Wes Fesler
Encyclopedia
Wesley Eugene "Wes" Fesler (June 29, 1908 – July 30, 1989) was an American football
, basketball
, and baseball
player and coach of football and basketball. He was three-sport athlete at Ohio State University
and a consensus first-team selection to the College Football All-America Team
three straight years (1928–1930). Fesler was later the head football coach at Wesleyan University
(1941–1942), the University of Pittsburgh
(1946), Ohio State (1947–1950), and the University of Minnesota
(1951–1953), compiling a career record of 41–40–8. He was also the head basketball coach at Harvard University
(1933–1941) and Princeton University
(1945–1946), tallying a mark of 67–108. Fesler was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a player in 1954.
. At Ohio State, Fesler was a member of both Pi Kappa Alpha
and Phi Beta Kappa, earning a total of nine varsity letter
s in baseball, basketball, and football. He was a charter inductee in the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
in 1977.
and was a consensus first-team All-America
selection in 1928 and 1929 and a unanimous first-team All-America
selection in 1930. Depending on the game situation, he would sometimes move into the backfield as a fullback
. In 1930, he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten
.
Jock Sutherland
, the University of Pittsburgh
coach, called Fesler "a one man team. It is unbelievable how that boy can do so many things." In 1939 Grantland Rice
listed Fesler at end on his all-time college football
team. Fesler was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1954.
In 1934, high-speed photographer "Doc" Edgerton
took the now-classic photograph "Wes Fesler Kicking a Football." The stroboscope
photograph demonstrated the dent in the ball at the point of contact.
and instead pursued a career in coaching. He began his coaching career as an assistant to his Ohio State football coach, Sam Willaman
, in 1931 and 1932. In 1933, Fesler accepted an offer from Harvard University
as head coach of the basketball team and backfield coach of the football team. He stayed at Harvard until 1941. His stint at Harvard turned out to be the longest tenure of his career.
In 1941, Fesler accepted an offer from Wesleyan University
to be the head coach of their football team. Unfortunately, the Wesleyan football program was interrupted in after the 1942 season by World War II
. In 1945, Fesler accepted an offer from Princeton as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He was later the head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh
(1946), Ohio State (1947–1950) and the University of Minnesota
(1951–1953).
Fesler's 1949 Ohio State team
was the Big Ten Conference
co-champion and beat California
in the Rose Bowl
. Fesler developed the talents of 1950 Heisman Trophy
winner Vic Janowicz
at Ohio State and two-time Big Ten MVP Paul Giel
at Minnesota.
Fesler had a stronger record as a football coach than as a basketball coach. His combined record as a major college football head coach, at Pitt, Ohio State, and Minnesota, was 34–31–8. His combined record as basketball head coach at Harvard and Princeton was 67–108.
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 of football and basketball. He was three-sport athlete 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...
and a consensus first-team selection to the College Football All-America Team
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...
three straight years (1928–1930). Fesler was later the head football coach at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
(1941–1942), the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
(1946), Ohio State (1947–1950), and the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
(1951–1953), compiling a career record of 41–40–8. He was also the head basketball coach at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(1933–1941) and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(1945–1946), tallying a mark of 67–108. Fesler 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 1954.
Playing career
Fesler came to Ohio State from Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. At Ohio State, Fesler was a member of both Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
and Phi Beta Kappa, earning a total of nine varsity letter
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 :...
s in baseball, basketball, and football. He was a charter inductee in the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
The Ohio State Varsity "O" Hall of Fame is the athletic hall of fame for The Ohio State University. Its purpose is to recognize individuals who have contributed to the honor and fame of the University in the field of athletics....
in 1977.
Football
Many believe Fesler's greatest talents were in football. He primarily played endEnd (football)
An end in American football is a player who lines up at either end of the line of scrimmage. Rules state that a legal offensive formation must always consist of seven players on the line of scrimmage. An end who lines up close to the offensive line is known as a tight end, while one who lines up...
and was a consensus first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection in 1928 and 1929 and a unanimous first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection in 1930. Depending on the game situation, he would sometimes move into the backfield as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. In 1930, he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
.
Jock Sutherland
Jock Sutherland
Dr. John Bain "Jock" Sutherland, D.D.S., was an American football coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College and the University of Pittsburgh and professional football for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers...
, the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
coach, called Fesler "a one man team. It is unbelievable how that boy can do so many things." In 1939 Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
listed Fesler at end on his all-time 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...
team. Fesler 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...
in 1954.
In 1934, high-speed photographer "Doc" Edgerton
Harold Eugene Edgerton
Harold Eugene "Doc" Edgerton was a professor of electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
took the now-classic photograph "Wes Fesler Kicking a Football." The stroboscope
Stroboscope
A stroboscope, also known as a strobe, is an instrument used to make a cyclically moving object appear to be slow-moving, or stationary. The principle is used for the study of rotating, reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating objects...
photograph demonstrated the dent in the ball at the point of contact.
Basketball
In basketball Fesler was a guard. He was the basketball captain as a junior in the Spring of 1930, and the football captain as a senior in the Autumn of that year. He was Ohio State's first consensus first-team All-America selection in basketball in 1931.Coaching career
Fesler ignored interest from teams of the National Football LeagueNational 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...
and instead pursued a career in coaching. He began his coaching career as an assistant to his Ohio State football coach, Sam Willaman
Sam Willaman
Samuel Stienneck Willaman was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Iowa State University , Ohio State University , and Western Reserve University , compliling a career college football record of 47–26–9...
, in 1931 and 1932. In 1933, Fesler accepted an offer from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
as head coach of the basketball team and backfield coach of the football team. He stayed at Harvard until 1941. His stint at Harvard turned out to be the longest tenure of his career.
In 1941, Fesler accepted an offer from Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
to be the head coach of their football team. Unfortunately, the Wesleyan football program was interrupted in after the 1942 season by 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...
. In 1945, Fesler accepted an offer from Princeton as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He was later the head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
(1946), Ohio State (1947–1950) and the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
(1951–1953).
Fesler's 1949 Ohio State team
1949 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1949 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1949-1950. The Buckeyes compiled a 7–1–2 record, including the 1950 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they won 17–14 against the California Golden Bears....
was 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...
co-champion and beat California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
in the Rose Bowl
1950 Rose Bowl
The 1950 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played between Ohio State University and University of California at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The game was a rematch of the 1921 Rose Bowl where both Ohio State and Cal both played in the teams' first bowl game. Ohio State came out...
. Fesler developed the talents of 1950 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 Vic Janowicz
Vic Janowicz
Victor Felix "Vic" Janowicz was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Ohio State University and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1952 NFL Draft...
at Ohio State and two-time Big Ten MVP Paul Giel
Paul Giel
Paul Robert Giel was a football and baseball player from Winona, Minnesota.Giel attended the University of Minnesota, where he was a star quarterback for the Gophers. His career totals were 2,188 yards rushing, 1,922 yards passing...
at Minnesota.
Fesler had a stronger record as a football coach than as a basketball coach. His combined record as a major college football head coach, at Pitt, Ohio State, and Minnesota, was 34–31–8. His combined record as basketball head coach at Harvard and Princeton was 67–108.
Football
External links
- Wes Fesler at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com