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INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL RESEARCHERS ASSOCIATION ™ The College Football Historian ™ ISSN: 1526-233x Vol. 1 No. 10 Established: Jan. 2008 Tex Noel, Editor ([email protected]) http://www.secsportsfan.com/college-football-association.html Vanderbilt Celebrates A 49-0 over Stanford) January 1, 1902. McGugin earned his law Century of Dan degree from Michigan. McGugin After his graduation from By Bill Traughber Michigan, Wolverine head football coach Fielding Yost was (The Commodore History asked by Vanderbilt to recommend a football coach. Corner) Vanderbilt.edu While not having any head Almost 100 years to the day this coaching experience, Yost saw week, Mississippi State played at something in McGugin to Vanderbilt and was thrashed by recommend him to Vanderbilt. the Commodores, 61-0. That day McGugin was an assistant to was October 1, 1904 and the first Yost. game at Vanderbilt for legendary coach Dan McGugin. In his latter years, McGugin told the story about how he came to McGugin would spend the next Vanderbilt: “I wrote Vanderbilt, 30 years leading the Commodore cautiously offering my services, football program and acquiring but received no response. One an amazing record of 197-55-19. day while the J-Hop was going on He served one year (1918) in in Ann Arbor, I had a telegram World War I. At Vanderbilt, he from Western Reserve at was a part-time coach and in the Cleveland offering me the job interim McGugin was a corporate there and asking for an lawyer. immediate reply. I went to the telegraph office and wired McGugin was born in Tingley, acceptance, and when I walked Iowa on July 29, 1879. He played back to the Delta Upsilon house, one year of football at Drake I found a telegram from University and three years at Vanderbilt definitely offering me Michigan. McGugin was a guard that place. on the Michigan team that played in the first Rose Bowl (Michigan The College Football Historian-2- game in Nashville against his friend and brother-in-law Yost “Vanderbilt offered $850.00 and and Michigan. The Wolverines Western Reserve $1000.00, but I were heavy favorites to win the wanted to come South and see game. The game was the first at and know the people. I decided the new Dudley Field and ended, that if I could recall the telegram 0-0. to Cleveland before its delivery, I would go to Vanderbilt. It was reported that before the Michigan game McGugin said to Otherwise I would go to Western his squad before the game, “You Reserve. The telegram was are going against Yankees, some recalled before delivery by three of whose grandfathers killed your minutes.” grandfathers in the Civil War.” It was not known if the players Shortly after arriving in knew that McGugin’s father was Nashville, McGugin married an officer in the Union army. Virginia Fite with Yost serving as McGugin recorded three seasons best man. Yost met Fite’s sister (1910, 1921, 1922) with no and he later married her. Now defeats and one tie. In five the close friends were related by seasons (1905, 1906, 1911, marriage. 1915, 1926) his teams only lost one game on its schedule. He For a number of years the couple was 13-8-3 all-time against lived at 310 25th Avenue South Tennessee, with most of those and their home was open to losses occurring near his players and friends of Vanderbilt. retirement. McGugin was a disciplinarian that demanded respect, and it McGugin was known as a was said he never used “rough” brilliant strategist with the ability language nor berated a player to motivate his men. One method publicly. of motivation was privately demonstrated before a big game. In his first season at Vanderbilt Former Vanderbilt All-American his 1904 club was 9-0-0, the only Pete Gracey told this story about undefeated, untied team in his coach. The quote appeared in Commodore history. Eight of Fred Russell’s book Bury Me in those games were shutouts with An Old Pressbox: the only opponent able to score was Missouri Mines (29-4). They “In my first varsity year, the outscored their opponents 452-4 night before we played Georgia and led the nation in scoring that Tech, Coach McGugin casually year. walked up to me in the lobby of our hotel, put his arm around my His most memorable football game was the October 14, 1922 The College Football Historian-3- he knew plays that a team needs for its scoring record. Above all soldier and sorta whispered, ‘I he was a fine inspirational, one was with some Atlanta who always had the complete newspapermen this afternoon affection and respect of his and I told them you were