Hall of Fame
E. Lee North, a 1946 graduate, is the 2013 recipient of the Robert M. Murphy Award. North established himself as a key feature at Washington & Jefferson College by writing the definitive book on the history of Presidents’ football, “Battling The Indians, Panthers, and Nittany Lions”. The book which chronicled the first 100 years of Presidents’ football, was published in 1991 and described in detail many of the people and stories W&J is so proud of today.
Battling The Indians, Panthers, and Nittany Lions has been crucial to the memories of so many talented W&J student-athletes and has immensely helped the W&J all-time record book. Prior to publishing Battling The Indians, Panthers, and Nittany Lions, North wrote SHE PRODUCES ALL-AMERICANS: The Story of Football at W&J from 1890-1946. The book describes the amazing saga of a small school that rose to the football heights to whip such grid stalwarts as Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia and Syracuse and become the only small college to play in the Rose Bowl.
Today, thanks to North’s attention for detail and record-keeping, many recognize W&J as the small college that ranks third all-time in NCAA football victories with 692. That number is surpassed by only 24 schools in all NCAA divisions.
As a student, North was editor of the Red & Black student newspaper. After graduation, he spent two years as the W&J publicity director and worked hand-in-hand with legendary Pro Football Hall of Famer and then Director of Athletics Pete Henry. North has experienced a successful career at Grumann Aerospace, writing 13 books.
These books cover considerable in-depth research on World War II, particularly Poland, Battle of Britain, and the Cold War in America and sports, including the history of athletics at Bay Shore (NY) High School. North has also written three histories of West Virginia as well as Run, Run, Run! The 1941 Diary of a Deaf Long Island Teenager.
