Ralph Noble
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 Noble with the US team in 1912 (pictured front row, third from right) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Ralph Matthews Noble | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | March 28, 1889 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | May 10, 1918 (aged 29) Europe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Galesburg High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Knox College Stanford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ralph Matthews Noble (March 28, 1889 – May 10, 1918) was an American rugby union player who played at wing for the United States men's national team in its first capped match in 1912.
Ralph Noble was born on March 28, 1889, in Harlan, Iowa,[1] the younger of two sons of Willard Noble and Elsie H. Noble (born Goddard).[2] Noble attended Galesburg High School in Galesburg, Illinois, where he was a multi-sport athlete.[3] Noble then attended Knox College before transferring to Stanford University in 1910.[3][4] Noble was ineligible to play with the university's rugby team in 1910, but played at second-five during the 1911 season and at wing during the 1912 season.[4] On November 16, 1912, Noble played for the United States team at wing in its first capped match—a 12–8 loss to Australia.[5] Noble graduated from Stanford with a degree in mathematics in 1912[3][2] and served as the rugby coach at San Diego High School in 1913[6] before returning to Galesburg, Illinois[3] where he worked as a farmer with his father.[2]