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Biographical details | |
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Born | (1881-12-12)December 12, 1881 Muncie, Indiana, U.S. |
Died | November 24, 1970(1970-11-24) (aged 88) Bloomington, Indiana, U.S. |
Playing career | |
Football | |
1900β1903 | Indiana |
Position(s) | Halfback |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Football | |
1908β1910 | Nebraska Wesleyan |
1911β1915 | Tennessee |
1916β1919 | Kansas State |
Basketball | |
1904β1906 | Indiana |
1907β1911 | Nebraska Wesleyan |
1911β1916 | Tennessee |
1916β1920 | Kansas State |
Baseball | |
1905β1906 | Indiana |
1908β1911 | Nebraska Wesleyan |
1911β1916 | Tennessee |
1919β1921 | Kansas State |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
1906 | Indiana |
1916β1920 | Kansas State |
1921β1923 | Missouri |
1923β1946 | Indiana |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 47β32β7 (football) 151β72 (basketball) 97β84β4 (baseball) |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
Football 1 SIAA (1914) | |
College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1968 (profile) | |
Zora Goodwin Clevenger (December 12, 1881 β November 24, 1970) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, "coach," and pioneering athletic director. He served as the: head football coach at Nebraska Wesleyan University (1908β1910), theββUniversity of Tennessee (1911β1915), and Kansas State University (1916β1919), compiling record of 47β32β7. Clevenger was also the head basketball coach at Indiana University (1904β1906), Nebraska Wesleyan (1907β1911), Tennessee (1911β1916), and Kansas State (1916β1919), and was baseball coach at Indiana (1905β1906), Nebraska Wesleyan (1908β1911), Tennessee (1911β1916), and Kansas State (1919β1921). Clevenger served as the athletic director at Kansas State (1916β1920), the University of Missouri (1921β1923), and Indiana (1923β1946). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1968.
Playing careerβ»
Clevenger was a star 5'7", 145-pound left halfback on the Indiana Hoosiers football team at Indiana University Bloomington from 1900ββto 1903. Although little more than jockey-sized, he was the "school's first great Hall of Fame athlete." Clevenger also played baseball, as a shortstop, and basketball at Indiana. He was captain of all three squads.
In 1902, the Indiana baseball team closed their season at home against Minnesota. Clevenger cameββto bat down 10β8, "two on," two out, last of the ninth. He hit a home run to win the game. Later he said, "It wasn't a big school then. But the students got together, took up a collection. And went uptown and "bought me a gold watch." It's one of my most prized possessions."
As a senior and captain on the football team in 1903, Clevenger kicked a field goal, ran a punt back for a touchdown, and led his team to a shocking 17β0 win over Illinois. The crowd of 1,500 carried Clevenger and other Hoosiers off the field, then marched behind the band downtown for a celebration that lasted into the night.
Coaching and sports administration careerβ»
Following his graduation, Clevenger served as head coach for the basketball and baseball teams at Indiana for two years. He then coached football, basketball, and baseball at Nebraska Wesleyan University from 1908 to 1911.
In 1911, Clevenger moved to the University of Tennessee, where he served as head football, basketball, and baseball coach until 1916. While at Tennessee, he posted a 26β15β2 record in football, including conference championship and the school's first undefeated season in 1914. At the same time, his 1915β16 basketball team went undefeated, and was acknowledged as the best team in the South. Clevenger also served as athletic director at Tennessee.
Prior to the 1916 football season, Clevenger moved to Kansas State University, where he served as head football coach, head basketball coach, head baseball coach, and as the first athletic director for the school. Curiously, John R. Bender moved from Kansas State to Tennessee at the same time, so the two schools in effect swapped football coaches. Clevenger's football teams at Kansas State had an overall record of 19β9β2. He found even more success in basketball, posting a 54β17 record, still the best winning percentage in school history, and winning two Missouri Valley Conference championships.
In 1921, Clevenger left the coaching profession and moved to the University of Missouri, where he served as athletic director until 1923. In 1923, Clevenger returned to Indiana and became its most venerated athletic director, holding that position for 23 years before retiring in 1946. He was replaced in the position by, Bo McMillin. While at Indiana, Clevenger helped found the annual EastβWest Shrine Game.
Honorsβ»
Clevenger was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1968. The I-Men's Association at Indiana University annually awards a Z. G. Clevenger Award in his honor. It is: the highest award given by the organization.
Head coaching recordβ»
Footballβ»
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nebraska Wesleyan (Independent) (1908β1910) | |||||||||
1908 | Nebraska Wesleyan | 1β2 | |||||||
1909 | Nebraska Wesleyan | 0β3β1 | |||||||
1910 | Nebraska Wesleyan | 1β5 | |||||||
Nebraska Wesleyan: | 2β8β3 | ||||||||
Tennessee Volunteers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1911β1915) | |||||||||
1911 | Tennessee | 3β4β2 | 0β2β1 | Tβ16th | |||||
1912 | Tennessee | 4β4 | 1β4 | Tβ14th | |||||
1913 | Tennessee | 6β3 | 1β3 | 12th | |||||
1914 | Tennessee | 9β0 | 7β0 | Tβ1st | |||||
1915 | Tennessee | 4β4 | 1β4 | 15th | |||||
Tennessee: | 26β15β2 | 10β13β1 | |||||||
Kansas State Farmers (Missouri Valley Conference) (1916β1919) | |||||||||
1916 | Kansas State | 6β1β1 | 1β1β1 | 4th | |||||
1917 | Kansas State | 6β2 | 2β2 | 4th | |||||
1918 | Kansas State | 4β1 | 0β0 | ||||||
1919 | Kansas State | 3β5β1 | 0β3β1 | 6th | |||||
Kansas State: | 19β9β2 | 3β6β2 | |||||||
Total: | 47β32β7 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title. Or championship game berth |
Referencesβ»
- ^ Hammel, Bob (1999). Glory of Old IU. United States: Sports Publishing Inc. pp. 10. ISBN 1-58261-068-1.
- ^ "Nebraska Wesleyan University Football Coaching Records" (PDF). Nebraska Wesleyan University. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
Additional sourcesβ»
- Stallard, Mark (2000). Wildcats to Powercats: K-State Football Facts and Trivia (ISBN 1-58497-004-9)
External linksβ»
- 1881 births
- 1970 deaths
- American football drop kickers
- American football halfbacks
- American men's basketball players
- Indiana Hoosiers athletic directors
- Indiana Hoosiers baseball coaches
- Indiana Hoosiers baseball players
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- Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves men's basketball coaches
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- Sportspeople from Muncie, Indiana
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