Paul Withington

Who was Paul Withington?

Paul C. Withington was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for a season in 1916 and at Columbia University for part of one season in 1924, compiling a career college football record of 5–4–2.

Withington attended Harvard University where he played football as a quarterback. He received his bachelor's degree from Havard in 1909, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School in 1914. Withington is notable as the only coach in collegiate history to be a head coach at the same time as working as a doctor. In 1914, he also published the book "The Book of Athletics".

Withington married Constance Restarick in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 18, 1911. In 1917, he entered the U.S. Army Medical Corps. Withington was awarded the Legion of Merit by the U.S. Navy in 1945, the Silver Star, the French croix de guerre, the British Mons Star, World War I victory ribbon, the Army of Occupation of Germany ribbon, the American Defense ribbon and the Pacific Asiatic ribbon with star. He was also an honorary lieutenant in the Royal Medical Corps of the British Army.