Pappy Waldorf
Encyclopedia
Lynn Osbert "Pappy" Waldorf (October 3, 1902 – August 15, 1981) was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head coach at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
, (1929–1933), Kansas State University
(1934), Northwestern University
(1935–1946), and the University of California, Berkeley
(1947–1956), compiling a career college football
record of 157–89–19. Waldorf had the most career victories of any Cal head coach at 67 until he was surpassed in 2010 by current head coach Jeff Tedford
. Waldorf was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 1966.
, was born in Clifton Springs, New York
. As a collegiate athlete, Waldorf played tackle for Syracuse University
from 1922 to 1924.
championships, and never lost to arch-rival Oklahoma
. In 1932, Waldorf was also promoted to Director of Athletics at the school.
, to replace Bo McMillin
as football coach. Although Waldorf only coached K-State for one season, 1934, it was a remarkable year, as Kansas State captured the Big Six Conference championship, the first Big Six title in football for the school (it would be 69 years, in 2003
when the Wildcats would win their next conference title in the Big 12 Conference
).
, where he remained head coach until 1946. In his very first season at Northwestern, he was named college football's first national coach of the year. In his second season, he took Northwestern to the Big Ten Conference
crown. His 12-year mark at Northwestern was 49–45–7. While at Northwestern, Waldorf also convinced future legend Otto Graham
to try out for football.
from 1947–1956, Pappy revived the program and established a 67–32–4 record. For three consecutive seasons, 1949–1951, his teams were undefeated in the regular season, won the Pacific Coast Conference
title, and qualified for the Rose Bowl
. Waldorf also posted a 7–1–2 record against rival Stanford University
. After retiring from Cal in 1956, he joined the San Francisco 49ers
as head of personnel and scouting, remaining with the team until 1972.
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 served as the head coach at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater is a land-grant, sun-grant, coeducational public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act...
, (1929–1933), Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
(1934), Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
(1935–1946), and the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
(1947–1956), compiling a career 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...
record of 157–89–19. Waldorf had the most career victories of any Cal head coach at 67 until he was surpassed in 2010 by current head coach Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford is an American football coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears football team, a position he has held since 2002. As a first-time head coach, Tedford has won wide acclaim for revitalizing the Cal football program...
. Waldorf was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a coach in 1966.
Early years
Waldorf, son of Methodist bishop Ernest Lynn WaldorfErnest Lynn Waldorf
Ernest Lynn Waldorf was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1920.He was born on a farm in the South Valley, Otsego County, New York. The "Waldruff" family originally came from Holland. Waldorf united with the Central New York Annual Conference of the M.E. Church in...
, was born in Clifton Springs, New York
Clifton Springs, New York
Clifton Springs is a village located in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from local mineral springs....
. As a collegiate athlete, Waldorf played tackle for Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
from 1922 to 1924.
Oklahoma A&M
Waldorf began his major college career as head football coach at Oklahoma A&M from 1929 to 1933. In his five seasons at Oklahoma A&M Waldorf went 34–10–7, won three Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
championships, and never lost to arch-rival Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. In 1932, Waldorf was also promoted to Director of Athletics at the school.
Kansas State
Nevertheless, in 1934, Waldorf was coaxed north to Kansas StateKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, to replace Bo McMillin
Bo McMillin
Alvin Nugent "Bo" McMillin was an American football player and coach, who served at both the collegiate and professional levels. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where was a three-time All-American at quarterback, and led the Centre Praying Colonels to a...
as football coach. Although Waldorf only coached K-State for one season, 1934, it was a remarkable year, as Kansas State captured the Big Six Conference championship, the first Big Six title in football for the school (it would be 69 years, in 2003
2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2003-2004. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. The team finished the season with a win-loss record of 11 and 4, and a...
when the Wildcats would win their next conference title in the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
).
Northwestern
In 1935, Waldorf moved again, to Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, where he remained head coach until 1946. In his very first season at Northwestern, he was named college football's first national coach of the year. In his second season, he took Northwestern to the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
crown. His 12-year mark at Northwestern was 49–45–7. While at Northwestern, Waldorf also convinced future legend Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
to try out for football.
California
As head football coach at University of CaliforniaUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
from 1947–1956, Pappy revived the program and established a 67–32–4 record. For three consecutive seasons, 1949–1951, his teams were undefeated in the regular season, won the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
title, and qualified for the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
. Waldorf also posted a 7–1–2 record against rival Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. After retiring from Cal in 1956, he joined the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
as head of personnel and scouting, remaining with the team until 1972.