John Newton (born 1887) was a Canadian football halfback who played for three years for Toronto Varsity and four years for the Toronto Argonauts. He was a two-time Grey Cup champion, once as a player and once as an assistant coach, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Born: | ca 1887[1] Limehouse, Ontario, Canada |
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Died: | [2] Sarnia, Ontario, Canada | December 24, 1967 (aged 80)
Career information | |
Position(s) | Halfback |
University | Toronto |
High school | London Road High |
Career history | |
As coach | |
1912 | Toronto Argonauts (Head coach) |
1913–1914 | Toronto Argonauts (Assistant coach) |
1915 | Sarnia Intermediate (Head coach) |
1919–1920 | Sarnia Collegiate Institute (Head coach) |
1921–1927 | Sarnia Imperials Intermediate (Head coach) |
1928–1930 | Sarnia Imperials (Head coach) |
Career highlights and awards | |
Career stats | |
Early life
editNewton was born in Limehouse, Ontario and moved to Sarnia when he was seven years old.[2][3] He played football for the London Road High School team.[3]
Playing career
editNewton played for the University of Toronto Varsity football team from 1907 to 1909.[4] In 1908, he played in the 1908 Dominion Championship game at right half, but Varsity lost to the Hamilton Tigers.[5]
In 1909, Varsity finished with a 6–0 record with Newton as team captain and he scored one try in the Dominion Semi-Final victory over the IRFU champion Ottawa Rough Riders.[6] In the Dominion Championship, which was the first to be awarded the Grey Cup trophy, Varsity defeated the ORFU champion Toronto Parkdale 26–6 in the 1st Grey Cup.[7]
Coaching career
editOn August 30, 1912, Newton was named honorary coach of the Argonauts, but refused to be paid.[3][8] In that season, Newton led the team to an IRFU championship and the team qualified for their second consecutive Grey Cup game.[9] However, the Argonauts lost the 4th Grey Cup to the Hamilton Alerts.[9] In 1913, Ross Binkley served as head coach while Newton remained in an assistant capacity.[10][11]
Newton remained with the Argonauts in 1914 where they returned as IRFU champions.[12][13] The Argonauts faced his former team, Toronto Varsity, in the 6th Grey Cup, where they defeated Varsity 14–2.[14]
In 1915, Newton coached for the Sarnia Intermediate ORFU team.[15][16] After serving in the First World War, he coached the Sarnia Collegiate Institute football team from 1919 to 1920.[17][2] He then moved back to coaching the Sarnia Imperials Intermediate team until 1927.[17]
In 1928, Newton led the Imperials' senior entry into the ORFU, which was their first year on the circuit.[18] In their first season in the Senior ORFU, Newton led the Imperials to the ORFU title game, but they were defeated by the Toronto Orphans 6–0.[18] In 1929, Newton coached the Imperials to a 6–0 record and ORFU Championship, but the team was defeated by the Hamilton Tigers in the East Semi-Final. In 1930, the Imperials finished second in their division and did not qualify for the championship game.[19] He ceded the head coach position to Milt Burt, but remained with the Imperials in other capacities.[20][21][22]
Newton was largely responsible for the growth of football in Sarnia which eventually led to the Imperials appearing in three Grey Cup games, winning twice.[4] After the Imperials disbanded in 1940 near the start of World War II, Newton was the commanding officer of the Sarnia 2/26 Battery and subsequent entry into the ORFU.[23]
Post playing career
editNewton served in the First World War where he won the Military Cross as a member of the Canadian Field Artillery.[2]
Newton was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, as a builder, in November 1964.[3][17] He died in Sarnia in December 1967.[24]
Personal life
editNewton was married to Eleanor May Newton and they had two sons, John W. Newton and Frederick Newton.[25]
References
edit- ^ "150 Years of Varsity Football". University of Toronto. September 13, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Maj. John Newton". Windsor Star. December 27, 1967. p. 44. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Maj. John Newton". Windsor Star. November 27, 1964. p. 9. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ a b "Newton Honored Football 'Great'". Windsor Star. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Tigers defeated Varsity; now Canadian champions". Ottawa Citizen. November 30, 1908. p. 5. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Toronto 'Varsity Won Rugby Honors". The Montreal Gazette. November 29, 1909. p. 4 of 16. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ "Varsity disposed of Ontario champions by 26 points to 6". Ottawa Citizen. December 6, 1909. p. 8. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ "J. Newton is Elected Argo Honorary Coach". The Toronto World. August 30, 1912. p. 8. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Hamilton Alerts are now holders of Grey Cup over-rated Argos beaten at their own game". Ottawa Citizen. December 2, 1912. p. 8. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Tropical weather delays football too torrid for rugby practices". Ottawa Citizen. September 8, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Rugby Gossip". The Toronto Sunday World. November 1, 1913. p. 9. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Teams preparing for opening games". The Toronto World. October 7, 1914. p. 8. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Argonauts gave Ottawa decisive lacing and presented Tigers with championship". Ottawa Citizen. November 17, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
- ^ "Argos found short cut to Varsity's goal line and trounced them 14 to 2 in Dominion final". Ottawa Citizen. December 2, 1912. p. 8. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
- ^ "Three rugby finals on today's program". Ottawa Citizen. November 20, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Argos fighting for second place". The Toronto World. November 11, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Jack Newton". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ a b ""Varsity Orphans" Will Meet Sarnia Imperials". The Leader. November 17, 1928. p. 21. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Look for way to solve jam". The Border Cities Star. November 17, 1928. p. 16. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Sarnia Imperials sign Pat Ouellette as coach". The Border Cities Star. June 15, 1932. p. 17. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Sarnia given slight edge". The Leader. November 16, 1934. p. 12. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "O.R.F.U. for home talent". Windsor Star. February 24, 1936. p. 20. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "Sarnia again prepared to play in O.R.F.U. Senior Series". Windsor Star. September 20, 1940. p. 2. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Maj. John Newton". Montreal Star. December 27, 1967. p. 35. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "John W. Newton". Sarnia Observer. Retrieved August 2, 2024.