Brickley attended Harvard College, where he played football from 1911 to 1914 for the Crimson as a fullback and placekicker under head coach Percy Haughton. He was named an All-American in 1913 and 1914. During the 1913 Harvard–Yale game, Brickley kicked all five of Harvard's field goals in the Crimson's 15–5 win over Yale.[2] He set college football records for most field goals made by one player in a single season (13) and most career field goals (34).[3] Brickley was often compared to Otis Guernsey, whom was seen as one of his rivals.[4][5]
Brickley's first coaching job was during his senior year at Harvard, where he served as an assistant to the University of Virginia football team during the team's August practices.[8]
In 1916, he led Boston College to its first victory over rival Holy Cross since 1889. He left Boston College in 1918 to join the United States Navy Reserve.[12] He was quartermaster for the Naval Transport Service at the Hoboken Port of Embarkation and coached the Naval Transport Service's football team.[13] Brickley was named head coach at Fordham University in 1919, however the school later decided to cancel the season.[14][15] He was an advisory coach for Fordham during the 1921 season when his younger brother, Arthur, was a member of the team.[16][17] In 1922, Brickley was offered the position of head coach at Northwestern, but the two sides could not agree on terms and the school hired Glenn Thistlethwaite instead.[18]
In 1921, Brickley and Billy Gibson formed a professional football team known as the New York Brickley Giants (also known as Brickley's Giants or Brickley's Brooklyn Giants), that played in the National Football Leaguein1921.[19] The Giants lost both of their league games by a combined score of 72 to 0.[20]
That same year, Brickley purchased the Harrisburg franchise in the Eastern Basketball League, which he quickly sold to New York Celtics owner James Furey.[21][22]
After leaving the Navy, Brickley began working for a New Yorkstock brokerage firm.[23] He later headed his own firm, Charley E. Brickley & Co, and by 1921, was reported to have a fortune in the six figures.[24] In 1923, Brickley was indicted on charges of illegal stock negotiations.[25] He was found not guilty of forgery and larceny by a jury on May 28, 1925.[26] On March 1, 1928, Brickley was found guilty of four counts of larceny and bucketing orders from customers of Charles E. Brickley, Inc., from 1925 to 1927.[27] He was released on parole in December.[28]
During World War II, Brickley was a pipe-fitter at a Wilmington, Delaware shipyard.[29] After the war, he worked as an advertising salesman in New York City.[3]
In 1949, Brickley and his son, Charles, Jr. were arrested after starting a fight in a Manhattan restaurant. According to testimony, the fight began when Brickley overheard somebody say "Is that old bald-headed so-and-so Charlie Brickley, the football player?" [30]
or "You mean that old bald-headed man is the great Charlie Brickley?" [3] Brickley died the day the charges against him were to be dismissed.[3] He was buried at Holy Cross CemeteryinMalden, Massachusetts.[31]
^PFRA Research. "Canton Wins Again 1917"(PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–5. Archived from the original(PDF) on June 17, 2013.