George Corneal
Encyclopedia
George Durkin Corneal was an American
basketball
, track
and football
coach. In 1909, he became the first basketball coach at the University of Michigan
and led the Michigan Wolverines basketball
team to a 1-4 record. He also coached football, track, and basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
and Lakewood High School.
and attended the University of Pennsylvania
and Yale University
. His first coaching job was at Ohio State University
.
's Waterman Gymnasium. While at Michigan, he also served as the coach of the school's first varsity basketball team in 1909. The Michigan Alumnus announced the formation of the team in January 1909:
The Michigan team compiled a record of 1-4 under Corneal.
. At the time of the 1910 Census, Corneal was living in Boise and identified his occupation as a school teacher.
From 1911 to 1914, Corneal was the basketball coach at Rock Island High School
in Rock Island, Illinois
. In three seasons at Rock Island, Corneal's teams compiled a record of 19-18.
. In three years at Stevens Point, Corneal's basketball teams compiled a record of 22-12, including an 11-2 record during the 1916-1917 season. In September 1917, when Corneal accepted a position in Ohio, the move was front page news in Stevens Point. The Stevens Point Daily Journal wrote:
to Lakewood, Ohio
. He was hired as the athletic director, football coach, basketball coach and track coach at Lakewood High School. Corneal stepped down as the school's football coach in 1935, but he remained the track for 27 years from coach from 1917 to 1944. He was also the cross country coach from 1928 through 1943. In his obituary, the Associated Press
noted that "Corneal was famed for his powerful cinder path teams which dominated northern Ohio track circles for many years." His teams won five Ohio state track titles and three Ohio state cross country titles. He coached 51 individual state track meet winners and one state cross country meet winner. Several of his teams won national honors, and his athletes broke the world schoolboy record for the mile relay in 1925, the world schoolboy medley record in 1929, and the national two mile relay record in 1930. During his tenure at Lakewood, Corneal also founded the Lakewood Relays in 1922 and served as the meet's director.
Corneal has been inducted into the Lakewood Hall of Fame. He also served as the vice president of the Ohio Association of Track Coaches, and was posthumously inducted into that organization's Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 1969.
. They had a son, George A. Corneal, born in approximately 1916 in Wisconsin.
Corneal died in 1944 following an illness of several months.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and football
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...
coach. In 1909, he became the first basketball coach 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...
and led the Michigan Wolverines 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 to a 1-4 record. He also coached football, track, and basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point is a public university located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin...
and Lakewood High School.
Early years
Corneal was born in Philadelphia in 1883. He graduated from Temple UniversityTemple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and attended the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. His first coaching job was at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
University of Michigan
In the fall of 1907, he was hired as the assistant in physical training 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...
's Waterman Gymnasium. While at Michigan, he also served as the coach of the school's first varsity basketball team in 1909. The Michigan Alumnus announced the formation of the team in January 1909:
"For the first time in the history of the University there is to be a varsity basketball team. Realizing the demand for an indoor winter sport and the presence of good material in college, the athletic authorities passed a resolution providing for a basketball team and granted them a schedule of seven or eight games for this season. Coach Corneal finds himself up against the same proposition that always faces Coach Yost and Keene FitzpatrickKeene FitzpatrickKeene Fitzpatrick was a track coach, athletic trainer, professor of physical training and gymnasium director for 42 years at Yale University , the University of Michigan , and Princeton University...
. His best men are ineligible and his 'reserves' consequently give his varsity a drubbing almost every evening when they line up in practice games. ... However, the coach is working hard and admits that he expets to have a good team rounded out by the time the first game is played with M.A.C."
The Michigan team compiled a record of 1-4 under Corneal.
Boise and Rock Island
After leaving Michigan, Corneal coached for a time at the Normal School in Boise, IdahoBoise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. At the time of the 1910 Census, Corneal was living in Boise and identified his occupation as a school teacher.
From 1911 to 1914, Corneal was the basketball coach at Rock Island High School
Rock Island High School
Rock Island High School, also known as "Rocky", is a public four-year high school located in Rock Island, Illinois, USA. Rocky is within the Rock Island-Milan School District No. 41, and the school colors are crimson and gold.-Technology:...
in Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. In three seasons at Rock Island, Corneal's teams compiled a record of 19-18.
Wisconsin - Stevens Point
For three academic years from 1914 to 1917, Corneal was the athletic director and head basketball, track and football coach at the Stevens Point State Normal School, now known as the University of Wisconsin–Stevens PointUniversity of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point is a public university located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin...
. In three years at Stevens Point, Corneal's basketball teams compiled a record of 22-12, including an 11-2 record during the 1916-1917 season. In September 1917, when Corneal accepted a position in Ohio, the move was front page news in Stevens Point. The Stevens Point Daily Journal wrote:
"He came here three years ago and conducted the Normal athletics in a successful manner. Stevens Point under him has had football teams which each year made a bid for the conference championship. He has also had charge of the physical work among the boys. His loss will be a serious one here ..."
Lakewood High School
In September 1917, Corneal moved from Stevens Point, WisconsinStevens Point, Wisconsin
Stevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. Located in the central part of the state, it is the largest city in the county, with a population of 24,551 at the 2000 census...
to Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders the city of Cleveland. The population was 52,131 at the 2010 making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County, behind Cleveland and Parma .Lakewood, one of Cleveland's...
. He was hired as the athletic director, football coach, basketball coach and track coach at Lakewood High School. Corneal stepped down as the school's football coach in 1935, but he remained the track for 27 years from coach from 1917 to 1944. He was also the cross country coach from 1928 through 1943. In his obituary, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
noted that "Corneal was famed for his powerful cinder path teams which dominated northern Ohio track circles for many years." His teams won five Ohio state track titles and three Ohio state cross country titles. He coached 51 individual state track meet winners and one state cross country meet winner. Several of his teams won national honors, and his athletes broke the world schoolboy record for the mile relay in 1925, the world schoolboy medley record in 1929, and the national two mile relay record in 1930. During his tenure at Lakewood, Corneal also founded the Lakewood Relays in 1922 and served as the meet's director.
Corneal has been inducted into the Lakewood Hall of Fame. He also served as the vice president of the Ohio Association of Track Coaches, and was posthumously inducted into that organization's Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 1969.
Family and death
In July 1912, Corneal married Rachel V. Abott at Bon Homme County, South DakotaBon Homme County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,260 people, 2,635 households, and 1,786 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 3,007 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile...
. They had a son, George A. Corneal, born in approximately 1916 in Wisconsin.
Corneal died in 1944 following an illness of several months.