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Joe Trees

Joseph Clifton Trees (1870 - May 20, 1943) was a college football player at the University of Pittsburgh, the first athlete to receive an athletic subsidization at the school, and, possibly, an early professional football player. He later made millions of dollars in the oil industry and became a trustee and significant benefactor to the university and its athletic department. His hobbies included philanthropy, scientific research and agriculture. His 2,600-acre (11 km2) estate in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania was devoted to a large extent to fruit trees.

Joe Trees
Joseph C. Trees, "a true Pitt man" according to the 1915 The Owl student yearbook.
Personal information
Born:1870
Delmont, Pennsylvania
Died:May 20, 1943 (aged 72–73)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College:Pitt
Position:Tackle, Center
Career history

Early life edit

Trees was born near Delmont, Pennsylvania in Westmoreland County, where his grandfather, Thomas Trees, had established a flour mill and a sawmill after immigrating from England. His parents, Isaac and Lucy Johnston Trees, later operated the mills and, as a youth, Joe worked in them.

College football edit

Trees first attended Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania). While playing in practice games against the Western University of Pennsylvania (WUP), now named the University of Pittsburgh, Trees impressed Bert Smyers, the founder and captain of the WUP football team. In order to facilitate Trees to switch schools and play football for WUP, Smyers helped to arrange for various classes at the university to pay for Trees' room, board, and tuition.[1] Thus in 1891, Trees became Pitt's first subsidized athlete as a star 210 pound tackle on Pitt's football team.[2]

Trees graduated from the university with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1895.[3] Trees, also participated in the universities track and field team,[4] and in 1894, additionally served as an Assistant Librarian at the university.[5]

Possible professional football career edit

In 1892 and 1893, Trees played football on the side for the then-amateur Allegheny Athletic Association. The club in 1893 was suspected heavily of secretly paying its players, making them professionals. Documents discovered a half-century later showed that on November 21, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger, an all-American guard from Yale, was paid $500 (US dollars) to play for Allegheny against the rival Pittsburgh Athletic Club. It is unknown if Trees was paid by Allegheny to play football with the club.

In 1894, Trees jumped to the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. That year, during a game against Allegheny, quarterback A. S. Valentine was thrown out of the game after coming to the aid of John Van Cleve during a fight against Trees. After several appeals, Valentine left the field reportedly "crying like a baby" by the local media. During a second game that season, Trees was thrown out of the game for punching Allegheny's Sport Donnelly. Trees never liked Donnelly; during games when the two lined up against each other, Donnelly would pull Trees' long-flowing hair. Joe would usually defend himself with a strenuous poke at Donnelly, and often ended up on the sideline as in this game.

Family edit

Trees married Claudine Willison on November 22, 1894. The couple had two sons, both of whom were killed: Joseph Graham Trees as an aviator during World War I and the other, Merle, died at age 10 in a traffic accident in Pittsburgh. After the death of his wife, Joe married, in 1929, his secretary, the former Edith Lehm. The couple had a son, Joe Benedum Trees.

Oil industry edit

During his summer vacations from college Joe worked for Standard Oil. He and his partner Mike Benedum, decided to buy a lease in Pleasants County, West Virginia, and this was the start of their career together. Their first well came in 1896 and six more soon gushed from the same lease. Benedum and Trees developed a dozen other rich pools in West Virginia with varying success up to 1900. Superstition played a big part in their decisions of where to drill. In one instance, a blind farmer once told them he had envisioned oil gushing out of a hill on his farm and shooting up over a tree. Trees and Benedum then decided to drill on that spot. As a result, a well gushed just as the blind man had dreamed. Another time the two men heard of a natural rock-formation arrow which legend said pointed to treasure. Benedum sighted along the arrow while Trees moved back and forth in a straight line from it. They drilled the chosen spot and again struck oil.

Over the years, the men developed oil fields for Marie of Romania in Ploiești. Those fields were taken over by Nazi Germany during World War II and became a target of the war's oil campaign, such as Operation Tidal Wave. Ploieşti was captured by Soviet troops in August 1944. Trees and Benedum also founded wells in Illinois, West Texas, Florida (with Clem S. Clarke of Shreveport, Louisiana), Mexico, Colombia, and throughout South America. Their West Texas discoveries were among the most significant in his career. Untouched and despised by other oil men, this area has since poured out a billion barrels, with reserves estimated at another billion.

