Meyer Morton, born Myer Isakovitz (November 20, 1889 – February 8, 1948) was an American football player and official and lawyer from Chicago, Illinois.
Early years Morton was born in November 1889 in Chicago. His birth name was Myer Isakovitz.Birth record for Myer Isakovitz, born November 20, 1889, Chicago, Illinois. Father Max Isakovitz, age 29. Mother Besy Shryer Isakovitz. Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. His parents, Martin "Max" Morton and Elizabeth "Bessie" (Schreier) Morton, were Russian Jews, his parents immigrating between 1879 and 1882. They became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1890.Census entry for Max Morton (age 60, born Russia, immigrated to US in 1879, employed as manager at a ladies' clothing store), Bessie Morton (age 50, born Russia, immigrated to US in 1880), Myer Morton (age 30, born Illinois, employed as an attorney in private practice), and Bella Morton (age 22, born Illinois). Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Year: 1920;Census Place: Chicago Ward 7, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_315; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 396; Image: 393.
At the time of the 1900 United States census, the family's last name was recorded as "Isacovitz."Census entry for Max Isacovitz (head, born September 1860 in Russia, immigrated to US in 1882, employed as a receiving manager), Bessie Isacovitz (wife, born January 1866 in Russia, immigrated to US in 1882), Harry Isacovitz (son, born June 1887 in Illinois), Meyer Isacovitz (son, born November 1889 in Illinois), Isadore Isacovitz (son, born November 1893 in Illinois), Bella (daughter, born January 1897 in Illinois). Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 27, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T623_278; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 832. At the time of the 1910 United States census, the family had changed its name to Morton and was living in Troy, New York. The father was employed as a salesman at a dry goods store.Census entry dated April 19, 1910, for Martin Morton (age 49, born in Russia), Bessie (age 42, born in Illinois [sic]), Myer (age 20, born in Illinois), Isadore (age 17, born in Illinois), Bella (age 13, born in Illinois). Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Year: 1910; Census Place: Troy Ward 8, Rensselaer, New York; Roll: T624_1070; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0057; Image: 328; FHL Number: 1375083.
University of Michigan Morton enrolled at the University of Michigan and received a law degree as part of the Class of 1912. While attending Michigan, he played on the freshman baseball and track teams. He was also a reserve player on the undefeated 1910 Michigan Wolverines football team as a sophomore and a member of the class football team as a junior.
Legal and officiating career After graduating from Michigan, Morton returned to Chicago and worked as a lawyer there from 1915 to 1948. At the time of World War I, Morton was single, living in Chicago and working as a self-employed lawyer. He was serving as a private in the National Guard, Illinois - 1st Cavalry.Draft registration card for Meyer Morton, born November 20, 1889. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Registration Location: Cook County, Illinois; Roll: 1503984; Draft Board: 81.
Morton also worked on Saturdays as a game official for the Big Ten Conference for 23 years from the 1920s to the 1940s. After serving as the head linesman a game between Notre Dame and Northwestern in October 1926, Morton was criticized by Knute Rockne who felt that Morton had over-penalized the Fighting Irish team. Rockne recalled it was "the only time in my life I ever got sore at an official" and felt it was unfair that Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost was picking game officials for Notre Dame. In his history of the Michigan - Notre Dame rivalry, John Kryk wrote:
Meyer Morton, as Rockne well knew, was a Conference man. Worse, a Michigan man. Still worse, a Yost man. Indeed, Morton was a prominent member of the University of Michigan Club of Chicago, and his correspondence with Yost and others dot the Michigan files of the 1920s and 1930s.
Later years and death At the time of World War II, Morton was living in Chicago and working for the Chicago Flexible Shaft Co., a manufacturer of electrical appliances that later became known as Sunbeam Products.Draft registration card for Meyer Morton, born November 20, 1889, 5 feet, 11 inches, 175 pounds. Ancestry.com. U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; State Headquarters: Illinois; Microfilm Series: M2097; Microfilm Roll: 203.
Morton died in 1948 in Chicago.
Meyer Morton Award During his lifetime, Morton was one of the leading members of the "M" Club of Chicago. In 1925, the club began a tradition of giving an award each year to the Michigan football player who showed "the greatest development and most promise as a result of the annual spring practice." For many years, Morton traveled from Chicago to present the award in Ann Arbor. Beginning in 1948, after Morton's death, the annual award was renamed the Meyer Morton Award.
The award has been presented to many of the legends in Michigan football history, including Gerald R. Ford (1932), Ron Kramer (1954), Jim Harbaugh (1984), and Desmond Howard (1991). A complete list of the past winners is set forth below.
Year Player Year Player Year Player Year Player 1925 Ray Baer1950 Roger Zatkoff1973Paul Seal1996Damon Denson 1926George Rich1951Merritt Green1974Dennis Franklin1997Clint Copenhaver 1927LaVerne Taylor1952Gene Knutson1975Dan Jilek1998Tai Streets 1928Danny Holmes1953Don DuggerTony Branoff1976Greg Morton1999Grady Brooks 1929Roy Hudson1954Ron Kramer1977John Anderson2000Jeff Backus 1930Estel Tessmer1955Jim Van Pelt1978Gene Johnson2001Bill Seymour 1931Herman Everhardus1956John HerrnsteinBob Ptacek1979Curtis Greer2002Victor Hobson 1932Gerald R. Ford1957Charles Teusher1980George Lilja2003John Navarre 1933Mike Savage1958Dick Syring1981Stan Edwards2004Braylon Edwards 1934Matt Patanelli1959Willard Hildebrand1982Stefan Humphries2005Tim Massaquoi 1935Bob Cooper1960Bill Freehan1983Steve Smith2006Steve Breaston 1936John Jordan1961Dave Raimey1984Jim Harbaugh2007Chad Henne 1937Fred Trosko1962John Minko1985Clay Miller2008Will Johnson 1938Archie Kodros1963Tom Keating1986Doug Mallory2009Stevie Brown 1939Ralph Fritz1964Tom Mack1987Jamie Morris2010Greg Banks 1940George Ceithaml1965Bill Keating1988John Vitale2011John McColgan 1941Merv Pregulman1966Donald A. Bailey1989Chris Calloway2012Brennen Beyer 1942Bob Wiese1967Dick Yanz1990Matt Elliott2013James Ross III 1943Clem Bauman1968Bob Baumgartner1991Desmond Howard2014Joe Bolden 1946Bob Ballou1969Don Moorhead1992Chris Hutchinson1947Alvin Wistert1970Jim Betts1993Todd Collins1948Leo Koceski1971Guy Murdock1994Jay Riemersma1949Don Dufek1972Randy Logan1995Jarrett Irons
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