John Gill (coach)
 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 27, 1898 Akron, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | March 4, 1997 (aged 98) Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S. |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1942–1952 | Western Michigan |
| Baseball | |
| 1944–1945 | Western Michigan |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 50–34–1 (football) 20–13–2 (baseball) |
John W. Gill (November 27, 1898 – March 4, 1997)[1] was an American college football and college baseball coach. Gill graduated from Western State Normal School (now known as Western Michigan University) in 1924 and became an assistant football coach under head coach Mike Gary. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Gill was living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and his occupation was listed as a teacher at a college.[2] In 1939, Gill recommended that the Western Michigan athletic teams change their mascot from "Hilltoppers" to "Broncos," and his suggestion was adopted by the school.[3] Gill was awarded $10,000 for submitting the team's nickname, funds which he donated to the Waldo Stadium building fund.[3] He was the head football coach at Western Michigan College of Education for 11 years from 1942 to 1952.[4] He compiled a record of 50–34–1 as head coach, and his best season was 1948 when he led the Broncos to a 6–3 record as his team outscored opponents 199 to 106.[4] In 1952, Gill was appointed as the associated athletic director at Western Michigan College of Education.[5] He continued to serve in that capacity until his retirement in 1969.[3]
Head coaching record
Football
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Michigan Broncos (Independent) (1942–1946) | |||||||||
| 1942 | Western Michigan | 5–1 | |||||||
| 1943 | Western Michigan | 4–2 | |||||||
| 1944 | Western Michigan | 4–3 | |||||||
| 1945 | Western Michigan | 4–3 | |||||||
| 1946 | Western Michigan | 5–2–1 | |||||||
| Western Michigan Broncos (Mid-American Conference) (1947–1952) | |||||||||
| 1947 | Western Michigan | 5–4 | 0–1 | ||||||
| 1948 | Western Michigan | 6–3 | 3–1 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1949 | Western Michigan | 4–4 | 2–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1950 | Western Michigan | 5–4 | 0–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1951 | Western Michigan | 4–4 | 0–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1952 | Western Michigan | 4–4 | 1–4 | T–6th | |||||
| Western Michigan: | 50–34–1 | 6–16 | |||||||
| Total: | 50–34–1 | ||||||||
References
- ^ http://boards.ancestry.it/localities.northam.usa.states.arkansas.counties.faulkner/2355/mb.ashx
- ^ Census entry for John W. Gill. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Roll: 998; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 21; File: 180.0.
- ^ a b c "Mascots". WMUBroncos.com. June 7, 2005. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012.
- ^ a b "John W. Gill Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
- ^ "Jack Petoskey Gets Bronco Grid Post". Toledo Blade. December 13, 1952.