Frederick Melvin "Fish" Ellis (February 26, 1906 – July 19, 1967) was an American sportsman who played football, basketball, baseball, and track at Tufts University. He was also an athletics coach, administrator, and university professor at Tufts. Ellis is the namesake of Tufts' home football field, the Ellis Oval. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest athletes in Tufts history.[1][2][3]
Ellis was born in 1906 in Norwood, Massachusetts.[1] His family moved to Gloucester and then to Medford, where Ellis attended Medford High School, graduating in 1925.[1] Ellis entered Tufts University that fall, majoring in civil engineering.[2] Ellis lettered in four sports – football, basketball, baseball, and track – at Tufts, from which he graduated in 1929.[1] He was the first Tufts student to earn varsity letters in four sports.[1] In the summers of 1928 and 1929, he played for Orleans in the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4][5]
Ellis is best remembered for his time playing football.[6] He played quarterback for the Tufts football team from 1926 to 1928, scoring a school-record 181 points.[7] That record stood until 2016, when Shayne "Chance" Brady finished his Tufts career with 210 points.[8] Ellis led the 1927 squad to an undefeated season, with the Jumbos posting a perfect 8–0 record.[3][7]
Ellis' future wife, Dorothea Loughlin, attended Jackson College – the women's college associated with Tufts – from 1927 to 1931 and played on the Jackson baseball team.[3]
Later lifeedit
For a period of time after graduating, Ellis coached at Dean Academy. His stint included a period of time during which the team assembled three consecutive undefeated seasons.[9]
Ellis eventually returned to Medford and served as the head football coach at Tufts from 1946 to 1953, compiling a record of 25–34–6.[7] He was also the head basketball coach from 1946 to 1953, tallying a mark of 74–75.[10] In 1954, Ellis became a full professor and the chairman of Tufts' Department of Physical Education.[6][11]
Death and honorsedit
Ellis died of a heart attack at the age of 61 on July 19, 1967, at his home in Burlington, Massachusetts.[12] He was survived by Dorothea and their two daughters, Faith and Susan, both of whom graduated from Tufts (as did their husbands).[11][12] Dorothea passed away on October 14, 2011.[13]
The football field at Tufts University was named in his honor as Frederick M. Ellis Oval at homecoming in 1969.[2][14] The Frederick M. Ellis Prize Scholarship at Tufts is named in his memory.[15] On April 21, 2018, Ellis was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Tufts University Athletics Hall of Fame.[6][16]
^ abcdeSauer, Anne; Branco, Jessica; Bennett, John; Crowley, Zachary (2000). "Ellis, Fredrick M., "Fish", 1906-1967". . Medford, MA: Tufts University Press. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
^ abc"'Fish' Ellis: all-time Tufts athletic great". Tufts Journal. February 2002. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^ abcHerlihy, Mark (Spring 2002). "Go Jumbos! A History of Tufts Athletics". Tufts Online Magazine. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^"Orleans". Yarmouth Register. Yarmouth, MA. December 1, 1928. p. 7.
^"BASEBALL ON SATURDAY NEXT". Falmouth Enterprise. Falmouth, MA. July 18, 1929. p. 7.
^ abc"First Class Inducted into Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday Night". Tufts University Athletics. April 22, 2018. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^ abc"Tufts University Football Program Records". Tufts University Athletics. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^Sweeney, Paul (Spring 2018). "Tufts All Stars". Tufts Magazine. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^"Tufts University Men's Basketball Program Records". Tufts University Athletics. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^ abDixon, Linda J. (1979). "Cohen, the Oval and Alumnae Hall". High on the Hill: Tufts Then and Now (4th ed.). Medford, MA: Tufts University Press. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^ ab"Prof. Frederick Ellis Dies; Set Football Marks at Tufts" (PDF). The New York Times. July 20, 1967. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
^"Tufts Mourns The Loss Of Dorothea M. "Dorie" Ellis, Matriarch of Jumbo Athletics". Tufts University Athletics. October 17, 2011. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^Sauer, Anne; Branco, Jessica; Bennett, John; Crowley, Zachary (2000). "Frederick Melvin Ellis Prize, 1968". Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History. Medford, MA: Tufts University Press. from the original on May 25, 2018.
^Samuels, Eddie (April 23, 2018). "Tufts inducts inaugural Hall of Fame class". The Tufts Daily. from the original on May 25, 2018.
