Bill Gutteron: Difference between revisions

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Gutteron was born on November 26, 1899, in [[British Honduras]], now [[Belize]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/g/gutt00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=September 26, 2025|title=Bill Gutteron Stats}}</ref> The youngest of 13 children, he later moved to the U.S., where he attended [[San Diego High School]] in California.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/g/gutt00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=September 26, 2025|title=Bill Gutteron Stats}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827668/|newspaper=[[Centre Daily Times]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=June 3, 1987|pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827851/ B-2]|title=Gutteron coached swimming in State College for 30 years|author=Fedon, Laurie}} {{Open access}}</ref> At San Diego High School, he played [[American football|football]] as a [[quarterback]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-diego-sun/181829730/|newspaper=[[The San Diego Sun]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=October 11, 1918|page=13|title=San Diego To Play Angels}} {{Open access}}</ref> He then served as a coach at the [[San Diego Army and Navy Academy]] before attending the [[University of Nevada, Reno|University of Nevada]] from 1921 to 1925.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827668/|newspaper=[[Centre Daily Times]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=June 3, 1987|pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827851/ B-2]|title=Gutteron coached swimming in State College for 30 years|author=Fedon, Laurie}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-diego-sun/181831221/|newspaper=[[The San Diego Sun]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=December 29, 1922|page=17|title=Bill Gutteron Back Home for Holidays}} {{Open access}}</ref>

Gutteron played multiple sports at Nevada and received a total of 12 [[varsity letter]]s in college.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827668/|newspaper=[[Centre Daily Times]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=June 3, 1987|pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827851/ B-2]|title=Gutteron coached swimming in State College for 30 years|author=Fedon, Laurie}} {{Open access}}</ref> He was a four-time [[Letterman (sports)|letterman]] in football and served as the team’s starting quarterback from 1922 to 1925.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827668/|newspaper=[[Centre Daily Times]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=June 3, 1987|pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times/181827851/ B-2]|title=Gutteron coached swimming in State College for 30 years|author=Fedon, Laurie}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/nevada-state-journal/138101849/|newspaper=[[Nevada State Journal]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=October 23, 1971|page=14|title=Nevada Quarterback Gutteron Returns for ’71 Homecoming}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Professional career==

==Coaching career and later life==

American football player (1899–1987)

William Alexander Gutteron (November 26, 1899 – May 30, 1987) was a Belizean-born American professional football player and swimming coach. After moving to the U.S. from what was then British Honduras, he played college football as a quarterback for the Nevada Wolf Pack. He then played one season for the Los Angeles Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) in 1926.^[1]

Gutteron was born on November 26, 1899, in British Honduras, now Belize.^[2] The youngest of 13 children, he later moved to the U.S., where he attended San Diego High School in California.^[3]^[4] At San Diego High School, he played football as a quarterback.^[5] He then served as a coach at the San Diego Army and Navy Academy before attending the University of Nevada from 1921 to 1925.^[6]^[7]

Gutteron played multiple sports at Nevada and received a total of 12 varsity letters in college.^[8] He was a four-time letterman in football and served as the team’s starting quarterback from 1922 to 1925.^[9]^[10] Standing at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) and weighing 155 pounds (70 kg), he was nicknamed “Little Bill” or the “Little Giant”.^[11]^[12] In the 1923 season, he quarterbacked and captained^[13] a Nevada team that faced off against the heavily favored and undefeated California Golden Bears, who were known as the “Wonder Team” and ultimately won that year’s national championship.^[14]^[15] Gutteron led Nevada to an “outstanding performance” and a 0–0 tie against the Golden Bears, which was the only time the “Wonder Team” did not score during the season as well as the only game they did not win.^[16]^[17] Gutteron nearly scored a touchdown in the game, but was tackled shortly before the end zone and fractured his leg.^[18] He remained with Nevada in 1924 and 1925, though he missed part of the latter season after breaking his leg.^[19]^[20] According to the Nevada State Journal, Gutteron was regarded as one of the best quarterbacks on the Pacific coast during his collegiate career.^[21]