Stu Holcomb

Stuart K. Holcomb (September 11, 1910 – January 11, 1977) was an American football and basketball coach best known for serving as head football coach for Miami University (1942–1943) and Purdue University (1947–1955). Before coaching, Holcomb was a starting halfback at Ohio State University and the captain of the 1931 Buckeyes football team. Prior to arriving at Miami, Holcomb was the head football coach at three smaller schools: the University of Findlay (1932–1935), Muskingum College (1936–1940), and Washington & Jefferson College (1941). He also served as the head basketball coach at University of Findlay for four seasons, 1932–33 through 1935–36 and at the United States Military Academy from 1945 to 1947. After retiring from coaching, Holcomb was the athletic director at Northwestern University (1956–1966) and later the general manager of Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox (1971–1973).

Stu Holcomb
Holcomb pictured in Debris 1954, Purdue yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1910-09-11)September 11, 1910
Erie, Pennsylvania
DiedJanuary 11, 1977(1977-01-11) (aged 66)
Venice, Florida
Playing career
1929–1931Ohio State
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1932–1935Findlay
1936–1940Muskingum
1941Washington & Jefferson
1942–1943Miami (OH)
1945–1946Army (assistant)
1947–1955Purdue
Basketball
1932–1936Findlay
1936–1940Muskingum
1945–1947Army
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1956–1966Northwestern
1971–1973Chicago White Sox (GM)
Head coaching record
Overall93–75–12 (football)
54–40 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 OAC (1939)
1 Big Ten (1952)

Coaching career

Miami

Holcomb was named Miami University's head football coach for the 1942 season succeeding Frank Wilton. His first team went 3–6 which equaled the number of wins of the three previous years for the Redskins. The next year Holcomb and the Redskins posted a winning record of 7–2–1. This team was dominated by defense, only allowing their opponents to score in double digits twice; A 34–12 win over Bradley University and a 35–0 blow out loss to Arkansas A&M. In his two years as Miami’s head coach he compiled an overall record of 10–9–1. He left Miami to become an assistant coach for Earl Blaik at the United States Military Academy. He was replaced as Redskins coach by future Pro and College Football Hall of Fame coach Sid Gillman who was one of Holcomb's top assistant coaches.

Army

While an assistant football coach for the United States Military Academy, Holcomb was head coach of the men’s basketball team for two seasons from 1945 through 1947. He led the cadets to two straight winning seasons of 9–6 and 9–7.

Purdue

During Holcomb’s tenure as Boilermakers head coach he compiled a record of 35–42–4. His best year was 1952 when he led the Boilermakers to a Big Ten Conference co-championship and a #18 ranking in the final poll. Despite having only a 4–3–2 overall record, Holcomb's team played well in conference with a 4–1–1 record. Holcomb’s Purdue teams are, perhaps, best remembered for ending Notre Dame's 39-game unbeaten streak when his Boilermakers defeated the Irish, 28–14, in the second game of the 1950 season. Holcomb was known for developing solid quarterbacks including Bob DeMoss, Dale Samuels and Len Dawson. These players helped grow a strong tradition at Purdue of great quarterback play. On December 12, 1955, after his nine seasons at Purdue, Holcomb left Purdue to accept the athletic director position at the Northwestern University

Sports administrator

Holcomb served as the Athletic Director at Northwestern from 1956-1966. He hired fellow Miami alum Ara Parseghian to be the new Wildcats head coach in 1956, and Parseghian stayed at Northwestern until accepting the head coaching job at Notre Dame following the 1963 season. One of the reasons for Parseghian's departure was his feud with Holcomb.[1]

Holcomb was appointed as the general manager of the Chicago Mustangs, a United Soccer Association franchise owned by Arthur and John Allyn. After the Mustangs folded following the 1968 season, Holcomb was reassigned to the Chicago White Sox, another of the Allyn brothers' business entities, as its public relations director.

He was promoted to replace Ed Short as general manager in September 1970, the last month of a season in which the White Sox finished with its worst record in team history at 56–106. He began overhauling the ballclub by firing manager Don Gutteridge and replacing him with Chuck Tanner (third-base coach Bill Adair served as the interim for ten games during the transition).

Death

Holcomb died of a heart attack, on January 11, 1977, in Venice, Florida.[2]

Family

Holcomb's three sons played college football: Chip at Northwestern University, Doug at Purdue University, and Bryan at Arizona State University and Florida State University.

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Findlay Oilers () (1932–1935)
1932 Findlay 3–2–2
1933 Findlay 5–2
1934 Findlay 3–3
1935 Findlay 4–4
Findlay: 15–11–2
Muskingum Fighting Muskies (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1936–1940)
1936 Muskingum 6–35–13rd
1937 Muskingum 4–3–23–2–26th
1938 Muskingum 5–3–24–1–15th
1939 Muskingum 8–16–01st
1940 Muskingum 5–2–13–14th
Muskingum: 28–12–421–6–3
Washington & Jefferson Presidents (Independent) (1941)
1941 Washington & Jefferson 5–1–1
Washington & Jefferson: 5–1–1
Miami Redskins (independent) (1942–1943)
1942 Miami 3–6
1943 Miami 7–2–1
Miami: 10–8–1
Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Conference) (1947–1955)
1947 Purdue 5–43–3T–3rd
1948 Purdue 3–62–4T–5th
1949 Purdue 4–52–48th
1950 Purdue 2–71–4T–8th
1951 Purdue 5–44–12nd14
1952 Purdue 4–3–24–1–1T–1st1218
1953 Purdue 2–72–48th
1954 Purdue 5–3–13–36th
1955 Purdue 5–3–14–24th
Purdue: 35–42–425–23–1
Total:93–75–12
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. Dent, Jim (2009). Resurrection: The Miracle Season That Saved Notre Dame. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-56721-7.. Page 209
  2. "Former Purdue Football Coach Stu Holcomb Dies In Florida". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. January 12, 1977. p. 28. Retrieved July 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com .
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