As a sophomore and junior, he was a starter for the 1901 and 1902 Princeton Tigers football teams that compiled records of 9–1–1 and 8–1 -- the only losses coming to Yale.

At the start of the 1903 season, The Buffalo Commercial wrote of DeWitt: "This man is rightly considered the greatest athlete in the colleges of America today.

With one minute remaining and the game tied at 6–6, DeWitt kicked a game-winning goal (then worth five points) from placement from Yale's 43-yard line.

The Boston Globe described DeWitt's game-winning kick: In the long struggle which was now almost at an end, the Princeton captain had played a lion's part.

The black and orange jersey had been torn completely off, and the muscles of giant stood out in bold relief in the dull light of the late afternoon.

Finally DeWitt having satisfied himself that his aim was good, swung back his right leg, and the ball shot straight as an arrow between Yale's goal post.

John Flanagan won the gold medal, though his winning throw fell short of DeWitt's record set the prior year.

[1] He died in July 1930 at age 49 after suffering a heart attack while traveling by train from his home in Fairfield, Connecticut, to New York City to attend an appointment with a cardiologist.