Abe Cohn
Encyclopedia
Abraham Jerome "Abe" Cohn (June 27, 1897 – October 23, 1970) was an American football
and basketball
player, coach and official. He played football and basketball at the University of Michigan
from 1917 to 1920. He coached football and basketball at Whitworth College from 1921 to 1922 and at Spokane University
from 1923 to 1924. He was also an official for the Pacific Coast Conference
and the supervisor of the Washington State Liquor Board's licensing bureau from 1934 to 1968.
in 1897. His parents, Hyman (sometimes listed as Herman) and Eva Cohn, emigrated from Russia to the United States in 1884 or 1885, and were identified in U.S. Census records as "Russian Yiddish." At the time of the 1900 Census, Cohn was living with his parents and four older siblings in Spokane, Washington
. Cohn's father and two uncles founded the Cohn Brothers furniture store in Spokane in the 1890s. Over the next 40 years, the family continued to operate the store at the same location. Cohn attended Spokane's Lewis and Clark High School
where he was a star football and basketball player. He was "remembered by Spokane football enthusiasts as the plunging back of the 1915 Lewis and Clark high school football team."
in 1916. He was a member of the law school class of 1921. While at Michigan, he played halfback for the Michigan Wolverines football
teams of 1917, 1918 and 1920. The 1918 team
completed the season undefeated and has been rated by some as the national championship team of 1918. After Michigan's victory over Case to open the 1918 season, the Detroit Free Press called Abe Cohn "an eye opener" as a ground gainer and noted: "He made a gain practically every time he was given the ball and, when he was stopped, it always took two or three men to turn the trick." Cohn did not try out for the football team in 1919. Having only one year of varsity eligibility remaining, and with many players returning to college following service in World War I, Coach Yost recommended that Cohn save his final year for the 1920 season. He returned to the Wolverines football team in 1920. The 1921 Michiganensian (University of Michigan yearbook) noted, "Cohn was especially valuable, filling in at end when the occasion demanded." The authors added, "A heavy, fast player, who was a regular halfback, but could take his place at end or fullback if occasion demanded. He is one of the stars lost by graduation."
Cohn also played for the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
team. He was a starting forward in 1918.
in the mornings.
Cohn was the head football coach at Spokane University
in 1923 and 1924.
In 1924, The Michigan Alumnus reported that Cohn was affiliated with Cohn Brothers Furniture, the furniture business begun by his father. Cohn remained a partner in the furniture business until the store's closure in 1960.
In 1932, Cohn was living in Seattle, Washington
. He served as a football and basketball official for 30 years, including approximately eight years as a football official for the Pacific Coast Conference
from 1930 to 1937.
Cohn also worked for many years for the State of Washington Liquor Board. He began with a position as the assistant manager of Liquor Store No. 2 in Seattle. He was the supervisor of the Liquor Board's licensing bureau from 1934 until his retirement in 1968.
Cohn was married to Alta Clark. In October 1970, Cohn died of a heart attack in Seattle. He was age 73 at the time of his death.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, coach and official. He played football and basketball at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1917 to 1920. He coached football and basketball at Whitworth College from 1921 to 1922 and at Spokane University
Spokane University
Spokane University was a four-year liberal arts college that operated from 1913 to 1933. In 1935 Spokane University was reorganized as Spokane Junior College and moved into the city of Spokane from its original location in the Spokane Valley...
from 1923 to 1924. He was also an official for the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
and the supervisor of the Washington State Liquor Board's licensing bureau from 1934 to 1968.
Early years
Cohn was born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in 1897. His parents, Hyman (sometimes listed as Herman) and Eva Cohn, emigrated from Russia to the United States in 1884 or 1885, and were identified in U.S. Census records as "Russian Yiddish." At the time of the 1900 Census, Cohn was living with his parents and four older siblings in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. Cohn's father and two uncles founded the Cohn Brothers furniture store in Spokane in the 1890s. Over the next 40 years, the family continued to operate the store at the same location. Cohn attended Spokane's Lewis and Clark High School
Lewis and Clark High School
- History :In October 1883, Central School, a two story wooden building, was the first school located on the southwest block at Fourth and Steven Reynolds...
where he was a star football and basketball player. He was "remembered by Spokane football enthusiasts as the plunging back of the 1915 Lewis and Clark high school football team."
University of Michigan
Cohn enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1916. He was a member of the law school class of 1921. While at Michigan, he played halfback for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams of 1917, 1918 and 1920. The 1918 team
1918 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1918 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1918 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost in his 18th season with the program. The 1918 team played in a season shortened by World War I travel restrictions and the 1918...
completed the season undefeated and has been rated by some as the national championship team of 1918. After Michigan's victory over Case to open the 1918 season, the Detroit Free Press called Abe Cohn "an eye opener" as a ground gainer and noted: "He made a gain practically every time he was given the ball and, when he was stopped, it always took two or three men to turn the trick." Cohn did not try out for the football team in 1919. Having only one year of varsity eligibility remaining, and with many players returning to college following service in World War I, Coach Yost recommended that Cohn save his final year for the 1920 season. He returned to the Wolverines football team in 1920. The 1921 Michiganensian (University of Michigan yearbook) noted, "Cohn was especially valuable, filling in at end when the occasion demanded." The authors added, "A heavy, fast player, who was a regular halfback, but could take his place at end or fullback if occasion demanded. He is one of the stars lost by graduation."
Cohn also played for the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
team. He was a starting forward in 1918.
Later years
After graduating from Michigan, Cohn returned to Spokane. In September 1921, he was appointed as the football and basketball coach at Whitworth College. He coached at Whitworth for two years and also coached at Mead High SchoolMead Senior High School
Mead Senior High School is a public secondary school in Spokane, Washington. MHS is part of the Mead School District#354. Mead Senior High has an enrollment of around 1,650 students. Mead was the recent recipient of the U.S...
in the mornings.
Cohn was the head football coach at Spokane University
Spokane University
Spokane University was a four-year liberal arts college that operated from 1913 to 1933. In 1935 Spokane University was reorganized as Spokane Junior College and moved into the city of Spokane from its original location in the Spokane Valley...
in 1923 and 1924.
In 1924, The Michigan Alumnus reported that Cohn was affiliated with Cohn Brothers Furniture, the furniture business begun by his father. Cohn remained a partner in the furniture business until the store's closure in 1960.
In 1932, Cohn was living in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He served as a football and basketball official for 30 years, including approximately eight years as a football official for the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
from 1930 to 1937.
Cohn also worked for many years for the State of Washington Liquor Board. He began with a position as the assistant manager of Liquor Store No. 2 in Seattle. He was the supervisor of the Liquor Board's licensing bureau from 1934 until his retirement in 1968.
Cohn was married to Alta Clark. In October 1970, Cohn died of a heart attack in Seattle. He was age 73 at the time of his death.