Description
Book Synopsis Amos Alonzo Stagg (1862-1965) grew up one of eight children in a poor New Jersey family, graduated high school at 21 and worked his way through Yale. His goal was to become a Presbyterian minister, but he dropped out of Yale Divinity School because he felt he could have more influence on young men through coaching. He was hired as the first football coach at University of Chicago after its founding in 1892.
Under Stagg''s leadership, Chicago emerged as one of the nation''s most formidable football teams during the early 20th century, winning seven Big Ten championships and two national championships. After Chicago forced him to retire at 70, Stagg found another coaching position at College of the Pacific, where he was forced to retire at 84. He found another job and never fully retired from coaching until he was 98. His marriage to his wife Stella--his de facto assistant coach--lasted almost 70 years. Sports Illustrated wrote of him, If any single individual can
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments 1
1. Stagg, the Man 7
2. Growing Up in West Orange, 1862–1883 26
3. Exeter and Yale, 1884–1890 31
4. International YMCA School at Springfield, 1890–1892 49
5. Finding Football's Place at Chicago, 1890–1892 57
6. The Early Years of Chicago Football, 1892–1894 65
7. Building a Football Powerhouse, 1895–1905 78
8. Continuing the Winning Tradition, 1906–1924 106
9. The Decline of Chicago Football, 1925–1933 137
10. Coaching Baseball, Track and Basketball, 1893–1926 145
11. Mandatory Retirement, 1933 165
12. Ups and Downs at College of the Pacific, 1933–1947 175
13. Father and Son at Susquehanna University, 1947–1953 199
14. Fourth Quarter in Stockton, 1953–1965 208
Appendix 1: University of Chicago Football, 1892–1932 221
Appendix 2: Big Ten Conference Championships Under
Amos Alonzo Stagg 223
Appendix 3: University of Chicago Presidents, 1891–1951 224
Chapter Notes 225
Bibliography 245
Index 249
