Former Coyote Player, Coach Impact First NFL Championship
As the football world readies for the Super Bowl on Sunday night, a former South Dakota athlete and coach are linked to the first-ever NFL championship team.
In 1920, long before the Super Bowl was even a dream, the late Frank McCormick (died March 20, 1976), helped lead the Akron Professionals to the first American Professional Football Association (APFA) title. The APFA became the NFL in 1923. In addition, A.H. Whittemore, who has been inducted into the Coyote Sports Hall of Fame (University of South Dakota) and died in 1938, played an indirect role in Akron's championship.
McCormick, originally of Genoa, Neb., moved with his family to Wagner, S.D., in 1905. A 5'11, 190 pound running back, McCormick received his high school degree from Wagner and then starred at The University of South Dakota in baseball and football from 1912-16.
Fresh out of law school, McCormick (B.A. degree in 1917, LLB, 1920, USD), joined Akron as a rookie fullback. During Akron's title run, McCormick scored three TDs to lead the Professionals to an 8-0-3 mark. They outscored opponents, 151-7.
According to Bob Carroll's 1982 column, Coffin Corner (http://www.profootballresearchers.org/), McCormick had two TDs in a 37-0 win over the Columbus Panhandlers early in the season. Twice in 1920, Akron turned back Jim Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs by the same 7-0 score. The week before Thanksgiving, Akron defeated the Dayton Triangles, 13-0, as McCormick broke the scoreless tie and scored the go-ahead TD on a pass from Rip King during the fourth quarter. In the final game of the season, Akron played to a 0-0 tie with George Halas's Decatur Staleys in Chicago, Ill. Based on its unbeaten record, the Professionals were crowned league champions.
McCormick, who has been inducted into both the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame and the Coyotes Sports Hall of Fame, played on Akron with NFL Hall of Fame member Fritz Pollard. A former Brown standout, Pollard was one of the early, standout performers in the APFA and with Bobby Marshall, became the first African-American athletes to play in the APFA (NFL). Pollard took over coaching Akron in 1921, which made him the first African-American head coach in pro football history. He was called one of the greatest runners ever in pro football by the legendary Walter Camp, termed by many as the "Father of Football."
The twist to this story involving Whittemore concerned his relationship with Pollard. After Whittemore left USD, he went east to sell insurance and in 1915 became a volunteer assistant coach with Brown. Whittemore had directed USD to its only unbeaten season in 1902 (9-0). It was a team that shut out all nine opponents.
According to Peter Mackie of the Edward North Robinson 1896 Collection of Brown Athletics, Whittemore may have convinced Pollard to stay in school early during his time at Brown. Mackie said Whittemore counseled a discouraged Pollard, who had arrived at Brown in 1915. Pollard became a little disenchanted after being given equipment that didn't fit and no uniform.
Mackie said Pollard was relegated to a "lonely spot on the practice field by himself to practice punting." Pollard did not dress for the first varsity game and hid behind some lockers by himself and cried. "The story is that Buck (Whittemore) went to Pollard's room the next day and suggested that he play in the scrub game on Monday against Worcester Academy. Fritz agreed, played well enough to gain attention and a foothold, and subsequently led the 1915 teams to the Rose Bowl (played in 1916)," said Mackie.
If Whittemore had not intervened with Pollard, he may not have continued his football career which would have impacted Akron's future NFL championship run. Pollard, who is also in Brown's Hall of Fame, had seven TDs and numerous big plays for Akron in 1920.
McCormick didn't stay in the NFL long. After playing 11 games in 1921, he left the sport after four games into the 1922 season (three with Akron, one with the Cincinnati Celts). In 1921, he was joined on Akron by former USD standout Paul Sheeks, who is in the Coyote Sports Hall of Fame and played on one of the Coyotes' greatest teams in 1912. Sheeks played two seasons for Akron and coach Pollard.
After giving up professional football, McCormick eventually returned to South Dakota, taking over as athletic director and head coach of all sports for the now defunct Columbus College in Sioux Falls. He was working for the Boyce law firm (later becoming the Boyce, Murphy, McDowell and Greenfield law firm). McCormick turned Columbus College into a power in the NSIC. He was also a department commander of the American Legion for South Dakota and became one of the pioneers in developing the American Legion baseball program in the U.S.
In 1931, McCormick took over as head baseball coach at the University of Minnesota, leading the Gophers to a 138-69-1 record in 11 seasons from 1931-41. Inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1967, McCormick led Minnesota to their first Big Ten baseball titles in history during 1933 and 1935. After leaving the baseball bench, he was an administrator at Minnesota before taking over as athletic director at Minnesota in 1945, serving until 1950. Later he was a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and became commissioner of the PAC 8 (later PAC-10).
As for Whittemore, he had a coaching mark of 39-21-5 at South Dakota. Before coming to the U, he starred at Brown as a lineman in the late 1890s. He coached USD from 1902-09 and again in 1920-21. He also led the Coyotes to a 15-4 record from 1908-10 as head basketball coach. Later he coached baseball and his 1921 Coyote team was not scored upon by a collegiate team. Also, he and his wife, Helen Austin, lived in the Austin-Whittemore House, which was built in 1882 and is now the home of the Clay County Historical Society.
