Ralph Warren

Ralph Herbert Warren (August 21, 1871 – September 3, 1928) was an All-American football player. He played end for Princeton University from 1889 to 1891 and was selected to the 1890 College Football All-America Team. Warren was the subject of intense press coverage in January 1892 when he disappeared for several days, showing up at his parents' home days later. Warren was said to have been "temporarily out of his mind" following an injury sustained in a football game.

Biography Warren was the son of a prominent New York family. He attended preparatory school at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey where he played halfback and was captain of the school's football team.

An 1890 profile of the Princeton football team described Warren as follows:"Ralph Herbert Warren, always called 'Pop' in college, completes the quartette of the old team. He is looked upon as one of the best end rushers now playing. A sure tackler and always well down the field on a punt, he is an invaluable man. He, too, however, has a disabled knee, and if he does not recover in time for the Yale game, it will be hard to fill his place. When he began playing last year he was only a Freshman." Warren became a star in his sophomore season of 1890 and was rewarded with his selection as one of two ends to be named to the 1890 College Football All-America Team. Fellow end Jesse Riggs was selected as captain of the 1891 Princeton football team, but he resigned the position before the season began. After Riggs' resignation, the team voted to make Warren the team's captain as a junior. Accordingly, The World of New York wrote in 1891: "The captaincy of a football team was never so important as now, and McClung of Yale, Warren of Princeton, and Trafford of Harvard are names which will be 'oft upon the lips of man' in the next two months." As captain, Warren spent much of his time in 1891 directing the team: "Capt. Warren has spent much of his time this season on the field in directing the play without taking a hand in the game. He is rather, behind, therefore, in his individual work at right end."

In November 1891, a profile of Warren was published under the headline: "Capt. Warren, of Princeton, the Great Footballist." The profile described Warren as one of the "heroes of football" and focused on his leadership role as captain of the Princeton team:"There are critics of the game who say that Capt. Warren is too easy in his treatment his team and that he does not make the most of their ability as players. This is no reflection on the unquestionable excellence of his play as an individual member of the eleven. Warren is tall and slender. He is a painstaking and trustworthy rather than a brilliant player, and there is time yet for him to more than justify his choice as leader of the Princeton team. His thoroughness is a leading characteristic of the man." In addition to having been soundly defeated, Warren was injured in the Yale game. He suffered a bruised nose and a severe twist of the neck. Warren's cousin told The World of New York the following:"In our opinion, he is temporarily out of his mind, and we will not allow anyone to see him. ... We think his mental troubles are caused by three things -- the injuries he received in the Thanksgiving Day football game, his disappointment in losing that game and his being so much behindhand in his college studies. Ever since the game he has had fits of despondency." Warren did not return to the Princeton football team as a senior in 1892.