Harry G. Kipke
Encyclopedia
Harry George Kipke was an American football
, basketball
, and baseball
player and coach. He was the head football coach at Michigan State College
in 1928 and at the University of Michigan
from 1929–1937, compiling a career record of 49–30–5. During his nine year tenure as head coach at Michigan, Kipke's teams compiled a 46–26–4 record, won four conference titles, and captured two national championships
in 1932
and 1933
. He is one of only three coaches, along with Fielding H. Yost and Bo Schembechler
, in Michigan football
history to direct teams to four consecutive conference championships. Kipke was also the head baseball coach at the University of Missouri
for one season 1925 while he was an assistant football coach at the school. He was inducted into of the College Football Hall of Fame
as a player in 1958.
, in March 1899. His father, Charles W. Kipke, emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1872. His mother, Minnie Kipke, emigrated from Germany in 1888. Kipke had two older sisters, an older brother, and three younger brothers. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, the family was living in Lansing, and the father was working as an assembler in a motor works. Kipke attended Lansing High School. By 1920, Kipke's father had died, and he was living with his mother and siblings in Lansing.
history to have been a letterman nine times, doing so in football, basketball, and baseball. Kipke played halfback
and punter for the football team under head coach Fielding H. Yost. He was named an All-American in 1922
and is regarded as one of the school's all time greats as a punter. His ability to punt out of bounds near the opposition's goal line helped Michigan to a 19–1–2 record from 1921 through 1923. Kipke was also the captain of the 1923 Michigan team
that went 8–0 and won a national title.
for four years, Kipke was named the head football coach at Michigan State University
in 1928. Michigan State had a 3–4–1 record in 1928. The following year, Kipke was hired to take over as head football coach for the Michigan Wolverines.
In his first year as head coach in 1929, the Wolverines struggled, finishing in an eight place tie in Big Ten Conference
with a 5–3–1 record. But Kipke quickly turned things around, leading the Wolverines to four straight conference championships and two national titles between 1930 and 1933. The 1932 and 1933 national championships teams did not lose any games, and featured All-Americans Harry Newman
, Charles T. Bernard
, Ted Petoskey
, and Francis Wistert.
Kipke called his system "a punt, a pass, and a prayer" in a 1933 article for The Saturday Evening Post
. He also reportedly coined the phrase, "A great defense is a great offense."
In 1934, Kipke’s Wolverines fell from national champions to a tenth place finish in the conference with a 1–7 record. The one bright spot in the Wolverines 1934 season was the play of the team’s most valuable player, center
and future President of the United States
, Gerald Ford
. Ford lacked the money to attend the university, but Kipke's assistance helped him to do so. The principal of Ford's high school wrote to Kipke and invited him to Grand Rapids
to meet Ford. Kipke accepted the invitation and met with Ford and his family. Though there were then no football scholarships at Michigan, Kipke helped Ford find a job at the university hospital waiting on tables to earn his meals. Ford later called the opportunity to go to U of M "the luckiest break I ever had." In a 1975 speech, Ford recalled losing seven out of eight games in 1934, including a 34–0 loss to Ohio State
. Ford joked that "what really hurt me the most was when my teammates voted me their most valuable player. I didn't know whether to smile or sue."
Between 1934 and 1937, Kipke’s team accumulated a 12–22 record. Kipke resigned after the 1937 season and was replaced by Fritz Crisler
. Before resigning, Kipke recruited Tom Harmon
to play at Michigan and advised the future Heisman Trophy
winner to stay with Michigan despite the coaching change.
. In 1942, he joined the United States Navy
and later became president of the Coca-Cola Company of Chicago. Kipke was inducted into of the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1958 and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
in 1968.
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...
, 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...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and coach. He was the head football coach at Michigan State College
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1928 and 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 1929–1937, compiling a career record of 49–30–5. During his nine year tenure as head coach at Michigan, Kipke's teams compiled a 46–26–4 record, won four conference titles, and captured two national championships
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
in 1932
1932 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1932 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1932 college football season. The team's head football coach was Harry Kipke...
and 1933
1933 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1933 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1933 college football season. The team's head football coach was Harry Kipke...
. He is one of only three coaches, along with Fielding H. Yost and Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
, in Michigan 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...
history to direct teams to four consecutive conference championships. Kipke was also the head baseball coach at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
for one season 1925 while he was an assistant football coach at the school. He was inducted into of the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a player in 1958.
