American Football Database
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Eddie Finnigan
Sport(s)Football, basketball
Biographical details
BornMay 10, 1911[1]
Cleveland, Ohio[2]
DiedJuly 10, 1968(1968-07-10) (aged 57)
Cleveland, Ohio
Playing career
Position(s)Quarterback
Head coaching record
Overall68–52–9 (football)
25–56 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
3 PAC (1955, 1958, 1960)

Edward Leo Finnigan (May 10, 1911 – July 10, 1968) was an American football and basketball coach and player. He served as the head football coach at Baldwin–Wallace College—know known as Baldwin Wallace University—from 1949 to 1950 and at Western Reserve University—now known as Case Western Reserve University—from 1951 to 1965, compiling a career college football coaching record of 68–52–9. Finnegan was also the head basketball coach at Baldwin–Wallace from 1935 to 1940, tallying a mark of 25–56.

Playing career[]

In high school, Finnigan was a star athlete at John Adams High School in Cleveland.

Finnegan was the first Western Reserve University athlete to earn nine varsity letters—three each in football, basketball, and track—at a time when freshmen were unable to play varsity sports.[3] He was football team captain and quarterback his senior year in 1932[4] leading the Red Cats to a 7–1 record.[5]

His best sport was basketball, where he was an All-American during the 1932–33 season.[6]

Honors and death[]

In recognition of his many contributions to the athletic community, both the cities of Berea and Cleveland proclaimed November 4, 1967 as "Eddie Finnigan Day".[7]

Finnegan died of cancer July 10, 1968, at the Cleveland Clinic.[8]

Head coaching record[]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets () (1949–1950)
1949 Baldwin–Wallace 6–2
1950 Baldwin–Wallace 5–2–1
Baldwin–Wallace: 11–4–1
Western Reserve Red Cats (Mid-American Conference) (1951–1954)
1951 Western Reserve 2–6–1 1–3 5th
1952 Western Reserve 5–4 1–4 T–6th
1953 Western Reserve 5–3–1 1–2–1 5th
1954 Western Reserve 3–4–1 2–3 6th
Western Reserve Red Cats (Presidents' Athletic Conference) (1955–1965)
1955 Western Reserve 5–1–1 3–0 1st
1956 Western Reserve 4–3 1–2
1957 Western Reserve 2–4 1–2
1958 Western Reserve 4–3 4–0 1st
1959 Western Reserve 5–2 4–1
1960 Western Reserve 6–1 6–0 1st
1961 Western Reserve 5–2 5–2
1962 Western Reserve 3–3–1 3–2–1
1963 Western Reserve 1–5–1 1–4–1
1964 Western Reserve 4–3–1 4–3–1
1965 Western Reserve 3–4–1 3–4–1
Western Reserve: 57–48–8 40–32–5
Total: 68–52–9
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
Indicates BCS bowl, Bowl Alliance or Bowl Coalition game.

References[]

Template:Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets football coach navbox

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