Amos Foster

Amos Parker Foster (March 10, 1880 – August 7, 1952) was an American football and basketball player and coach in the early 1900s. He was a 1904 graduate of Dartmouth College where he lettered in both basketball and football. Foster served as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati (1904–1905), the University of Nebraska (1906), and Miami University (1907–1908), compiling a career college football mark of 30–9. He was also the head basketball coach at Cincinnati for five seasons from 1904 to 1909, tallying a mark of 30–10. After coaching he practiced law in Ohio.[1]

Amos Foster
Foster from 1907 Cornhusker
Biographical details
Born(1880-03-10)March 10, 1880
Keene, New Hampshire
DiedAugust 7, 1952(1952-08-07) (aged 72)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Playing career
Football
1902–1903Dartmouth
Basketball
1900–1903Dartmouth
Position(s)Fullback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1904–1905Cincinnati
1906Nebraska
1907–1908Miami (OH)
Basketball
1904–1909Cincinnati
Head coaching record
Overall30–9 (football)
30–10 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Basketball
Ohio Collegiate (1908)

Early life

Foster was born on March 10, 1880, in Keene, New Hampshire.[2] He graduated from Cushing Academy in 1899, where he had played on several athletic teams. He spent the next year doing college preparatory work at Cushing and was a member of the graduate basketball team, which was named All-New England champion after winning in a tournament of 35 top teams.[3]

Playing career

Foster lettered in football in 1902 and 1903 for Dartmouth. He helped the 1903 team coached by Fred Folsom to a 9–1 record including the school's first-ever win over Harvard.[1][4] Many of the Eastern writers named him to their All-American team for his success his last year at fullback.[3] Foster was also a three-year letter winner for Dartmouth in basketball, lettering in 1901, 1902 and 1903. During the 1902–03 season he served as team captain and led them to a 7–9 record.[5]

Coaching career

Foster started his coaching career while still at Dartmouth, when he took a job as head basketball coach at the Bradford Academy. He held this position for two seasons.[3]

Cincinnati

Foster was head coach for the Cincinnati Bearcats in both football and basketball. He coached the Cincinnati football team for two seasons 1904 and 1905. In his two years as the Bearcat's head coach, he compiled an overall record of 11–4. Foster's most successful year at Cincinnati was in 1904 where he led the Bearcats to a 7–1 record. This team scored 182 points during the season and only gave up 10. Their seven wins included shutout victories over Kentucky, Tennessee, and traditional rival Miami.[6] Foster added a 4–3 mark in 1905 before taking over the head coaching job at the University of Nebraska for the 1906 season.[1] Foster was also the head coach of the basketball squad at Cincinnati from 1904 to 1909. In his five seasons as Bearcats' head coach he compiled an overall record of 30–10. His most successful season was in 1908 where he led the Bearcats to a 9–0 record and an Ohio Collegiate Championship. Even though Foster left Cincinnati to coach football at other schools, he still coached the Bearcats basketball team.[7]

Nebraska
"The Charging Machine" introduced by Foster to develop line-men.

Foster replaced Walter C. Booth as head coach of the Nebraska football team for the 1906 season. He spent just one season as coach of the Cornhuskers, leading them to a 6–4 record.[1] He was able to beat his former school, Cincinnati, by a score of 41–0.[8]

Miami

Foster was head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, for the 1907 and 1908 seasons. The 1908 team outscored their opponents 113–10 and went 7–0. He left Miami with a record of 13–1. His career winning percentage of .939 is the highest in Miami history ahead of College Football Hall of Fame coaches George Little, Ara Parseghian, Sid Gillman, Woody Hayes, and Bo Schembechler.[9]

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Cincinnati (Independent) (1904–1905)
1904 Cincinnati 7–1
1905 Cincinnati 4–3
Cincinnati: 11–4
Nebraska Cornhuskers (Independent) (1906)
1906 Nebraska 6–4
Nebraska: 6–4
Miami Redskins (Independent) (1907–1908)
1907 Miami 6–1
1908 Miami 7–0
Miami: 13–1
Total:30–9

References
  1. "Amos Foster – Husker.com". University of Nebraska. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2007.
  2. Emerson, Charles Franklin (1911). General Catalogue of Dartmouth College and the Associated Schools 1769-1910. Concord, New Hampshire: Rumford Press. p. 420. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  3. "Our New Physical Director". The University of Cincinnati Catalogue 1903-1904. Cincinnati, Ohio: The University Press. IV (XXXVI): 5. 1904. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  4. "2007 Dartmouth Big Green Football Media Guide".
  5. "2006-07 Dartmouth Big Green Men's Basketball Media Guide".
  6. "2007 University of Cincinnati Football Media Guide".
  7. "2006-07 University of Cincinnati Basketball Media Guide".
  8. "2007 University of Nebraska Football Media Guide".
  9. "2005 Miami University Football media guide". Archived from the original on December 1, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2006.
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