James Edmund Lawrence was an American football player. He played college football for the 1902 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled an 11–0 record and outscored opponents 644 to 12. He scored 113 points for the 1902 Michigan team, a figure which ranked among the five highest single-season point totals in Michigan history until 1940 and which still ranks among the top 10 scoring seasons by a Michigan player. In an October 8, 1902 game against Michigan Agricultural College, Lawrence set a Michigan record by converting 19 of 20 point after touchdown kicks. At the time of his death, The New York Times noted that Lawrence was "considered the greatest place-kicker the University of Michigan ever had."
Lawrence enrolled in the engineering department at the University of Michigan in 1902. As a freshman, he participated in tryouts for the football team held at Whitmore Lake, Michigan. Lawrence was six feet and one-half inches tall and weighed 187 pounds. Michigan's head coach Fielding H. Yost recognized that Lawrence had "the weight, speed, and nerve of a valuable man" and "all the qualities of a fullback". The 1902 Michigan Wolverines football team won all 11 of its games and outscored opponents by a combined score of 644 to 12. Lawrence appeared in 10 of the 11 games played by the team, missing only the Notre Dame game. He was the starting fullback in three games and appeared in other games at the tackle and guard positions. In 10 games for the 1902 Wolverines, Lawrence scored 113 points on 12 touchdowns and 53 point after touchdown conversions. Lawrence's 1902 point total ranked among the five highest single-season point totals in Michigan history until 1940 and still ranks among the top 10 scoring seasons by a Michigan player. In an October 8, 1902 game against Michigan Agricultural College, Lawrence set a Michigan record by converting 19 of 20 point after touchdown kicks. Lawrence's highest scoring point totals were as follows:
October 11, 1902: 29 points on 4 touchdowns and 9 point after touchdown kicks against Indiana
November 8, 1902: 19 points on 3 touchdowns and 4 PAT kicks against Iowa
October 8, 1902: 19 points on 19 PAT kicks against Michigan Agricultural
October 25, 1902: 17 points on 2 touchdowns and 7 PAT kicks against Ohio State
October 4, 1902: 13 points on 1 touchdown and 8 PAT kicks against Case Scientific School
November 22, 1902: 10 points on 2 touchdowns against Oberlin College
While Lawrence made a name for himself due to his scoring, he was also a valuable contributor on defense: "On defense, he used his weight to a great advantage in breaking up interference and in supporting the line." At the time of his death 39 years later, The New York Times noted that he was "considered the greatest place-kicker the University of Michigan ever had".
Later years
At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Lawrence was living in Pontiac, Michigan with his wife Nellie E. Lawrence. His occupation was listed as a draftsman in a factory. In a draft registration card completed in September 1918, Lawrence indicated that he was living in Highland Park, Michigan, and employed by McCormack & Lawrence at the Free Press Building in Detroit. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Lawrence was living in Highland Park with his wife Nellie and their nine-year-old son Robert. His occupation was listed as the secretary of a real estate company. By the time of the 1930 United States Census, Lawrence had moved to Los Angeles, California. He was living at 261 West Second Street with his wife Nellie S. Lawrence and their 19-year-old son Robert S. Lawrence. His occupation was listed at that time as a real estate broker. Lawrence died in Los Angeles in May 1941 at age 58.
