| Birth date | April 26, 1881 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Winterport, Maine, U.S. |
| Death date | April 3, 1914 (aged 32) |
| Death place | Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Bowdoin College (1903)[1] |
| Player sport 1 | Football |
| Player years 2 | c. 1902 |
| Player team 2 | Bowdoin |
| Player positions | Quarterback |
| Admin years 1 | 1905–1906 |
| Admin team 1 | William & Mary |
| Overall record | 17–29–6 (football) 14–7 (basketball) |
Jesse Merrill Blanchard (April 26, 1881 – April 3, 1914)[2] was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the College of William & Mary (1904–1905, 1910), Washington University in St. Louis (1906–1907), and Whitman College (1908–1909).
Playing career
Blanchard played college football as a quarterback at Bowdoin College.[3]
Coaching career
Blanchard was the first head coach of the William & Mary Tribe men's basketball team, in 1905–06.[4] In the inaugural season of William & Mary's basketball program, Blanchard led the team to a 4–1 record.[4] It was his first and last season with the Tribe despite the success. Blanchard also coached the William & Mary football team from 1904 to 1905 and again in 1910, compiling a record of 6–14–2.[5]
Death
Blanchard died on April 3, 1914, at his mother-in-law's home in Williamsburg, Virginia.[6]
References
- ^ "The Colonial Echo 1905". College of William & Mary. Archived April 4, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ "Bowdoin Orient". Bowdoin College. 1915.
- ^ "J. Merrill Blanchard Will Coach Whitman". Spokane Daily Chronicle. June 13, 1908. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ William & Mary men's basketball history - Media Guide 2007-08 Archived May 11, 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed March 24, 2008.
- ^ William & Mary football history - Media Guide 2007 Archived July 6, 2008 at the Wayback Machine, page 22. Accessed March 26, 2008.
- ^ "Obituary; J. Merrill Blanchard". Richmond Times-Dispatch. April 4, 1914. p. 2. Retrieved October 24, 2025. – via Newspapers.com