (Trainer), 7.
M.Farmer,(Manager), 8. C.Voltz (Assistant Trainer), 9. C.Phleger, 10. Schwartz,
11. Markwart, 12. King, 13. Evans, 14. Elliott, 15. Stroud, 16. Morris, 17.
Allen, 18. Dwiggins, 19. Peart, 20. Dills, 21. H.Phleger, 22. Emerson, 24.
Wheeler, 25. Hansen, 26. Brandt.
Above the University of California side in 1911. Back Row (L-R): David
Brandt, Harold Ashley, Ray Jordan, William King, George Hansen, Myron Harris,
David Hardy, Tio Emerson, Thomas Dills. Middle Row: Edward Watts, Carl Phleger,
Irving Markwart, Burton Schwartz, Charles Pauly, Amos Elliott, Clinton Evans.
Front Row: Herman Phleger, Charles Wheeler, Chester Allen, Jan Dwiggins, John
Stroud, Stirling Peart, Laird Morris.
Above the USA side that played Australia in 1912. Back Row
(L-R) Guerin (Olympic RFC) (not used), Robert
Howe Fletcher
(University of California) (not used), William Norris King (University of
California), Chris Martin Momson (Santa Clara University), Karl Ludwig Schaupp
(Stanford University), Frank Jacob Gard (Stanford University), James Lee Arrell
(Olympic RFC), Warren L. Smith (Stanford University), Chester Arthur Allen
(University of California), Eugene Francis Kern (Stanford University) (not used), Glasscock
(Olympic RFC) (not used), Phillip Frederick Harrigan (Stanford University).
Front Row: Charles Allphin Austin (Olympic RFC), Augustus Mudge Sanborn
(Stanford University), Joseph Louis McKim (University of California), Stirling
Benjamin Peart (University of California), Laird Monterey Morris (University of
California) (Captain), Benjamin Edward Erb (Stanford University), Ralph Matthews
Noble (Stanford University), Louis Cass (Stanford University) (not used) ,
Bertram Risling (Stanford University) (not used).
In the match against
Australia
the
USA
were beating the Olympic Champions 8-6 with five minutes to go before
Australia
finally won 12-8.
Above the 1913 University of California rugby squad. Back Row (L-R):
Cerf, Fleming, King, Fletcher, Dills, Voltz (Trainer), Schaeffer (Coach). Second
Row: Peart, Saunders, Miller, Hoskins, Douglas, McKim, Donald (Manager. Third
Row: Allen, Carpenter, Stroud (Captain), Morris, Evans, Brant. On Ground:
Hazeltine, Fish.
He played rugby twice for the USA in 1912 against Australia and 1913
against the All Blacks.
Above the USA side that
played New Zealand in 1913. Back Row (L-R): Daniel Brendon Carroll (Stanford
University), Clark Lewis Boulware (not used) (Stanford University), Haley (not
used) (Stanford University), William Pettigrew Darsie (Stanford University),
Herbert Rowell Stolz (replacement) (Stanford University), Brant (?) or Flemming
(not used) (?), Joseph C. Urban (Stanford University), A.Knowles (replacement)
(?), Charles A. Austin (Olympic), G.Voight (Santa Clara University), Frank Jacob
Gard (Captain) (Stanford University), Roland Roy Blase (Stanford University),
William Norris King (University of California). Front Row: Forbes (not used)
(?), Stirling Benjamin Peart (University of California), Joseph Louis McKim
(University of California), G.Glasscock (Olympic), E.B.Hall (Stanford
University), Benjamin Edward Erb (not used) (Stanford University), Louis Cass
(Stanford University), Mowatt Merrill Mitchell (Los Angeles Athletic Club),
Quill (not used) (Santa Clara), J.A.Ramage (Santa Clara University).
Above
University of California rugby squad 1914. 1. Christie (Assistant Coach), 2.
Hunt, 3. Brant, 4. Fleming, 5. Schaeffer (Coach), 6. King, 7. Lockhart, 8.
Sanders, 9. Fenstermacher, 10. Volz, 11. Donald (Grad. Manager), 12. Russell,
13. Lane, 14. Abrams, 15. Peart (captain), 16. Hazeltine, 17. Gianelli, 18.
Canfield, 19. Fish, 20. McKim, 21. Crane.
After
rugby he was a rancher.
He
died in 1937
http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk
https://sites.google.com/site/caseybooks/
|
The
Rugby History Society