Early years
Kipke was born in Lansing, MichiganLansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, in March 1899. His father, Charles W. Kipke, emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1872. His mother, Minnie Kipke, emigrated from Germany in 1888. Kipke had two older sisters, an older brother, and three younger brothers. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, the family was living in Lansing, and the father was working as an assembler in a motor works. Kipke attended Lansing High School. By 1920, Kipke's father had died, and he was living with his mother and siblings in Lansing.
University of Michigan
Kipke attended the University of Michigan. He is one of the few individuals in Michigan WolverinesMichigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
history to have been a letterman nine times, doing so in football, basketball, and baseball. Kipke played halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
and punter for the football team under head coach Fielding H. Yost. He was named an All-American in 1922
1922 College Football All-America Team
The 1922 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1922.-All-American selectors:...
and is regarded as one of the school's all time greats as a punter. His ability to punt out of bounds near the opposition's goal line helped Michigan to a 19–1–2 record from 1921 through 1923. Kipke was also the captain of the 1923 Michigan team
1923 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1923 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1923 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:...
that went 8–0 and won a national title.
Coaching career
After serving as an assistant coach at the University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
for four years, Kipke was named the head football coach at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1928. Michigan State had a 3–4–1 record in 1928. The following year, Kipke was hired to take over as head football coach for the Michigan Wolverines.
In his first year as head coach in 1929, the Wolverines struggled, finishing in an eight place tie in Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
with a 5–3–1 record. But Kipke quickly turned things around, leading the Wolverines to four straight conference championships and two national titles between 1930 and 1933. The 1932 and 1933 national championships teams did not lose any games, and featured All-Americans Harry Newman
Harry Newman
Harry Lawrence Newman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines , the New York Giants , and the Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers .-College career:...
, Charles T. Bernard
Charles T. Bernard
Charles Taylor Bernard, Sr. , is a former American politician and businessman from Earle in Crittenden County in eastern Arkansas, best known as the 1968 Republican nominee for the United States Senate seat held by long-time Democratic incumbent J...
, Ted Petoskey
Ted Petoskey
Frederick Lee "Ted" Petoskey was a three-sport athlete at the University of Michigan, a Major League Baseball player, a collegiate coach in three sports and an athletic director....
, and Francis Wistert.
Kipke called his system "a punt, a pass, and a prayer" in a 1933 article for The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
. He also reportedly coined the phrase, "A great defense is a great offense."
In 1934, Kipke’s Wolverines fell from national champions to a tenth place finish in the conference with a 1–7 record. The one bright spot in the Wolverines 1934 season was the play of the team’s most valuable player, center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
and future President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. Ford lacked the money to attend the university, but Kipke's assistance helped him to do so. The principal of Ford's high school wrote to Kipke and invited him to Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
to meet Ford. Kipke accepted the invitation and met with Ford and his family. Though there were then no football scholarships at Michigan, Kipke helped Ford find a job at the university hospital waiting on tables to earn his meals. Ford later called the opportunity to go to U of M "the luckiest break I ever had." In a 1975 speech, Ford recalled losing seven out of eight games in 1934, including a 34–0 loss to Ohio State
1934 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1934 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1934-1935. The Buckeyes compiled a 7–1 record. In Francis Schmidt's 1st season, the Bucks lit up the scoreboard, outscoring opponents 267-34...
. Ford joked that "what really hurt me the most was when my teammates voted me their most valuable player. I didn't know whether to smile or sue."
Between 1934 and 1937, Kipke’s team accumulated a 12–22 record. Kipke resigned after the 1937 season and was replaced by Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
. Before resigning, Kipke recruited Tom Harmon
Tom Harmon
Thomas Dudley Harmon was a star player in American college football, a sports broadcaster, and patriarch of a family of American actors...
to play at Michigan and advised the future Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner to stay with Michigan despite the coaching change.
After coaching
From 1940–1947, Kipke was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of MichiganBoard of Regents of the University of Michigan
The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan is the legal corporation that controls the University of Michigan, comprising the campuses at Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn. The Board of Regents was created by the Organic Act of March 18, 1837 that established the modern University of Michigan...
. In 1942, he joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and later became president of the Coca-Cola Company of Chicago. Kipke was inducted into of the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1958 and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports people. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, president of the Greater Michigan Foundation Donald Weeks, general manager of the...
in 1968.
Head coaching record
See also
- List of Michigan Wolverines head football coaches
- List of Michigan Wolverines football All-Americans
- University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorUniversity of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorThe University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...