A. J. Sturzenegger
Encyclopedia
Alfonzo John "A. J." Sturzenegger (August 22, 1888 – April 8, 1949), sometimes also referred to as Jack Sturzenegger, was an American football
and baseball
player and coach. He played college football
and baseball at the University of Nebraska. He later served as an assistant football coach at the University of Michigan
(1920–1923), University of Southern California
(1924), and UCLA (1925–1948). He was also the head coach of the UCLA Bruins baseball
team from 1927 to 1931, in 1933, and again from 1943 to 1945.
in 1888 and attended high school in Lincoln, Nebraska
. He attended the University of Nebraska and played halfback
and fullback
for the 1908
and 1909 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
s. After graduating from Nebraska, Sturzenegger enrolled at Harvard Law School
. He left Harvard to accept a coaching job at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
in Troy, New York
.
During World War I
, he served aboard the USS Neptune
as an ensign in the United States Navy
. After being discharged from the Navy in 1919, Sturzengger returned to South Bend to manage his father's store.
for several seasons. 'Sturz' hails from Nebraska and has an uncanny ability in imparting the fundamentals and tricks of the game to linemen and backs as well."
as an assistant football coach under new head coach William H. Spaulding
. At the time, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Henry wrote that Spaulding had made "a fine move" in hiring "Sturzy." Henry continued: "The gentleman with the lengthy name has one of the finest of reputations in the Middle West as a developer of ends and backs and as a scout. He is a football 'nut.' He has a fine position, which he has held for a long time, with the trust department of a big local bank, but aside from his business he is chiefly interested in football. He goes to every game within reach and returns with every play of both teams accurately diagrammed. When he coaches he doesn't tell 'em he shows 'em. He puts on a uniform and gets out and rough-houses with the boys until they're glad to quit. Sturzenegger continued to serve as an assistant football coach at UCLA for more than 20 years. At the time of his death in 1949, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Once termed the greatest scout in the game, 'Sturzy', as he was known to everyone at Westwood, became famous for his blackboard chalk talks."
In February 1927, Sturzenegger was also assigned the position as UCLA's head baseball coach. He had played baseball at Nebraska and coached it at Rennselaer Polytechnic. He remained the head coach of UCLA's baseball team from 1927 to 1931, in 1933, and again from 1943 to 1945.
In October 1929, Sturzenegger added responsibilities as UCLA's assistant graduate manager.
In November 1938, Sturzenegger fell gravely ill with pneumonia while traveling with the football team to play Washington State College
in Pullman, Washington
. Eleven ounces of pneumonia serum were flown from Burbank, California
, to Oakland, California
, to meet the special train carrying Sturzenegger back to Los Angeles. He was hospitalized for several days at Hollywood Hospital after the team returned to Los Angeles and made a full recovery.
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...
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. He played 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...
and baseball at the University of Nebraska. He later served as an assistant football coach at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1920–1923), University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(1924), and UCLA (1925–1948). He was also the head coach of the UCLA Bruins baseball
UCLA Bruins baseball
UCLA Bruins baseball team represents the University of California, Los Angeles in the NCAA baseball competition. Having started playing in 1920, the team is a member of the Pacific-10 Conference and plays its home games at Jackie Robinson Stadium. It has produced many Major and Minor League...
team from 1927 to 1931, in 1933, and again from 1943 to 1945.
Early years
He was born in South Bend, NebraskaSouth Bend, Nebraska
South Bend is a village in Cass County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 86 at the 2000 census. As you approach the town on Nebraska Highway 66, a sign announces "South Bend Next 4 Exits"--a reference to the four streets that lead in from the highway. The main landmark is a pedestrian...
in 1888 and attended high school in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
. He attended the University of Nebraska and played halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
and 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...
for the 1908
1908 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1908 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska in the 1908 college football season. The team was coached by William C. "King" Cole and played their home games at Antelope Field in Lincoln, Nebraska....
and 1909 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
1909 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1909 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska in the 1909 college football season. The team was coached by William C...
s. After graduating from Nebraska, Sturzenegger enrolled at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. He left Harvard to accept a coaching job at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served aboard the USS Neptune
USS Neptune (AC-8)
The third USS Neptune , a collier of the U.S. Navy, was laid down by the Maryland Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Md. 23 March 1910; launched 21 January 1911; and placed in service with a merchant crew at Norfolk Navy Yard 20 September 1911, Master F. E...
as an ensign in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. After being discharged from the Navy in 1919, Sturzengger returned to South Bend to manage his father's store.
Michigan
In January 1920, he was hired as an assistant football coach under Fielding H. Yost at the University of Michigan. He was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1920 to 1923. While at Michigan, Sturzenegger served as a scout and as assistant coach responsible for the halfbacks and ends. In October 1921, a University of Michigan publication wrote that Sturznegger's "flat helmet has been a familiar sight on Ferry FieldFerry Field
Ferry Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It opened in 1906 and was home to the Michigan Wolverines football team prior to the Michigan Stadium opening in 1927. It had a capacity of 46,000....
for several seasons. 'Sturz' hails from Nebraska and has an uncanny ability in imparting the fundamentals and tricks of the game to linemen and backs as well."
USC
In April 1924, Sturzenegger was hired by USC as an assistant football coach. He was a resident of Los Angeles at the time of his hiring. At the time, the Los Angeles Times reported: "Coach Sturzenegger is regarded in the Middle West as the best 'scout' of football teams in the country and during his five years at Michigan was in no small degree responsible for the success of the Yost teams. He had charge of the ends and backs and was a particular success at teaching the manly art of blocking to the ends and backs. ... He is famous throughout the country for the manner in which he teaches, as he dons a football suit and personally blocks, tackles and runs with the ball, not to mention letting the boys try their stuff on him."UCLA
In September 1925, Sturzenegger was hired by UCLAUCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
as an assistant football coach under new head coach William H. Spaulding
William H. Spaulding
William H. Spaulding was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. Spaulding coached at UCLA from 1925 to 1938. He had a successful tenure, compiling a 72–51–8 record. He also served as the head football coach at the University of Minnesota from 1922 to 1924....
. At the time, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Henry wrote that Spaulding had made "a fine move" in hiring "Sturzy." Henry continued: "The gentleman with the lengthy name has one of the finest of reputations in the Middle West as a developer of ends and backs and as a scout. He is a football 'nut.' He has a fine position, which he has held for a long time, with the trust department of a big local bank, but aside from his business he is chiefly interested in football. He goes to every game within reach and returns with every play of both teams accurately diagrammed. When he coaches he doesn't tell 'em he shows 'em. He puts on a uniform and gets out and rough-houses with the boys until they're glad to quit. Sturzenegger continued to serve as an assistant football coach at UCLA for more than 20 years. At the time of his death in 1949, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Once termed the greatest scout in the game, 'Sturzy', as he was known to everyone at Westwood, became famous for his blackboard chalk talks."
In February 1927, Sturzenegger was also assigned the position as UCLA's head baseball coach. He had played baseball at Nebraska and coached it at Rennselaer Polytechnic. He remained the head coach of UCLA's baseball team from 1927 to 1931, in 1933, and again from 1943 to 1945.
In October 1929, Sturzenegger added responsibilities as UCLA's assistant graduate manager.
In November 1938, Sturzenegger fell gravely ill with pneumonia while traveling with the football team to play Washington State College
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
in Pullman, Washington
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
. Eleven ounces of pneumonia serum were flown from Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, to Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, to meet the special train carrying Sturzenegger back to Los Angeles. He was hospitalized for several days at Hollywood Hospital after the team returned to Los Angeles and made a full recovery.