Roland Blase
Roland Roy Blase (May 3, 1887 – March 16, 1979) was an American rugby union player who played at lock for the United States men's national team in its first capped match against New Zealand in 1913.
![]() Blase with the US team in 1913 (pictured back row, second from right) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Roland Roy Blase | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | May 3, 1887 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Saint Paul, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | March 16, 1979 91) | (aged||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Saint Paul, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 193 lb (88 kg)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Stanford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography
Roland Blase was born on May 3, 1887 in Saint Paul, Minnesota,[2] the son and youngest child of Ernest Frederick Blase and Margaret Christine Blase (born Bach).[3] Blase attended Stanford University beginning in 1910, where he was a member of the school's rugby team and a member of the Beta Chi chapter of the Sigma Nu fraternity.[3] Also while at Stanford, Blase was a member of the varsity crew team.[4] On November 15, 1913, Blase played for the United States at lock in its first test match against New Zealand—a 51–3 defeat.[5] Blase graduated from Stanford in 1914 with a degree in civil engineering and subsequently moved back to Saint Paul.[3] In the course of his engineering career, he worked for the firm Toltz, King & Day.[3] Blase never married or had children[3] and died on March 16, 1979 in Saint Paul at the age of 91.[2]
References
- "Statistics of the Varsity Eights for Comparison". The San Francisco Call. CXIII (140). April 19, 1913. p. 26. Retrieved December 10, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Roland Blase". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- "Roland Roy Blase". The Rugby History Society. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- "Stanford Crew Captain Names His Oarsmen". The San Francisco Call. CXIII (119). Stanford University. March 29, 1913. p. 9. Retrieved December 10, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- "New Zealand Tour - Berkeley, 15 November 1913". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved December 10, 2018.