Ben Bangs

Benton Maxwell "Biff" Bangs Jr. (September 5, 1893 – June 7, 1970) was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Los Angeles Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) in .. He played college football for Washington State from 1914 to 1917 and for the 1918 Mare Island Marines football team during World War I.

Early life Bangs was born in 1893 in Moscow, Idaho, United States. He was the son of H.H. Bangs who served several terms in the Idaho state legislature. His father died in November 1914.

Football career Albion Bang began his college career at the Albion Normal School in Albion, Idaho. He was the team captain and star punter, rusher and passer for the Albion football team in 1913. After a strong showing, he was recruited as a transfer student by both the University of Idaho and Washington State College.

Washington State Bangs enrolled at Washington State in September 1914. After the team's victory in the Rose Bowl, Bangs was elected as captain of the 1916 team. He received both bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture.

Mare Island Marines After graduating from Washington State, Bangs was appointed county agriculturist for Skagit County, Washington. in its coverage of the Rose Bowl game, the Los Angeles Times called Bangs "the greatest line plunger the colleges of the Pacific Coast have ever produced."

Professional football After the war, Bangs lived for several years in Wenatchee, Washington. In 1926, he also played professional football with the Los Angeles Buccaneers. He also raced pigeons, winning pigeon racing competitions in 1955, 1956, and 1957.

Bangs and his wife Esther had two sons, Henry H. Bangs and Benton M. Bangs Jr. He died in 1970 at age 76 at a hospital in Wenatchee.