Leo Caldwell, High School Football Player, Dies on the Field, Oct. 20, 1923

High School Player Killed

By the Associated Press

Winston-Salem, N.C., Oct. 20—Leo Caldwell, star half-back on the local high school team, was killed during the third quarter of the game here this afternoon with the Charlotte high school team. Caldwell had just punted and the punt had been received by a Charlotte player. The right end tackled the Charlotte player but missed and Caldwell then tackled. The momentum of the opposing player threw Caldwell backward, his head striking the hard ground and fracturing his neck just below the base of the skull. Caldwell lived about 30 minutes and died on the field. All efforts to revive him were in vain.

The third quarter was one of accidents. At the time Caldwell was killed, Veach, captain of the local team, was groaning on the side lines with a broken collar bone and a Charlotte player was suffering intense agony with a badly sprained ankle.

Caldwell, in addition to being a star on the football team, was also captain of the basketball team.

From the front page of the Sunday Morning Herald, Durham, N.C., Oct. 21, 1923