Frank Cavanaugh (American football)

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Frank Cavanaugh
Frank Cavanaugh.jpg
Biographical details
Born(1876-04-28)April 28, 1876
Worcester, Massachusetts
DiedAugust 29, 1933(1933-08-29) (aged 57)
Marshfield, Massachusetts
Playing career
1896–1897Dartmouth
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1898Cincinnati
1898–1902Denver Athletic Club
1903–1905Holy Cross
1909–1910Worcester Academy (MA)
1911–1916Dartmouth
1919–1926Boston College
1927–1932Fordham
Head coaching record
Overall145–48–17 (college)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1954 (profile)

Frank W. "The Iron Major" Cavanaugh (April 28, 1876 – August 29, 1933) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati (1898), the College of the Holy Cross (1903–1905), Dartmouth College (1911–1916), Boston College (1919–1926) and Fordham University (1927–1932), compiling a career college football record of 148–50–18. Cavanaugh was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and played football as an end at Dartmouth from 1896 to 1897. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954.

Cavanaugh was briefly an attorney, but left active practice to return to coaching.

He enlisted in the army in 1917, at 41 years of age. He was later commissioned, by war’s end, a major. He was seriously wounded at the Argonne. Shellfire broke his skull, nose, and a cheek; the injuries contributed to his later blindness.

At the time of his death, Cavanaugh was broke and blind. He warned fellow coach and former player Joe McKenney "Get out of coaching while you can. The end of every coaching career is disaster."[1] He was survived by his widow and their nine children.[2]

He was played by Pat O'Brien in the 1943 RKO film The Iron Major.

Head coaching record[]

College[]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Cincinnati (Independent) (1898)
1898 Cincinnati 5–1–3
Cincinnati: 5–1–3
Holy Cross (Independent) (1903–1905)
1903 Holy Cross 8–2
1904 Holy Cross 2–5–2
1905 Holy Cross 6–3
Holy Cross: 16–10–2
Dartmouth (Independent) (1911–1916)
1911 Dartmouth 8–2
1912 Dartmouth 7–2
1913 Dartmouth 7–1
1914 Dartmouth 8–1
1915 Dartmouth 7–1–1
1916 Dartmouth 5–2–2
Dartmouth: 42–9–3
Boston College Eagles (Independent) (1919–1926)
1919 Boston College 5–3
1920 Boston College 8–0
1921 Boston College 4–3–1
1922 Boston College 6–2–1
1923 Boston College 7–1–1
1924 Boston College 6–3
1925 Boston College 6–2
1926 Boston College 6–0–2
Boston College: 48–14–5
Fordham Rams (Independent) (1927–1932)
1927 Fordham 3–5
1928 Fordham 4–5
1929 Fordham 7–0–2
1930 Fordham 8–1
1931 Fordham 6–1–2
1932 Fordham 6–2
Fordham: 34–14–4
Total: 145–48–17

Published works[]

References[]

  1. ^ Reid Oslin, Doug Flutie (2004). Tales from the Boston College Sideline. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 35. ISBN 1-58261-546-2. Leo Daley Boston English .
  2. ^ Murpky, Frank (1933-08-30). "Death Claims Major Frank Cavanaugh After Lingering Illness". the Waterbury Democrat. Retrieved 4 November 2021.

External links[]

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