Larry Siemering
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Edwin Siemering (November 24, 1910 – July 27, 2009) was an American football
player and coach. He played college football
at the University of San Francisco
and professionally in the NFL
with the Boston Redskins
in 1935 and 1936. Siemering served as the head football coach at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California
from 1947 to 1951 and at Arizona State University
in 1951, compiling a career college football coached record of 41–8–4. He also was the head coach of the Canadian Football League
's Calgary Stampeders
in 1954. In all, Siemering's football career as a player and coach lasted more than forty years. At the time of his death, he was the oldest surviving professional football player at 98 years of age.
, where he attended and played high school football
at Lodi High School
. During his senior season as a center
, the Lodi Flames went undefeated. He graduated in 1928. Also during this time, Siemering semi-pro baseball for the Sacramento Stallions.
scholarship from the University of San Francisco
, where he then also played football
. He graduated in 1935.
for the Boston Redskins
in 1935
and 1936
; the Redskins moved to Washington D.C. in 1937
. During his tenure there, he played in the 1936 NFL Championship
, a loss to the Green Bay Packers
.
coach at Manteca High School
and Stockton High School in the San Joaquin Valley
. In 1943, his Stockton team went undefeated. Siemering then came back to high school coaching in 1956 at Santa Cruz High School
, where he went 9–0 in 1958.
, under head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg
. Stagg retired after the 1946 season, and Siemering took over as head coach in 1947. During his first season as coach, the Tigers went 10–1, the lone loss against Santa Clara, 21–20. At the end of the regular season, the Tigers played in the Raisin Bowl
and beat the Wichita, 28–14.
Siemering had another winning record in 1948 and went 7–3–1. However, he is best known for his 1949 Pacific team who went an undefeated 11–0. The team came close to losing only once in 1949, when it defeated the San Francisco in the first game of the season, 7–6. The Tigers outscored their opponents 575–66, led the nation in offense, and were ranked as high as tenth in the Associated Press
poll. During the season, the Tigers scored 75 points or more three times; 75–20 over Portland, 88–0 over Cal Poly
, and 75–0 over the Hawaii
. The team was the 15th college team in history to score 500 or more points in a single season.
During his four-year tenure at Pacific, Siemering went 35–5–3 and with a .875 winning percentage, was the winningest coach in Pacific's history. He then coached at Arizona State University
in 1951, where he went 6–3–1. Despite the winning record, he was fired after using an ineligible player who used a fake name.
After a brief second stint in high school teaching, Siemering then became the inaugural head coach of Cabrillo College
, a two-year community college
in Aptos, California
. He coached there from 1959 to 1965. While at Cabrillo, he also coached the Seahawks' golf team until 1976. Siemering was inducted into the first class of the University of Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982. His 1947 and 1949 teams were inducted later.
, under head coach Curly Lambeau
. He then left the NFL in 1954 to become the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders
in the Canadian Football League
.
home.
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...
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...
at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and professionally in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Boston Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in 1935 and 1936. Siemering served as the head football coach at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
from 1947 to 1951 and at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in 1951, compiling a career college football coached record of 41–8–4. He also was the head coach of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
in 1954. In all, Siemering's football career as a player and coach lasted more than forty years. At the time of his death, he was the oldest surviving professional football player at 98 years of age.
Early life
Siemering was born in San Francisco and was raised in Lodi, CaliforniaLodi, California
Lodi is a city located in , in the northern portion of California's Central Valley. The population was 62,134 at the 2010 census. The California Department of Finance's population estimate as of January 1, 2011 is 62,473....
, where he attended and played high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Lodi High School
Lodi High School (California)
Lodi High School, serving grades 9-12, is one of four comprehensive high schools in Lodi Unified School District. The physical plant encompasses three gymnasiums, 59 permanent classrooms, one cafeteria, 30 portables, four computer labs, one theater complex, a college and career center, one...
. During his senior season as a center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, the Lodi Flames went undefeated. He graduated in 1928. Also during this time, Siemering semi-pro baseball for the Sacramento Stallions.
College
After high school, Siemering accepted a baseballCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
scholarship from the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
, where he then also played 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...
. He graduated in 1935.