On May 19, 1943 while talking to his partner Mike Benedum in their company headquarters at the Benedum-Trees Building, Trees suddenly slumped forward in his chair and died of a heart attack.[6]

Legacy edit

Trees remained closely tied to his alma mater throughout his life. He served on and, for a time, became president of University of Pittsburgh's Board of Trustees.[7] An important benefactor for the University of Pittsburgh and its athletic department, in 1912 he donated $100,000 for the construction of the original Trees Gymnasium and Trees Stadium/Field that sat near the site of the present day Veterans Administration Hospital in Oakland.[8][9] Today, a short distance from those now demolished original structures, two university facilities bear his name: Trees Field and Trees Hall, a multipurpose recreation and varsity athletics facility that opened in 1962. Trees also donated funds to the Pitt Band, $75,000 to the construction of Eberly Hall, and purchased $200,000 worth of bonds to help pay for the construction of Pitt Stadium.[1] Until his death, his generosity to the university earned him the reputation as "a true Pitt man"[10] and "Call on Joe" became a byword when the university was in need.[1]

See also edit

References edit

  • "J.C. Trees is Dead, Wildcat Oil Man". New York Times (May 20). 1943. Retrieved 2010-10-01.[dead link]
  • PFRA Research. (PDF). PFRA Books. Professional Football Researchers Association: 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26.
  • PFRA Research. (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26.
  1. ^ a b c Borghetti, E.J., ed. (1998). 1998 Pittsburgh Football Media Guide. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. p. 136. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
  2. ^ Sciullo Jr., Sam (2008). University of Pittsburgh Football Vault: The History of the Panthers. Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, LLC. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7948-2653-6.
  3. ^ University of Pittsburgh General Alumni Association (1916). Alumni directory, University of Pittsburgh 1787-1916. Vol. 2. Pittsburgh, PA: Smith Bros. Co. p. 211. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
  4. ^ "Athletics". The Western University Courant. 10 (3). Allegheny City, PA: Western University of Pennsylvania: 25. December 1894. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
  5. ^ Catalogue of the Western University of Pennsylvania 1895-95. Western University of Pennsylvania. 1916 [1895]. p. 10. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
  6. ^ "Heart Attack Proves Fatal to Oil Wizard". The Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. May 20, 1943.
  7. ^ University of Pittsburgh General Alumni Association (1916). Alumni directory, University of Pittsburgh 1787-1916. Vol. 2. Pittsburgh, PA: Smith Bros. Co. p. 22. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
  8. ^ Starrett, Agnes Lynch (1937). Through one hundred and fifty years: the University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 234, 330. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
  9. ^ Alberts, Robert C. (1986). Pitt: The Story of the University of Pittsburgh, 1787-1987. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 61–62. ISBN 0-8229-1150-7. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  10. ^ The Owl. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 2010-10-08.

