Alex Weyand

Alexander Mathias "Babe" Weyand (born January 10, 1892) was an American football player, Olympian, Army officer and sports historian. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1974.

Weyand played high school football at Jersey City High School, where he did not earn a letter in any sport.

At the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1911-1915, he starred at tackle winning All-American honors three times. He was captain of the 1915 team and nicknamed while a "yearling" (sophomore), "Babe," by his teammate, Dwight David Eisenhower.

Described in "The Real All Americans: The Team That Changed a Game, a People, a Nation" (Jenkins, S., Random House 2007) as a "tireless, one-man wrecking crew," he never missed a game or practice. And, he played every minute of every big game except his last against Navy, when he stepped off the field in the closing moments to allow a teammate the opportunity to earn a letter.

While at West Point, Weyand competed in historic games against, among others, Carlisle and its star Jim Thorpe, and Notre Dame and its legends Knute Rockne and Gus Dorais.

Army lost one game (Notre Dame) in 1913.

It was undefeated in 1914.

And it beat Navy in 1913, 1914 and 1915.

After graduating from West Point, Weyand served with distinction in World War I, where he earned a Silver Star (gallantry), Purple Heart (wounded in action) and battlefield promotion to major and batallion commander.

After WWI, he placed 4th at the 1920 Olympics as a heavyweight, Greco-Roman wrestler.

Due to severe hearing loss caused by frontline duty in WWI, Weyand could not serve in combat in World War II. He retired from active duty in 1946 at the rank of Colonel.

In retirement, Col. Weyand wrote a series of acclaimed sports histories, including the seminal "Saga of American Football." He died in 1982 and is buried next to his beloved wife, Marie, at West Point.