Albert A. Exendine papers, 1889-1973

Collection

Identifier: 1990-003

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Consists of memorabilia (football course books for players and coaches, photographs, press cuttings and printed ephemera) collected by Exendine documenting his football career at the Carlisle Indian School (Class of 1906 and co-team member with Jim Thorpe) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. For further biographical information on Exendine, please see Who's Who In Football by Ronald L. Mendell and Timothy B. Phares (New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1974) and an article by John L. Johnson in The Chronicles of Oklahoma, v. 43, n. 3, Autumn, 1965. Exendine also appears in the Invincible Yearbook 1915-1916, The Invincible Debating Society, Carlisle Indian School, as distinguished alum. A portion of the material was originally placed in scrapbook format into a large clothing manufacturer's sample book, with the remainder of items laid in. This laid in material was removed from the sample book and placed in folders.

Dates

Creation: 1889 - 1973

Access

This material is open for research use by any registered reader.

Use and Copyright

This material is owned by the University of Tulsa, McFarlin Library, Department of Special Collections. Unpublished manuscripts are under copyright. Therefore, permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from both the repository and the copyright holder.

Biographical / Historical

Albert A. Exendine (1885-1973) was a member of the Delaware tribe, an All-American football player, coach, lawyer and Indian activist.

Excerpts from the Memorabilia of Albert A. Exendine: Athlete, Attorney, Coach, Humanitarian. (furnished by Mrs. Albert (Grace B.) Exendine)

Albert Exendine was born January 27, 1884 in Cherokee Indian Territory near what is now Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Albert, a three quarter Delaware Indian, was the son of Jasper and Amaline Exendine. Jasper, after an early career as Deputy United States Marshal (he held the distinction of being the only deputy marshal appointed by "Hanging" Judge Parker) became a sub-chief and leader in the Delaware Nation and a prosperous merchant and rancher. His ranch encompassed what is now the city of Bartlesville and as depicted in various historical treaties and in the painting of Fred Cole, he and George B. Keeler were the first to discover oil in Oklahoma.

Albert Exendine entered the Carlisle Indian School, Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the early 1900s and became an accomplished athlete in track and football, being named All-American End in 1906 and 1907 and ultimately a consensus All Time All-American. He is a member of the national and Oklahoma State Football Halls of Fame as well as the Indian Hall of Fame.

After graduating from Carlisle, he entered Dickinson Law School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and while completing his law degree worked as Assistant Coach to Glen S. "Pop" Warner at the Carlisle Indian School. It was during this period when a promising young Sac and Fox Indian came under his tutelage. This young Indian, James F. "Jim" Thorpe, soon broke the track records he had set and became one of the most famous football players of all time. His record winning performance in the Pentathlon and Decathlon in the Olympics of 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden and resulting controversy insured his international fame.

On completing his legal education, Exendine was admitted to the Bar in Oklahoma and Hawaii, practicing mainly in McAlester, Pawhuska, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and later utilized this legal background in the Indian Tribal Organization Act and subsequent duties with the USIS including counseling, employment, and Indian agent.

Exendine's coaching career included Carlisle, Otterbein, Georgetown, Washington State, Occidental, Northeastern State, Oklahoma State and Service. During this span, he was in association with Rockne, Warner, Stagg, Camp, Halas, Heisman, Marshal, Waldorf and many others. Heisman, who established the Heisman Trophy picked Exendine and Thorpe on his All Time All-American team. Exendine, generally considered one of the best football minds, was a champion of Jim Thorpe's since Carlisle days.