Leroy Mercer

Who was Leroy Mercer?

Eugene Leroy Mercer was a respected surgeon but was best known for his college football career, while attending the University of Pennsylvania. In 1910, he led Penn to the eastern championship, and then served as the Quakers' captain for the next two seasons. During his time at Penn, Mercer helped the Quakers to a 23-10 football record and received All-American honors in 1910, 1911 and 1912.

In 1908, Mercer cleared 12-foot in the pole vault, setting a record which he then broke in 1909. He is credited with becoming the only high school athlete to clear that height with a now-outdated spruce pole. Mercer was named to the United States Olympic team for the 1912 Olympic Games, and placed fifth in the long jump and sixth in the decathlon. Mercer then captained Penn's 1913 champion track team and received All-American honors for his long jump accomplishments, and he won the IC4A long jump titles in 1912 and 1913.

He received his Doctorate in Medicine in 1913 and launched a distinguished career as a physician and educator. He later worked at Swarthmore College as the school's athletic director and as a physical education professor.