Professional
After his college career, Siemering played center in the National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Boston Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in 1935
1935 Boston Redskins season
The Boston Redskins finished the 1935 season with a record of two wins, eight losses, and one tie, and finished in fourth place in the Eastern Division of the National Football League. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. A road game against the Philadelphia...
and 1936
1936 Boston Redskins season
The Boston Redskins finished the 1936 season with a record of seven wins and five losses and finished in first place in the Eastern Division of the National Football League. They then played in the 1936 NFL Championship game against the Green Bay Packers, and lost 21–6.This was the first winning...
; the Redskins moved to Washington D.C. in 1937
1937 Washington Redskins season
The Boston Redskins moved to Washington D.C. in 1937 to become the Washington Redskins. They began with the team trying to improve on their 7–5 record from 1936...
. During his tenure there, he played in the 1936 NFL Championship
NFL Championship Game, 1936
The 1936 NFL Championship Game was the 4th championship game played in the history of the National Football League. The game took place on December 13, 1936, at Polo Grounds in New York City, making it the first NFL title game held on a neutral field...
, a loss to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
High school
After his playing career, Siemering started his coaching career as a high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
coach at Manteca High School
Manteca High School
Founded in 1920, Manteca High School, in Manteca, California, USA, is the oldest school within Manteca Unified School District.. Although originally built with a tower, the tower unfortunately burned down.The school mascot is the "Albino Buffalo"....
and Stockton High School in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. In 1943, his Stockton team went undefeated. Siemering then came back to high school coaching in 1956 at Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz High School is a comprehensive public school in Santa Cruz, California which opened in 1897 and now serves an enrollment of about 1,040 students in grades nine through twelve.- Notable alumni :...
, where he went 9–0 in 1958.
College
Siemering started his college coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, under head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
. Stagg retired after the 1946 season, and Siemering took over as head coach in 1947. During his first season as coach, the Tigers went 10–1, the lone loss against Santa Clara, 21–20. At the end of the regular season, the Tigers played in the Raisin Bowl
Raisin Bowl
The Raisin Bowl was an annual post-season American college football bowl game played at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno, California, from 1946 to 1949. The first four games were played on January 1, the last on December 31. The games pitted a California team against an at-large team...
and beat the Wichita, 28–14.
Siemering had another winning record in 1948 and went 7–3–1. However, he is best known for his 1949 Pacific team who went an undefeated 11–0. The team came close to losing only once in 1949, when it defeated the San Francisco in the first game of the season, 7–6. The Tigers outscored their opponents 575–66, led the nation in offense, and were ranked as high as tenth in the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll. During the season, the Tigers scored 75 points or more three times; 75–20 over Portland, 88–0 over Cal Poly
Cal Poly Mustangs football
The Mustang football team is the college football team of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. The team plays its home games in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The current head coach is Tim Walsh, who began his tenure in 2009....
, and 75–0 over the Hawaii
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
. The team was the 15th college team in history to score 500 or more points in a single season.
During his four-year tenure at Pacific, Siemering went 35–5–3 and with a .875 winning percentage, was the winningest coach in Pacific's history. He then coached at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in 1951, where he went 6–3–1. Despite the winning record, he was fired after using an ineligible player who used a fake name.
After a brief second stint in high school teaching, Siemering then became the inaugural head coach of Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in more than 70 fields of study such as: engineering, computer science, allied health , public safety, marine biology and the visual and performing arts. The college itself is named after the explorer Juan...
, a two-year community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
in Aptos, California
Aptos, California
Aptos is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 6,220 at the 2010 census.Aptos is an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz county, consisting of several small communities...
. He coached there from 1959 to 1965. While at Cabrillo, he also coached the Seahawks' golf team until 1976. Siemering was inducted into the first class of the University of Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982. His 1947 and 1949 teams were inducted later.
Professional
In 1953, Siemering was an offensive line coach for the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, under head coach Curly Lambeau
Curly Lambeau
Earl Louis "Curly" Lambeau was founder, player, and first coach of the Green Bay Packers professional American football team...
. He then left the NFL in 1954 to become the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Personal
Siemering was married to Sophie Siemering, who died in 2001. On July 27, 2009, he died at Watsonville Community Hospital after a fall at his Watsonville, CaliforniaWatsonville, California
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census.Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host...
home.