the players. I don’t believe many finest sophomore center I had people know the amazing job ever coached. I hope that I Dan McGugin did along this haven’t made it embarrassing for latter time. I have heard any you.’ number of old Vanderbilt players tell how much he had meant to “We beat Tech, 49 to 7. Afterward their lives after college days were I talked to seven other players over. and you know, Coach McGugin told them all the same thing he “Dan had a keen sense of humor told me.” that is a big factor in bringing about periods of relaxation which McGugin is credited with being every football squad must have. the first coach to use the on-side Few coaches ever had better kick effectively when the rules ability at keying up the team, for were changed and using guards Dan had a psychology of his own to pull to lead interference. which seemed to fit changing occasions. Under McGugin’s guidance, Vanderbilt became the first “His thirty year record at Southern team to play Vanderbilt will stand as one of intersectional games. the finest things in football, when you take into consideration his Legendary sports writer success as a coach, and his Grantland Rice began his writing greater success as a builder of career in Nashville and was a character.” long-time personal friend of McGugin. Rice gave this tribute McGugin retired from coaching to his friend: after the 1934 season. His last four teams were 5-4, 6-1-2, 4-3-3 “I have known a long parade of and 6-3. He continued to practice football coaches through the past law while also serving as forty years, but I have never met Vanderbilt’s athletics director. At one who combined more of the the time of McGugin’s retirement, qualities needed to make a great he was the oldest coach in coach than Dan McGugin America as far as service with carried. one institution. “In the first place Dan knew the fundamentals and knew how to teach them. In the second place The College Football Historian-4- I. Curry was an All-Southern quarterback at Vanderbilt. As a Nashville citizen McGugin McGugin was a student of the gave himself to the community. Civil War and like reading He was a Trustee of Fisk biographies. Ironically, McGugin died on the birthday of Lee, who University, member of the Vine was born on January 19, 1807. Street Christian Church, Belle Meade Club member and active McGugin was a president of the in the Boy Scouts organization. American Football Coaches McGugin died on January 19, Association, member of the Iowa 1936 at the home of his law Sports Hall of Fame, and partner. He was 56 and remains posthumously, the National the winningest football coach in College Football Hall of Fame. In Vanderbilt history. 2008 McGugin was inducted with the inaugural class to the When McGugin died, his office Vanderbilt Sports Hall of Fame. wall revealed photographs of his heroes. Even though he was from McGugin’s great-grandson, Dan the North and his father a Union McGugin IV, is the current head soldier, his wall displayed football coach at Nashville’s portraits of Confederate General Montgomery Bell Academy. Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln and Irby “Rabbit” Curry. Curry Dan McGugin is buried in was a Vanderbilt player (1913- Nashville’s Mt. Olivet Cemetery. 16) who was killed in World War * * * * Christie Flanagan (1905-1991) Born in Beaumont, Texas, Christie Flanagan, the son of While in high school, Flanagan Christie Sr. and Mae Flanagan spent two summers at Culver of Port Arthur, graduated from Military Institute in Indiana. It Port Arthur High School in was at the suggestion of a 1923 where he played varsity tactical officer there, a Notre football for two years. Dame alumnus, that he enrolled at the university in 1923. Although he didn't make All- State, he was considered one He played on the freshman team of the best players to come out as a walk-on. However, the "Four of the Texas high school Horsemen" were seniors the system in the 1920s. following year, and Flanagan was The College Football Historian-5- Flanagan made All-American that year and again in 1927. red shirted by Coach Knute Rockne. He didn't play a down in In 1927, he starred against USC the 1924 season, but he did in Soldier Field in Chicago before scrimmage daily against the Four a crowd of 128,000 people, the Horsemen and the Seven Mules, largest crowd ever to watch a as the line was known. football game. Flanagan's first season as a Flanagan led Notre Dame in varsity starter was in 1925, and rushing all three of his varsity his first game was against years, rushing for a total of 1,822 Baylor, undefeated in their yards.