Louis J. Salmon | |||
File:Lsalmon.jpg | |||
Sport(s) | Football | ||
---|---|---|---|
Biographical details | |||
Born | Syracuse, New York | June 10, 1880||
Died | September 27, 1965 Liberty, New York | (aged 85)||
Playing career | |||
1900–1903 | Notre Dame | ||
Position(s) | Fullback | ||
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |||
1904 | Notre Dame | ||
Head coaching record | |||
Overall | 5–3 | ||
Statistics College Football Data Warehouse | |||
|
Louis J. "Red" Salmon (June 10, 1880 – September 27, 1965) is considered to be the first outstanding fullback for the University of Notre Dame football team. He was the first "Fighting Irish" player to win an All-American mention,[1] and some sports historians argue that he served as the team's de facto coach during the 1902–1903 season.[2] This honor, however, is often accorded to teammate James Farragher.[1] Both men are widely credited as acting head coaches in official histories of the "Fighting Irish" football team, and Salmon is recognized as head coach during the 1903–1904 season.[1]
Playing career[]
Born in Syracuse, New York, Salmon made his mark in collegiate football in 1903, when (as a senior) he scored 105 points. His career record of 36 touchdowns remained a school standard until 1985.[3] At six feet and three inches, and 230 pounds, Salmon was a force to be reckoned with on the gridiron.[3] As one writer observed: "The alabaster-skinned Salmon has been described as both a slasher and a smasher, a colorful way of saying he would run right over you if he could not run around you".[1] Moreover, in an era when a wet pigskin might weigh as much as 14 pounds, Salmon averaged 30 yards with his punts.[1] In 1903, Salmon was named to Walter Camp's third All-America team.[3]
Coaching career and legacy[]
During the 1903–1904 season, Salmon served officially as head coach of the "Fighting Irish". He presided over a lackluster season of 5-4, and as one writer has commented, "The team needed Salmon on the field, not on the sidelines".[1] After graduating with a degree in engineering, the former sports hero rarely returned to campus and underplayed his outstanding athletic career.[1] Nevertheless, he would be remembered as one of collegiate football's "greats". Louis "Red Salmon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Irish Legends". Irishlegends.com. http://www.irishlegends.com/Pages/outofbounds/outofbounds2.html. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
- ↑ Sperber (1993), p. 29.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "College Football Hall of Fame". Collegefootball.org. http://www.collegefootball.org/famer_selected.php?id=19. Retrieved 2007-03-06. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name "college football HOF" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>
tag; name "college football HOF" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>
tag; name "college football HOF" defined multiple times with different content
Sources[]
- Sperber, Murray (1993). Shake Down the Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-0-253-21568-0.
External links[]
- Louis J. Salmon at the College Football Hall of Fame
- Louis J. Salmon at the College Football Data Warehouse
|