Background
Wombacher grew up in Peoria, Illinois. His father, Ferdinand Wombacher (1851-1931), was an Illinois native and a dairyman. His mother, Louisa (Wurst) Wombacher (1850-1937), was also an Illinois native.
Wombacher grew up in Peoria, Illinois. His father, Ferdinand Wombacher (1851-1931), was an Illinois native and a dairyman. His mother, Louisa (Wurst) Wombacher (1850-1937), was also an Illinois native.
University of Michigan.
Wombacher had an older brother, Joseph, and a younger brother, Ferdinand, Junior. Wombacher played for the undefeated Peoria High School football team of 1893. He enrolled at the University of Michigan and played at the center position for the 1895 and 1896 Michigan Wolverines football teams.
In February 1897, he was elected by his teammates as the captain of the 1897 team
However, he contracted typhoid fever and was unable to report to the university in September 1897. Wombacher had played every game at center for Michigan in 1896.
Shortly before his illness, The World of New York had published a football preview feature in which Wombacher had been touted as the key to Michigan"s success:
Halfback, James R. Hogg, was elected to replace Wombacher as the 1897 team captain. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Wombacher was living in Peoria and working as a chemistry
He worked for many years for the Steel Mills Company in Joliet, Illinois.
In April 1953, Wombacher died in Peoria at age 76.