Hall of Fame
Position: Center
Years: 1928-1930
Place of Birth: Canton, MA
Date of Birth: Jan 08, 1909
Place of Death: Peterborough, NH
Date of Death: Feb 12, 1979
Jersey Number: 55
Height: 6-2
Weight: 193
High School: Milton, MA (Milton Academy)
They were not the glory days for Harvard when Ben Ticknor toiled in the center of the Crimson line. But from team adversity came individual acclaim and Ticknor etched his name in Harvard football history as its "Great Defender." Yes, the 193-pound center was a defensive cyclone, blending rare quickness and agility with the ability to diagnose enemy offenses and parlaying his talents into All-America selection in both 1929 and 1930. He took great pride in beating arch rival Yale in each of his three varsity years, and even greater satisfaction in knowing the Elis were able to score but one touchdown against his Crimson during that period. Still, success eluded Harvard through those three campaigns as the Crimson posted a combined record of 14-8-3. Nevertheless, Ticknor and his brother, Bill, staunchly anchored the Harvard line, never willing to concede as much as a yard to opposing backs.
