Leo Calland
Encyclopedia
Leo B. Calland was an American football
and basketball
player and coach who later became a San Diego
city parks administrator. He served as the head football coach at Whittier College
(1925–1926), the University of Idaho
(1929–1934), and San Diego State College
(1935–1941), compiling a career college football
record of 62–61–5. Calland was also the head basketball coach at the University of Southern California
for two seasons from 1927 to 1929, tallying a mark of 38–10.
, and moved with his family as a child to the Seattle, Washington
area, where he attended school in a log cabin
on Lopez Island
in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
; all of the other students were Native Americans
. He attended Seattle's Broadway High School
, where he played football under coach Gus Henderson
; when Henderson became football coach at the University of Southern California
in 1919, Calland also enrolled. He lettered
as a guard
on the 1920 through 1922 teams, and in 1922 was named both team captain
and most inspirational player on USC's first Rose Bowl
team; he was named Player of the Game in the Trojans' 14–3 victory over Penn State
. He also played basketball
at USC.
title in his first year with a 22–4 mark. His .792 career winning percentage remains the highest by a USC basketball coach. Calland then became football coach at the University of Idaho
(1929–1934) and San Diego State University
(1935–1941). He compiled a 21–30 record at Idaho, and a 34–22–4 record at San Diego State. His San Diego State teams won Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
championships, in 1936 and 1937, with players including John D. Butler
, who became mayor of San Diego from 1951 to 1955.
during World War II
, and served as a recreation officer at the 11th Naval District in San Diego. In 1945 he became director of San Diego's Department of Parks and Recreation
; during his 15 years in the post, he oversaw the development of Mission Bay Park and the Torrey Pines Golf Course
. In 1960 he became managing director of the San Diego Hall of Champions
; he remained in that position until retiring in 1977, and was himself inducted into the Hall in 1974.
Calland died at age 83 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in La Jolla, California
. He was survived by his wife Sarah, two daughters and a son, and was buried in Fairhaven Cemetery in Santa Ana, California
.
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 and coach who later became a San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
city parks administrator. He served as the head football coach at Whittier College
Whittier College
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...
(1925–1926), the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
(1929–1934), and San Diego State College
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
(1935–1941), 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 62–61–5. Calland was also the head basketball coach at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
for two seasons from 1927 to 1929, tallying a mark of 38–10.
Playing career
Calland was born in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and moved with his family as a child to the 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...
area, where he attended school in a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
on Lopez Island
Lopez Island
Lopez Island is the third largest of the U.S. San Juan Islands. Lopez Island is in land area. The 2000 census population was 2,177.-History:...
in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
; all of the other students were Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. He attended Seattle's Broadway High School
Seattle Central Community College
Seattle Central Community College is a community college located in Seattle, Washington, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It is one of the three colleges which make up the Seattle Community College District...
, where he played football under coach Gus Henderson
Gus Henderson
Elmer Clinton "Gloomy Gus" Henderson was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Southern California , the University of Tulsa , and Occidental College , compiling a career college football record of 126–42–7...
; when Henderson became football coach at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1919, Calland also enrolled. He lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
as a guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
on the 1920 through 1922 teams, and in 1922 was named both team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
and most inspirational player on USC's first Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
team; he was named Player of the Game in the Trojans' 14–3 victory over Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
. He also played basketball
USC Trojans Basketball
The University of Southern California Trojans men's basketball program is the college basketball team that competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and represents the University of Southern California on the court.The program began playing...
at USC.
Coaching career
After graduating from USC, Calland became an assistant football coach there in 1924 and from 1927 to 1928, and also coached freshman squads in basketball and baseball. Calland became head basketball coach at USC in 1927, posting a 38–10 record over two seasons and winning the Pacific Coast ConferencePacific 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...
title in his first year with a 22–4 mark. His .792 career winning percentage remains the highest by a USC basketball coach. Calland then became football coach at the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
(1929–1934) and San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
(1935–1941). He compiled a 21–30 record at Idaho, and a 34–22–4 record at San Diego State. His San Diego State teams won Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the NCAA's Division III. The conference was founded in 1915 and it consists of twelve small private schools which are located in Southern California and organized into nine athletic programs...
championships, in 1936 and 1937, with players including John D. Butler
John D. Butler
John D. Butler was an American Republican politician from California. John Butler was born 1915 in San Diego. He played football at San Diego State and was named an All-American. He was a transactional lawyer. During World War II he served as a Navy pilot.Butler was mayor of San Diego from 1951...
, who became mayor of San Diego from 1951 to 1955.
Military career and later life
Calland entered the United States NavyUnited 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...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and served as a recreation officer at the 11th Naval District in San Diego. In 1945 he became director of San Diego's Department of Parks and Recreation
Parks in San Diego, California
This is a list of parks in San Diego, California:*Amici Park, San Diego,*Balboa Park *Belmont Park *Black Mountain Open Space Park*Cabrillo National Monument *Chicano Park*Cowles Mountain...
; during his 15 years in the post, he oversaw the development of Mission Bay Park and the Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines Golf Course is a municipal public golf course owned by the city of San Diego, California. It sits on the coastal cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the community of La Jolla south of Torrey Pines State Reserve. It has two famous golf courses, the North Course and the South Course....
. In 1960 he became managing director of the San Diego Hall of Champions
San Diego Hall of Champions
The San Diego Hall of Champions is an American multi-sport museum in San Diego, California. Located in the Federal Building in Balboa Park, the facility recognizes outstanding athletic accomplishments and traditions involving more than forty-two sports...
; he remained in that position until retiring in 1977, and was himself inducted into the Hall in 1974.
Calland died at age 83 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in La Jolla, California
La Jolla, San Diego, California
La Jolla is an affluent, hilly seaside resort community, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean in Southern California within the northern city limits of San Diego. La Jolla had the highest home prices in the nation in 2008 and 2009; the average price of a standardized...
. He was survived by his wife Sarah, two daughters and a son, and was buried in Fairhaven Cemetery in Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
.
Football
External links
- San Diego Hall of Champions profile
- Leo Calland at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com