Otis Whitfield Douglas Jr. (July 25, 1911 – March 21,
1989) was an American gridiron football player and coach. He served as
the head football coach at the University of Akron (1941–1942), Drexel
University (1949), and the University of Arkansas (1950–1952), compiling
a career college football coaching record of 17–34–4. He also coached
the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1955
to 1960.
After World War II, Douglas played for the Philadelphia Eagles of the
National Football League (NFL) for four seasons (1946–1949.) In 1946, he
became the oldest NFL rookie of all time, at 35 years of age.
Born in Reedville, Virginia, Douglas played college football at the
College of William & Mary in 1929 and 1930. He served in United States
Navy from 1942 to 1945. Douglas worked as an assistant coach Villanova
University under Frank Reagan in 1954. He was an assistant coach for the
Baltimore Colts in 1953 and was a consultant to the coaching staff of
the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball in 1961 and 1962, assisting
with physical fitness and morale.
In 1979, Douglas was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Comment:
The USS Otis W. Douglas was
presumably named after Otis Whitfield Douglas, Snr. (1877-1940)
Otis
Whitfield Douglas Sr. (born 28 Aug 1877 died 13 Mar 1940, aged 62) was
the son of Robert T. Douglas and Mrs. Virginia Ann McNeal Douglas.
 He
was survived by his widow Annie Marsh Douglas and his children, Mrs.
Roland G. Garrett, Mrs. arthur Hardy, and Miss Ruth Douglas, Blackstone,
Mrs. Annie E. Chambers and Miss Sedonia Douglas of Richmond, Miss
Barbara Douglas and James E. Douglas of Reedville, Otis W. Douglas Jr.of
Akron OH. and Robert A Douglas Sr. of William and Mary College,
Williamsburg.
Northern Neck News - Mar. 16, 1940
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