In 1920, long before the Super Bowl was even a dream, the late Frank McCormick (died March 20, 1976), helped lead the Akron Professionals to the first American Professional Football Association (APFA) title. The APFA became the NFL in 1923. In addition, A.H. Whittemore, who has been inducted into the Coyote Sports Hall of Fame (University of South Dakota) and died in 1938, played an indirect role in Akron's championship.
McCormick, originally of Genoa, Neb., moved with his family to Wagner, S.D., in 1905. A 5'11, 190 pound running back, McCormick received his high school degree from Wagner and then starred at The University of South Dakota in baseball and football from 1912-16.
Fresh out of law school, McCormick (B.A. degree in 1917, LLB, 1920, USD), joined Akron as a rookie fullback. During Akron's title run, McCormick scored three TDs to lead the Professionals to an 8-0-3 mark. They outscored opponents, 151-7.
According to Bob Carroll's 1982 column, Coffin Corner (http://www.profootballresearchers.org/), McCormick had two TDs in a 37-0 win over the Columbus Panhandlers early in the season. Twice in 1920, Akron turned back Jim Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs by the same 7-0 score. The week before Thanksgiving, Akron defeated the Dayton Triangles, 13-0, as McCormick broke the scoreless tie and scored the go-ahead TD on a pass from Rip King during the fourth quarter. In the final game of the season, Akron played to a 0-0 tie with George Halas's Decatur Staleys in Chicago, Ill. Based on its unbeaten record, the Professionals were crowned league champions.
McCormick, who has been inducted into both the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame and the Coyotes Sports Hall of Fame, played on Akron with NFL Hall of Fame member Fritz Pollard. A former Brown standout, Pollard was one of the early, standout performers in the APFA and with Bobby Marshall, became the first African-American athletes to play in the APFA (NFL). Pollard took over coaching Akron in 1921, which made him the first African-American head coach in pro football history. He was called one of the greatest runners ever in pro football by the legendary Walter Camp, termed by many as the "Father of Football."
The twist to this story involving Whittemore concerned his relationship with Pollard. After Whittemore left USD, he went east to sell insurance and in 1915 became a volunteer assistant coach with Brown. Whittemore had directed USD to its only unbeaten season in 1902 (9-0). It was a team that shut out all nine opponents.
According to Peter Mackie of the Edward North Robinson 1896 Collection of Brown Athletics, Whittemore may have convinced Pollard to stay in school early during his time at Brown. Mackie said Whittemore counseled a discouraged Pollard, who had arrived at Brown in 1915. Pollard became a little disenchanted after being given equipment that didn't fit and no uniform.
Mackie said Pollard was relegated to a "lonely spot on the practice field by himself to practice punting." Pollard did not dress for the first varsity game and hid behind some lockers by himself and cried. "The story is that Buck (Whittemore) went to Pollard's room the next day and suggested that he play in the scrub game on Monday against Worcester Academy. Fritz agreed, played well enough to gain attention and a foothold, and subsequently led the 1915 teams to the Rose Bowl (played in 1916)," said Mackie.
If Whittemore had not intervened with Pollard, he may not have continued his football career which would have impacted Akron's future NFL championship run. Pollard, who is also in Brown's Hall of Fame, had seven TDs and numerous big plays for Akron in 1920.
McCormick didn't stay in the NFL long. After playing 11 games in 1921, he left the sport after four games into the 1922 season (three with Akron, one with the Cincinnati Celts). In 1921, he was joined on Akron by former USD standout Paul Sheeks, who is in the Coyote Sports Hall of Fame and played on one of the Coyotes' greatest teams in 1912. Sheeks played two seasons for Akron and coach Pollard.
After giving up professional football, McCormick eventually returned to South Dakota, taking over as athletic director and head coach of all sports for the now defunct Columbus College in Sioux Falls. He was working for the Boyce law firm (later becoming the Boyce, Murphy, McDowell and Greenfield law firm). McCormick turned Columbus College into a power in the NSIC. He was also a department commander of the American Legion for South Dakota and became one of the pioneers in developing the American Legion baseball program in the U.S.
In 1931, McCormick took over as head baseball coach at the University of Minnesota, leading the Gophers to a 138-69-1 record in 11 seasons from 1931-41. Inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1967, McCormick led Minnesota to their first Big Ten baseball titles in history during 1933 and 1935. After leaving the baseball bench, he was an administrator at Minnesota before taking over as athletic director at Minnesota in 1945, serving until 1950. Later he was a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and became commissioner of the PAC 8 (later PAC-10).
As for Whittemore, he had a coaching mark of 39-21-5 at South Dakota. Before coming to the U, he starred at Brown as a lineman in the late 1890s. He coached USD from 1902-09 and again in 1920-21. He also led the Coyotes to a 15-4 record from 1908-10 as head basketball coach. Later he coached baseball and his 1921 Coyote team was not scored upon by a collegiate team. Also, he and his wife, Helen Austin, lived in the Austin-Whittemore House, which was built in 1882 and is now the home of the Clay County Historical Society.
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