Eugene Lawrence Messler (April 6, 1873 – March 1, 1950) was an American football player and coach and businessman.

[5][6][7] Messer also competed on the Yale crew, served as class president for two years, and graduated in 1894 with a degree in mechanical engineering.

[3] Messler arrived in Danville in mid-September and was greeted at the railroad depot with "ringing cheers" by a delegation of students.

[10] Messler began a career in business with the Carnegie Steel Company at the Edger Thompson Works and later worked for Jones & Laughlin Steel Co.[1] In May 1895, Messler served as engineer overseeing the construction of the Duquesne blast furnaces and later became the general superintendent of labor.

[11] He favored an induced draft that could vary the pressure in furnaces so they would not have to depend entirely on a stack, noting that excessive temperatures were an unnecessary test on the brick linings.

[2] Messler also served in the United States Army during World War I, after being commissioned captain of engineers on May 20, 1918.

He served in France with the American Expeditionary Forces and attaining the rank of major in the Army reserves.