Coleman Griffith
Encyclopedia
Coleman Roberts Griffith (22 May 1893 - February 1966) was an American pioneering sports psychologist.
. He studied at Greenville College
until 1915 and then studied psychology at the University of Illinois, earning a PhD under the supervision of Madison Bentley
in 1920. His doctoral research was focused on the development of the vestibular system of the white rat. In 1922, he was promoted to assistant professor, and made acting head of the U. Illinois psychology department during Bentley's sabbatical. By this time he was already conducting research and teaching courses on the psychology of athletics. He began working informally with Illinois' football coach Robert Zuppke
and, in 1924, he began a wider correspondence with Notre Dame's football coach, Knute Rockne
and several coaches in the Big Ten intercollegiate athletic conference about how they handled psychological aspects of the game with their players. His first article on the topic of psychology and athletics appeared in 1925 in American Physical Education Review.
That same year, he was granted generous laboratory space in a large new athletic complex that had just been built at U. Illinois. This is the basis of Griffith's claim to have established the first sport psychology laboratory in the US. At the same time he was promoted to associate professor and his appointment was transferred to the department of education. The same year, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship
which brought him to Berlin in 1926. In the following years he published his classic texts: Psychology of Coaching (1926) and Psychology and Athletics (1926). His major publication outlet for articles during the years the his Athletic Research Laboratory was operating was the Athletic Journal, a periodical intended mainly for coaches that was founded and edited by John Griffith (no relation) who was Director of Athletics at U. Illinois, and later the long-time president of the Big Ten. The laboratory was closed in 1932 by the university, a victim of budget cuts during the Great Depression (though there is also evidence that the research program may have lost the support of Zuppke). Griffith was compensated by the university by being appointed became Director of the Bureau of Institutional Research, an office that collated internal data for the University President, such as student-teacher ratios.
At that point Griffith's career in the psychology of athletics appeared to be over. However, late in 1937 he was contacted by Philip K. Wrigley
, the owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball club (and the Wrigley chewing gum fortune) and asked to apply his skills to improving the Cubs' fortunes. Griffith was given a $1500 budget for equipment (including high-speed film equipment) and to hire an assistant, John Sterrett. The two worked studiously, producing 16 short reports for Wrigley over the course of the season, and a substantial end-of-season report. Griffith ran into resistance from the Cubs' two managers in 1938: Charlie Grimm
and Gabby Hartnett
. Despite the friction between the psychologist and the baseball men, Wrigley re-hired Griffith for the 1939 season, though only a small number of reports were generated. There was also a single report in the 1940 season. This marked the conclusion of Griffith's professional work on athletics.
In 1944 Griffith was promoted to provost
of U. Illinois. In 1950, he was forced to resign this post during a conflict between the university's president, George D. Stoddard, and the University Board of Governors over the controversial (and ultimately valueless) cancer treatment krebiozen
. He returned to the department of education where he worked until his retirement in 1961. Coleman Griffith died in 1966.
Biography
Coleman Griffith was born in 1893 in Guthrie Center, IowaGuthrie Center, Iowa
Guthrie Center is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa, United States, along the South Raccoon River. The population was 1,668 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Guthrie County....
. He studied at Greenville College
Greenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
until 1915 and then studied psychology at the University of Illinois, earning a PhD under the supervision of Madison Bentley
I. Madison Bentley
- Early Life & Education :The Bentleys were from Upstate New York, the town of Warners northeast of Syracuse. Bentley studied psychology at the University of Nebraska. Harry Kirke Wolfe was his mentor. He also studied under Wilhelm Wundt at the University of Leipzig during the AY1886-1887, later...
in 1920. His doctoral research was focused on the development of the vestibular system of the white rat. In 1922, he was promoted to assistant professor, and made acting head of the U. Illinois psychology department during Bentley's sabbatical. By this time he was already conducting research and teaching courses on the psychology of athletics. He began working informally with Illinois' football coach Robert Zuppke
Robert Zuppke
Robert Carl Zuppke was an American football coach. He served the head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1913 until 1941, compiling a career college football record of 131–81–12. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, Zuppke coached his...
and, in 1924, he began a wider correspondence with Notre Dame's football coach, Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
and several coaches in the Big Ten intercollegiate athletic conference about how they handled psychological aspects of the game with their players. His first article on the topic of psychology and athletics appeared in 1925 in American Physical Education Review.
That same year, he was granted generous laboratory space in a large new athletic complex that had just been built at U. Illinois. This is the basis of Griffith's claim to have established the first sport psychology laboratory in the US. At the same time he was promoted to associate professor and his appointment was transferred to the department of education. The same year, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
which brought him to Berlin in 1926. In the following years he published his classic texts: Psychology of Coaching (1926) and Psychology and Athletics (1926). His major publication outlet for articles during the years the his Athletic Research Laboratory was operating was the Athletic Journal, a periodical intended mainly for coaches that was founded and edited by John Griffith (no relation) who was Director of Athletics at U. Illinois, and later the long-time president of the Big Ten. The laboratory was closed in 1932 by the university, a victim of budget cuts during the Great Depression (though there is also evidence that the research program may have lost the support of Zuppke). Griffith was compensated by the university by being appointed became Director of the Bureau of Institutional Research, an office that collated internal data for the University President, such as student-teacher ratios.
At that point Griffith's career in the psychology of athletics appeared to be over. However, late in 1937 he was contacted by Philip K. Wrigley
Philip K. Wrigley
Philip Knight Wrigley , sometimes also called P.K. or Phil. Born in Chicago, he was an American chewing gum manufacturer and executive in Major League Baseball, inheriting both those roles as the quiet son of his much more flamboyant father, William Wrigley Jr. After his father died in 1932, Philip...
, the owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball club (and the Wrigley chewing gum fortune) and asked to apply his skills to improving the Cubs' fortunes. Griffith was given a $1500 budget for equipment (including high-speed film equipment) and to hire an assistant, John Sterrett. The two worked studiously, producing 16 short reports for Wrigley over the course of the season, and a substantial end-of-season report. Griffith ran into resistance from the Cubs' two managers in 1938: Charlie Grimm
Charlie Grimm
Charles John Grimm , nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was a first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Chicago Cubs; he was also a sometime radio broadcaster, and a popular goodwill ambassador for baseball...
and Gabby Hartnett
Gabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
. Despite the friction between the psychologist and the baseball men, Wrigley re-hired Griffith for the 1939 season, though only a small number of reports were generated. There was also a single report in the 1940 season. This marked the conclusion of Griffith's professional work on athletics.
In 1944 Griffith was promoted to provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of U. Illinois. In 1950, he was forced to resign this post during a conflict between the university's president, George D. Stoddard, and the University Board of Governors over the controversial (and ultimately valueless) cancer treatment krebiozen
Krebiozen
Krebiozen is an alternative cancer treatment. While the substance has been marketed as a cure for cancer, Krebiozen is not known to possess any therapeutic value...
. He returned to the department of education where he worked until his retirement in 1961. Coleman Griffith died in 1966.