William Deitz

William “One Star” Deitz competed in the 1904 Anthropology Days, winning the shot put competition. He almost certainly had no Native American blood but posed as an “Indian” for much of his life. His name at birth was Deitz, although he later often used Dietz, which is found on his gravestone, among other names.

Deitz was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, apparently an illegitimate son of his father, William Deitz, who was married to the former Leanna Ginder. His life history is well-documented in an article by Linda M. Waggoner in Montana the Magazine of Western History. Much of the following is based on her article.

In 1902-03 William Deitz attended Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he said his friends often teased him that he looked like an “Indian.” He then began posing as an “Indian”, competing at the 1904 Anthropology Days. Shortly thereafter, he was hired at Oklahoma’s Chilocco Indian Agricultural School. Displays at the school referred to Deitz as a full-blooded Sioux.

During the summer of the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, Deitz heard of a Native American named James One Star, of the Oglala tribe and who appeared in Buffalo Bill’s traveling show, but disappeared and may have died with the US Army in Cuba. Deitz took the name William One Star, sometimes referred to as Lone Star. (One Star and Lone Star are the same name in the Oglala Native Language.)

In 1907 Deitz/One Star enrolled at Carlisle Indian School where he became a starter on the football team. While there he married Angel De Cora, the director of the school’s art department. He developed a complex story as to his origins, stating that he was the child of Chief Red Cloud and was originally named Wicarhpi Isnala, or Lone Star. At that time he also began corresponding with Sallie Eaglehorse, the sister of the actual James One Star.

In 1915 Deitz/One Star became the head football coach at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. He led the Washington State Cougars to victory in the 1916 Rose Bowl over Brown University.

Later in 1916 Deitz/One Star settled in California, acting in several movies, one of which also starred Tyrone Power, Sr. While in California he and Angel divorced. Deitz/One Star also avoided the military draft for World War I because of his Native American heritage. However, an investigation ensued and in January 1919 he was indicted as a draft dodger, when his real birth in Wisconsin was found.

Deitz/One Star went to trial, but it resulted in a hung jury, with eight jurors voting to acquit and four finding him guilty. The prosecutor immediately filed a new indictment and in January 1920 Deitz/One Star pleaded nolo contendre (no contest), stating that he had no money to defend himself, although not admitting any guilt.

Deitz/One Star served 30 days in jail for his offense, but then in 1922 was hired as a football coach at Purdue University. He spent the next several years coaching football, later claiming that he had coached at Carlisle Indian School, Washington State University, Mare Island Marines, Purdue University, Louisiana Tech, the University of Wyoming, Stanford University, Los Angeles Town Club, and Haskell Indian Institute.

That list of coaching jobs was noted when he was hired in 1933 as a coach for the then Boston Braves of the NFL. With “Lone Star Dietz” as their head coach, the owner of the team, George Marshall, renamed the team the Boston Redskins, supposedly in his honor. They later moved to Washington, becoming the Washington Redskins into the 21st century, before being re-named the Washington Football Club, and then the Washington Commanders.

Deitz/One Star coached the Boston Braves/Redskins for two years. He later coached at Albright College in Pennsylania in 1937. He died in Reading, Pennsylvania while still married to his second wife, the former Doris Pottlitzer. At his death they were destitute but many of his former teammates and players paid for his headstone.

Deitz/One Star was posthumously inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2012 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.