# Laird Morris

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**Laird Monterey "Monte" Morris** (October 9, 1889 – August 19, 1954) was an American [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) player who played at [scrum-half](/source/Rugby_union_positions#Scrum-half) for the [United States men's national team](/source/United_States_men's_national_rugby_union_team) in its first capped match in 1912.

## Biography

Morris was born on October 9, 1889, in [California](/source/California).[2] He was the son of Henry Bishop Morris and Mary Kathryn Morris (born Baker).[3]

Morris attended the [University of California](/source/University_of_California,_Berkeley), where in 1910 he earned a place on the varsity rugby team.[4] In 1911, Morris was late to return to the university,[5] but eventually did so and rejoined the rugby team.[6] During the 1912 season, Morris saw his playing time reduced as the coaching staff attempted to develop other players to play his position,[7] although he remained the best player at that position on the university team.[8] At the end of the 1912 season, on November 16, 1912, Morris played for the United States team at scrum-half in its first capped match—a 12–8 loss to Australia.[9] Morris served as the team's captain for this match.[10]

In 1913, Morris did not return to the University of California rugby team.[11] Over the course of his collegiate rugby career, Morris was described as "one of the grittiest halves that ever trailed a scrum,"[11] and as a member of "one of the most brilliant [back field] combinations ever seen on the Coast."[12] As a member of the class of 1913, Morris was a member of the Winged Helmet and Golden Bear honor societies at the University of California.[13][14] Morris died on August 19, 1954, in [San Francisco, California](/source/San_Francisco,_California).[2]

## References

1. ["Men Who Will Compose Blue and Gold Varsity Team on Sunday"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25138976/men_who_will_compose_blue_and_gold/). *[The San Francisco Call](/source/The_San_Francisco_Call)*. Vol. CVIII, no. 162. November 9, 1910. p. 10. Retrieved November 5, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Laird Morris"](http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/2310.html). *espn.co.uk*. [ESPN](/source/ESPN). Retrieved November 5, 2018.

1. ["Laird Monterey Morris"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305115327/http://therugbyhistorysociety.co.uk/morris.html). The Rugby History Society. Archived from [the original](http://therugbyhistorysociety.co.uk/morris.html) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2018.

1. Johnson, Elliot (November 7, 1910). ["California Camp is Confident of Victory"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25140007/california_camp_is_confident_of_victory/). *[The San Francisco Chronicle](/source/The_San_Francisco_Chronicle)*. Vol. XCVII, no. 116. p. 10. Retrieved November 5, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Rugby Absentees Cause of Much Worry"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25158054/rugby_absentees_cause_of_much_worry/). *[The San Francisco Call](/source/The_San_Francisco_Call)*. Vol. CX, no. 90. August 28, 1911. p. 11. Retrieved November 6, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Morris Returns to Berkeley Job"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25158148/morris_returns_to_berkeley_job/). *[The San Francisco Call](/source/The_San_Francisco_Call)*. Vol. CX, no. 91. August 29, 1911. p. 10. Retrieved November 6, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. Erskine, Douglas (September 26, 1912). ["Games with Clubmen Give Line on Material"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25159214/games_with_clubmen_give_line_on_material/). *[The San Francisco Examiner](/source/The_San_Francisco_Examiner)*. Vol. XCVII, no. 88. p. 11. Retrieved November 6, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["California Rugby Fifteen to Meet Barbs To-Day"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25159302/california_rugby_fifteen_to_meet_barbs/). *[The San Francisco Examiner](/source/The_San_Francisco_Examiner)*. Vol. XCVII, no. 111. October 19, 1912. p. 13. Retrieved November 6, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Australia Tour - Berkeley, 16 November 1912"](http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/19164.html). *espn.co.uk*. [ESPN](/source/ESPN). Retrieved November 5, 2018.

1. 1914 Blue & Gold, p. 145. "California was represented on the team by five players, one of whom, "Monte" Morris, the veteran half-back, was captain."

1. BOBS. (August 24, 1913). ["California Must Depend on New Rugby Material"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25160440/california_must_depend_on_new_rugby/). *[The San Francisco Chronicle](/source/The_San_Francisco_Chronicle)*. Vol. CIII, no. 40. p. 61. Retrieved November 6, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. BOBS. (December 14, 1917). ["California Loses Popular Manager"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25160635/california_loses_popular_manager/). *[The San Francisco Chronicle](/source/The_San_Francisco_Chronicle)*. Vol. CXI, no. 152. p. 10. Retrieved November 6, 2018. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. [*The 1913 Blue & Gold of the University of California: Being a Record of the College Year Published by the Junior Class in the Year 1912*](https://archive.org/details/bluegoldbeingrec00univrich). [University of California, Berkeley](/source/University_of_California,_Berkeley). 1912. p. 429.

1. 1914 Blue & Gold, pp. 322–323.

## Notes

- [*The 1914 Blue & Gold of the University of California: Published by the Junior Class in the Year 1913*](https://books.google.com/books?id=AFxOAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA145). Vol. 40. [University of California, Berkeley](/source/University_of_California,_Berkeley). 1913. Retrieved November 6, 2018.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Laird Morris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laird_Morris) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laird_Morris?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.