Harry Stuhldreher
Encyclopedia
Harry Augustus Stuhldreher (October 14, 1901 – January 26, 1965) was an American football
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played quarterback
at University of Notre Dame
from 1922 to 1924, where he was a three-time All-American
and member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield. After graduating from Notre Dame, Stuhldreher played professional football briefly with the Brooklyn Horsemen/Lions
in 1926. He served as the head football coach at Villanova University
from 1925 to 1935 and at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
from 1936 to 1948, compiling a career college football
record of 110–87–15. Stuhldreher was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a player in 1958.
, home of the Massillon Tigers professional football team. There is a story, likely apocryphal, that as a boy Stuhldreher carried gear for future University of Notre Dame
football coach Knute Rockne
when the latter was a Tigers star.
Stuhldreher played football for both Massillon Washington High School
and The Kiski School
in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania
, from which he graduated in 1921. At Notre Dame, he became quarterback in 1922 and in 1924 led the team to a 10–0 record, culminating in 27–10 win over Stanford
in the 1925 Rose Bowl
, and a national championship
. He was one of the smallest quarterbacks in Notre Dame football
history, standing 5' 7" tall and weighing just 151 pounds.
After graduating, Stuhldreher joined fellow member of the Four Horsemen
Elmer Layden
on the roster of the Brooklyn Horsemen
of the first American Football League
. After playing only six games of the 1926 season, the Horsemen merged with the National Football League
's Brooklyn Lions franchise, which then was renamed the Horsemen. The AFL, the Brooklyn NFL franchise, and Stuhldreher's major league football career all ended with the last game of the season.
, compiling a 65–25–9 record, and 13 years (1936–1948) as head coach and athletic director at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. During his tenure at Wisconsin, he compiled a 45–62–6 (.425) record, and the Badgers
were twice the Big Ten Conference
runner-up under his guidance.
in Pittsburgh
in 1950. He died in Pittsburgh of acute pancreatitis
and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
Stuhldreher wrote two books, "Quarterback Play" and "Knute Rockne, Man Builder." The latter was a source for the movie Knute Rockne, All American
, starring Ronald Reagan
as George Gipp
. Stuhldreher's wife Mary was also a writer. The couple had four sons.
Stuhldreher was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1958.
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...
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
from 1922 to 1924, where he was a three-time All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
and member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield. After graduating from Notre Dame, Stuhldreher played professional football briefly with the Brooklyn Horsemen/Lions
Brooklyn Horsemen
The Brooklyn Horsemen was a professional football team that competed in the American Football League during the 1926 season.On November 12, 1926, the team withdrew from the AFL and merged with Brooklyn Lions of the National Football League. The new team created by the merger was initially called...
in 1926. He served as the head football coach at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
from 1925 to 1935 and at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
from 1936 to 1948, compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 110–87–15. Stuhldreher was inducted into 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 and playing career
Stuhldreher was born in Massillon, OhioMassillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
, home of the Massillon Tigers professional football team. There is a story, likely apocryphal, that as a boy Stuhldreher carried gear for future University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
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...
when the latter was a Tigers star.
Stuhldreher played football for both Massillon Washington High School
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon Washington High School, is a 9 to 12 grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District located in the city of Massillon, Ohio. It serves students within the city of Massillon as well as parts of Tuscarawas Township...
and The Kiski School
The Kiski School
The Kiski School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. It is the oldest remaining non-military all-male boarding school in the United States....
in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania
Saltsburg, Pennsylvania
Saltsburg is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 955 at the 2000 census. The town was based on the construction of salt wells and the canals and railroad tracks that passed through it.-Geography:...
, from which he graduated in 1921. At Notre Dame, he became quarterback in 1922 and in 1924 led the team to a 10–0 record, culminating in 27–10 win over Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
in the 1925 Rose Bowl
1925 Rose Bowl
The 1925 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 11th Rose Bowl Game. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Stanford University, 27-10. The game featured two legendary coaches, Knute Rockne of Notre Dame, and Glenn "Pop" Warner in his first year at Stanford. The game also featured...
, and a national championship
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...
. He was one of the smallest quarterbacks in Notre Dame football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
history, standing 5' 7" tall and weighing just 151 pounds.
After graduating, Stuhldreher joined fellow member of the Four Horsemen
Four Horsemen (football)
The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame comprised a winning group of American football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne. They were the backfield of Notre Dame's 1924 football team...
Elmer Layden
Elmer Layden
Elmer Francis Layden was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he starred at fullback as a member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield...
on the roster of the Brooklyn Horsemen
Brooklyn Horsemen
The Brooklyn Horsemen was a professional football team that competed in the American Football League during the 1926 season.On November 12, 1926, the team withdrew from the AFL and merged with Brooklyn Lions of the National Football League. The new team created by the merger was initially called...
of the first American Football League
American Football League (1926)
The first American Football League , sometimes called AFL I, AFLG, or the Grange League, was a professional American football league that operated in 1926. It was the first major competitor to the National Football League. Founded by C. C...
. After playing only six games of the 1926 season, the Horsemen merged with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Brooklyn Lions franchise, which then was renamed the Horsemen. The AFL, the Brooklyn NFL franchise, and Stuhldreher's major league football career all ended with the last game of the season.
Coaching career
Stuhldreher turned to college coaching, initially also moonlighting for independent pro teams on weekends. He served for 11 years (1925–1935) as head coach at Villanova UniversityVillanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, compiling a 65–25–9 record, and 13 years (1936–1948) as head coach and athletic director at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. During his tenure at Wisconsin, he compiled a 45–62–6 (.425) record, and the Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
were twice the 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...
runner-up under his guidance.
Later life and honors
Leaving Wisconsin, Stuhldreher joined U.S. SteelU.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
in 1950. He died in Pittsburgh of acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis or acute pancreatic necrosis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. It can have severe complications and high mortality despite treatment...
and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Calvary Catholic Cemetery is located at 718 Hazelwood Avenue in the Greenfield and Hazelwood neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.It was founded in 1886 with the purchase of a 200-acre tract. The first official interment occurred in 1888, though there are graves with earlier dates. As of...
.
Stuhldreher wrote two books, "Quarterback Play" and "Knute Rockne, Man Builder." The latter was a source for the movie Knute Rockne, All American
Knute Rockne, All American
Knute Rockne, All American is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of Knute Rockne, Notre Dame football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan, Gale Page, Donald Crisp, Albert Bassermann, Owen Davis, Jr., Nick Lukats, Kane Richmond, William Marshall and William Byrne. It also...
, starring Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
as George Gipp
George Gipp
George "The Gipper" Gipp was a college football player who played for the University of Notre Dame. Gipp was selected as Notre Dame's first All-American and is Notre Dame's second consensus All-American , after Gus Dorais. Gipp played multiple positions, most notably halfback, quarterback, and...
. Stuhldreher's wife Mary was also a writer. The couple had four sons.
Stuhldreher was elected to 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.