trees, joseph, clifton, trees, 1870, 1943, college, football, player, university, pittsburgh, first, athlete, receive, athletic, subsidization, school, possibly, early, professional, football, player, later, made, millions, dollars, industry, became, trustee, . Joseph Clifton Trees 1870 May 20 1943 was a college football player at the University of Pittsburgh the first athlete to receive an athletic subsidization at the school and possibly an early professional football player He later made millions of dollars in the oil industry and became a trustee and significant benefactor to the university and its athletic department His hobbies included philanthropy scientific research and agriculture His 2 600 acre 11 km2 estate in Gibsonia Pennsylvania was devoted to a large extent to fruit trees Joe TreesJoseph C Trees a true Pitt man according to the 1915 The Owl student yearbook Personal informationBorn 1870Delmont PennsylvaniaDied May 20 1943 aged 72 73 Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaWeight 210 lb 95 kg Career informationCollege PittPosition Tackle CenterCareer historyAllegheny Athletic Association 1892 1893 Pittsburgh Athletic Club 1894 Contents 1 Early life 2 College football 3 Possible professional football career 4 Family 5 Oil industry 6 Legacy 7 See also 8 ReferencesEarly life editTrees was born near Delmont Pennsylvania in Westmoreland County where his grandfather Thomas Trees had established a flour mill and a sawmill after immigrating from England His parents Isaac and Lucy Johnston Trees later operated the mills and as a youth Joe worked in them College football editTrees first attended Indiana Normal School now Indiana University of Pennsylvania While playing in practice games against the Western University of Pennsylvania WUP now named the University of Pittsburgh Trees impressed Bert Smyers the founder and captain of the WUP football team In order to facilitate Trees to switch schools and play football for WUP Smyers helped to arrange for various classes at the university to pay for Trees room board and tuition 1 Thus in 1891 Trees became Pitt s first subsidized athlete as a star 210 pound tackle on Pitt s football team 2 Trees graduated from the university with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1895 3 Trees also participated in the universities track and field team 4 and in 1894 additionally served as an Assistant Librarian at the university 5 Possible professional football career editIn 1892 and 1893 Trees played football on the side for the then amateur Allegheny Athletic Association The club in 1893 was suspected heavily of secretly paying its players making them professionals Documents discovered a half century later showed that on November 21 1892 Pudge Heffelfinger an all American guard from Yale was paid 500 US dollars to play for Allegheny against the rival Pittsburgh Athletic Club It is unknown if Trees was paid by Allegheny to play football with the club In 1894 Trees jumped to the Pittsburgh Athletic Club That year during a game against Allegheny quarterback A S Valentine was thrown out of the game after coming to the aid of John Van Cleve during a fight against Trees After several appeals Valentine left the field reportedly crying like a baby by the local media During a second game that season Trees was thrown out of the game for punching Allegheny s Sport Donnelly Trees never liked Donnelly during games when the two lined up against each other Donnelly would pull Trees long flowing hair Joe would usually defend himself with a strenuous poke at Donnelly and often ended up on the sideline as in this game Family editTrees married Claudine Willison on November 22 1894 The couple had two sons both of whom were killed Joseph Graham Trees as an aviator during World War I and the other Merle died at age 10 in a traffic accident in Pittsburgh After the death of his wife Joe married in 1929 his secretary the former Edith Lehm The couple had a son Joe Benedum Trees Oil industry editDuring his summer vacations from college Joe worked for Standard Oil He and his partner Mike Benedum decided to buy a lease in Pleasants County West Virginia and this was the start of their career together Their first well came in 1896 and six more soon gushed from the same lease Benedum and Trees developed a dozen other rich pools in West Virginia with varying success up to 1900 Superstition played a big part in their decisions of where to drill In one instance a blind farmer once told them he had envisioned oil gushing out of a hill on his farm and shooting up over a tree Trees and Benedum then decided to drill on that spot As a result a well gushed just as the blind man had dreamed Another time the two men heard of a natural rock formation arrow which legend said pointed to treasure Benedum sighted along the arrow while Trees moved back and forth in a straight line from it They drilled the chosen spot and again struck oil Over the years the men developed oil fields for Marie of Romania in Ploiești Those fields were taken over by Nazi Germany during World War II and became a target of the war s oil campaign such as Operation Tidal Wave Ploiesti was captured by Soviet troops in August 1944 Trees and Benedum also founded wells in Illinois West Texas Florida with Clem S Clarke of Shreveport Louisiana Mexico Colombia and throughout South America Their West Texas discoveries were among the most significant in his career Untouched and despised by other oil men this area has since poured out a billion barrels with reserves estimated at another billion On May 19 1943 while talking to his partner Mike Benedum in their company headquarters at the Benedum Trees Building Trees suddenly slumped forward in his chair and died of a heart attack 6 Legacy editTrees remained closely tied to his alma mater throughout his life He served on and for a time became president of University of Pittsburgh s Board of Trustees 7 An important benefactor for the University of Pittsburgh and its athletic department in 1912 he donated 100 000 for the construction of the original Trees Gymnasium and Trees Stadium Field that sat near the site of the present day Veterans Administration Hospital in Oakland 8 9 Today a short distance from those now demolished original structures two university facilities bear his name Trees Field and Trees Hall a multipurpose recreation and varsity athletics facility that opened in 1962 Trees also donated funds to the Pitt Band 75 000 to the construction of Eberly Hall and purchased 200 000 worth of bonds to help pay for the construction of Pitt Stadium 1 Until his death his generosity to the university earned him the reputation as a true Pitt man 10 and Call on Joe became a byword when the university was in need 1 See also editTrees Hall Texon TexasReferences edit J C Trees is Dead Wildcat Oil Man New York Times May 20 1943 Retrieved 2010 10 01 dead link PFRA Research The A s Have It The 3A s Triumph 1894 PDF PFRA Books Professional Football Researchers Association 3 Archived from the original PDF on 2010 11 26 PFRA Research A Weekly Wage PDF Coffin Corner Professional Football Researchers Association 1 4 Archived from the original PDF on 2010 11 26 a b c Borghetti E J ed 1998 1998 Pittsburgh Football Media Guide Pittsburgh PA University of Pittsburgh p 136 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Sciullo Jr Sam 2008 University of Pittsburgh Football Vault The History of the Panthers Atlanta GA Whitman Publishing LLC p 9 ISBN 978 0 7948 2653 6 University of Pittsburgh General Alumni Association 1916 Alumni directory University of Pittsburgh 1787 1916 Vol 2 Pittsburgh PA Smith Bros Co p 211 Retrieved 2010 10 07 Athletics The Western University Courant 10 3 Allegheny City PA Western University of Pennsylvania 25 December 1894 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Catalogue of the Western University of Pennsylvania 1895 95 Western University of Pennsylvania 1916 1895 p 10 Retrieved 2010 10 07 Heart Attack Proves Fatal to Oil Wizard The Gettysburg Times Associated Press May 20 1943 University of Pittsburgh General Alumni Association 1916 Alumni directory University of Pittsburgh 1787 1916 Vol 2 Pittsburgh PA Smith Bros Co p 22 Retrieved 2010 10 07 Starrett Agnes Lynch 1937 Through one hundred and fifty years the University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA University of Pittsburgh Press pp 234 330 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Alberts Robert C 1986 Pitt The Story of the University of Pittsburgh 1787 1987 Pittsburgh PA University of Pittsburgh Press pp 61 62 ISBN 0 8229 1150 7 Retrieved 2009 11 10 The Owl Pittsburgh PA University of Pittsburgh 1915 p 4 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joe Trees amp oldid 1182000968, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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