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A 1907 graduate of Kennett High School,Mercer was an All-American in 1910 and
1912 for Penn, a football power in those days. Born in 1888, the 6-foot, 185-pound
Mercer scored 30 touchdowns and led the Quakers to a 23-10 record during his
three year college career as a premier fullback. Mercer was also a noted track star.
In 1908 while attending the George School, he was the nation's only prep school
athlete to clear the 12-foot mark in the pole vault and later set the world scholastic
mark of 12-1 1/4 that stood for an astounding 47 years. He was also the captain of
Penn's 1913 track team and was an All-American in the long jump. Mercer went on
to have a distinguished career as a physician, serving on the staffs of Bryn Mawr
and University hospitals. He also served as the head football coach at Swarthmore
from 1917-30 and compiled a 63-41-7 record. Mercer was elected to the College
Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and died two years later.
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