Warbler Wilson


William Blackburn "Warbler" Wilson was a college football player and city recorder.

College football

Wilson was an All-Southern quarterback.

South Carolina

Wilson came from Rock Hill, South Carolina, and played as a backup for the South Carolina Gamecocks in 1896.

Sewanee

In part due to Luke Lea, Wilson came to Sewanee:The University of the South as a law student. He was a prominent quarterback from 1897 to 1900.

1898

In 1898 he led the Tigers to an undefeated year, playing through a broken leg in the 19-4 victory over Vanderbilt.

1899

Wilson was the quarterback and a key member of the undefeated 1899 "Iron Men" who won five road games by shutout in six days. Supposedly he also played with a broken leg for 45 minutes in the last game of the road trip of '99, against Ole Miss. A documentary film about this team and Wilson's role was released in 2022 called '''"Unrivaled: Sewanee 1899."'''

1900

He was captain of the team in 1900.

City recorder

He was the first city recorder in his native town of Rock Hill.