November 17, 2023
frederick, ellis, frederick, melvin, fish, ellis, february, 1906, july, 1967, american, sportsman, played, football, basketball, baseball, track, tufts, university, also, athletics, coach, administrator, university, professor, tufts, ellis, namesake, tufts, ho. Frederick Melvin Fish Ellis February 26 1906 July 19 1967 was an American sportsman who played football basketball baseball and track at Tufts University He was also an athletics coach administrator and university professor at Tufts Ellis is the namesake of Tufts home football field the Ellis Oval He is regarded by many as one of the greatest athletes in Tufts history 1 2 3 Frederick M EllisFred Fish Ellis 1927Biographical detailsBorn 1906 02 26 February 26 1906Norwood Massachusetts U S DiedJuly 19 1967 1967 07 19 aged 61 Burlington Massachusetts U S Playing careerFootball1926 1928TuftsPosition s QuarterbackCoaching career HC unless noted Football1946 1953TuftsBasketball1946 1953TuftsHead coaching recordOverall25 34 6 football 74 75 basketball Contents 1 Early life and playing career 2 Later life 3 Death and honors 4 Head coaching record 4 1 Football 5 ReferencesEarly life and playing career editEllis was born in 1906 in Norwood Massachusetts 1 His family moved to Gloucester and then to Medford where Ellis attended Medford High School graduating in 1925 1 Ellis entered Tufts University that fall majoring in civil engineering 2 Ellis lettered in four sports football basketball baseball and track at Tufts from which he graduated in 1929 1 He was the first Tufts student to earn varsity letters in four sports 1 In the summers of 1928 and 1929 he played for Orleans in the Cape Cod Baseball League 4 5 Ellis is best remembered for his time playing football 6 He played quarterback for the Tufts football team from 1926 to 1928 scoring a school record 181 points 7 That record stood until 2016 when Shayne Chance Brady finished his Tufts career with 210 points 8 Ellis led the 1927 squad to an undefeated season with the Jumbos posting a perfect 8 0 record 3 7 Ellis future wife Dorothea Loughlin attended Jackson College the women s college associated with Tufts from 1927 to 1931 and played on the Jackson baseball team 3 Later life editFor a period of time after graduating Ellis coached at Dean Academy His stint included a period of time during which the team assembled three consecutive undefeated seasons 9 Ellis eventually returned to Medford and served as the head football coach at Tufts from 1946 to 1953 compiling a record of 25 34 6 7 He was also the head basketball coach from 1946 to 1953 tallying a mark of 74 75 10 In 1954 Ellis became a full professor and the chairman of Tufts Department of Physical Education 6 11 Death and honors editEllis died of a heart attack at the age of 61 on July 19 1967 at his home in Burlington Massachusetts 12 He was survived by Dorothea and their two daughters Faith and Susan both of whom graduated from Tufts as did their husbands 11 12 Dorothea passed away on October 14 2011 13 The football field at Tufts University was named in his honor as Frederick M Ellis Oval at homecoming in 1969 2 14 The Frederick M Ellis Prize Scholarship at Tufts is named in his memory 15 On April 21 2018 Ellis was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Tufts University Athletics Hall of Fame 6 16 Head coaching record editFootball edit Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl playoffsTufts Jumbos Independent 1946 1953 1946 Tufts 1 61947 Tufts 5 21948 Tufts 3 4 11949 Tufts 5 3 11950 Tufts 4 4 11951 Tufts 0 7 21952 Tufts 3 4 11953 Tufts 4 3Tufts 25 34 6Total 25 34 6References edit a b c d e Sauer Anne Branco Jessica Bennett John Crowley Zachary 2000 Ellis Fredrick M Fish 1906 1967 Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History Medford MA Tufts University Press Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Retrieved May 25 2018 a b c Fish Ellis all time Tufts athletic great Tufts Journal February 2002 Archived from the original on May 25 2018 a b c Herlihy Mark Spring 2002 Go Jumbos A History of Tufts Athletics Tufts Online Magazine Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Orleans Yarmouth Register Yarmouth MA December 1 1928 p 7 BASEBALL ON SATURDAY NEXT Falmouth Enterprise Falmouth MA July 18 1929 p 7 a b c First Class Inducted into Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday Night Tufts University Athletics April 22 2018 Archived from the original on May 25 2018 a b c Tufts University Football Program Records Tufts University Athletics Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Sweeney Paul Spring 2018 Tufts All Stars Tufts Magazine Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Expect Defeat Biloxi Daily Herald Associated Press October 8 1942 Retrieved May 25 2018 Tufts University Men s Basketball Program Records Tufts University Athletics Archived from the original on May 25 2018 a b Dixon Linda J 1979 Cohen the Oval and Alumnae Hall High on the Hill Tufts Then and Now 4th ed Medford MA Tufts University Press Archived from the original on May 25 2018 a b Prof Frederick Ellis Dies Set Football Marks at Tufts PDF The New York Times July 20 1967 Retrieved April 13 2011 Tufts Mourns The Loss Of Dorothea M Dorie Ellis Matriarch of Jumbo Athletics Tufts University Athletics October 17 2011 Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Corbett Bernard M Simpson Paul 2004 The Only Game That Matters The Harvard Yale Rivalry New York Crown Publishing Group pp 238 ISBN 978 1400050680 Sauer Anne Branco Jessica Bennett John Crowley Zachary 2000 Frederick Melvin Ellis Prize 1968 Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History Medford MA Tufts University Press Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Samuels Eddie April 23 2018 Tufts inducts inaugural Hall of Fame class The Tufts Daily Archived from the original on May 25 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frederick M Ellis amp oldid 1163399906, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
