Cleo A. O'Donnell
Encyclopedia
Cleo A. O'Donnell was an American football
player and coach. He played college football
at College of the Holy Cross
from 1904 to 1907. He was a football coach at Everett High School
(1909–1915), Purdue University
(1916–1917), Holy Cross (1919–1930) and Saint Anselm College
(1935–1940). His 1914 Everett team has been ranked as the greatest high school football team of all time, finishing with a 13–0 record and outscoring opponents 600 to 0. In 11 years as the head coach at Holy Cross, his teams compiled a record of 69–27–6. O'Donnell has been inducted into the Holy Cross and Saint Anselm Halls of Fame.
, O'Donnell attended the Boston Latin School
before enrolling at the College of Holy Cross in 1904. He played four years for the Holy Cross Crusaders
football team. He was a tackle
in the 1904 and 1905 seasons, and end in 1906, and a fullback
in 1907. In the final game of the 1906 season, played at the Polo Grounds
, O'Donnell scored both of Holy Cross's touchdowns in 15–6 win over Fordham. He was selected by his teammates as captain of the 1907 team. His final game for Holy Cross was a 34–0 loss to Fordham. Despite the one-sided game, The New York Times singled out "O'Donnell's Pretty Play" as the feature of the contest. The Times wrote:
O'Donnell graduated from Holy Cross in 1908 and began his coaching career at Somerville High School
, Somerville, Massachusetts
. In September 1909, he was hired as the football coach at Everett High School
, Everett, Massachusetts
. He served as the head coach at Everett for seven years from 1909 to 1915. His teams won championships in five of the seven seasons that O'Donnell was the coach. In 13 games, O'Donnell's 1914 Everett team went 13–0 and outscored opponents 600 to 0. In the national championship of high school football, Everett, the best team in the East, was matched against Oak Park High School
from Illinois, the best team in the West. Everett defeated Oak Park 80 to 0. The Boston Evening Transcript wrote at the time, "Since Cleo O'Donnell took charge of the Suburban League school's athletics, he has had remarkable success, but this year's team is his masterpiece." Seventy years later, Sports Illustrated
published a feature story on the 1914 Everett team, declaring it possibly the greatest high school football team of all time. O'Donnell became known for the stylish suits he wore on the sidelines at Everett and developed a reputation as "a demanding perfectionist." As the coach at Everett, O'Donnell compiled a record of 68–8–6, and through one stretch between 1913 and 1915 his team shut out all opponents in 27 consecutive games.
In March 1916, O'Donnell was hired as the head football coach at Purdue University
. In two seasons as the coach at Purdue, his teams lost eight out of nine games against Western Conference
opponents and compiled an overall record of 5–8–1.
In August 1919, O'Donnell returned his alma mater as the head football coach of the Holy Cross Crusaders
. He remained the head coach at Holy Cross from 1919 through 1929. In his 11 years at Holy Cross, his teams posted a combined record of 69–27–6. He never had a losing season at Holy Cross, and his 1923 team outscored opponents 272 to 29. In early 1930, O'Donnell stepped down as head football coach at Holy Cross, but remained at the school as athletic director until December 1933.
In April 1935, O'Donnell was hired as the head football coach and athletic director at Saint Anselm College
in Goffstown, New Hampshire
. O'Donnell was the head coach at Saint Anselm for six seasons from 1935 to 1940. In January 1941, O'Donnell resigned his position at Saint Anselm.
In 1945, O'Donnell was hired as the high school football coach at Fitchburg, Massachusetts
.
In February 1953, O'Donnell collapsed and died suddenly while attending a testimonial dinner for his former pupil, Harry McMahon, at Southbridge, Massachusetts
.
His son Kenneth O'Donnell
was an aide to President John F Kennedy, and his grandson Kevin M. O'Donnell
is the co-founder of Earthlink
.
O'Donnell was inducted into the Holy Cross Athletics Hall of Fame in 1962. He was also inducted into Saint Anselm College's Anselmian Athletic Club Hall of Fame in 1985.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
from 1904 to 1907. He was a football coach at Everett High School
Everett High School (Massachusetts)
Everett High School is a public high school in Everett, Massachusetts. In the 2007-2008 school year, it had 1,774 students. After being at the Broadway Street location for almost 100 years, a new high school was built on Elm Street, opening in September, 2007....
(1909–1915), Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
(1916–1917), Holy Cross (1919–1930) and Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College is a nationally ranked, private, Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Founded in 1889 by Abbot Hilary Pfrängle, O.S.B. of Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the request of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire, the...
(1935–1940). His 1914 Everett team has been ranked as the greatest high school football team of all time, finishing with a 13–0 record and outscoring opponents 600 to 0. In 11 years as the head coach at Holy Cross, his teams compiled a record of 69–27–6. O'Donnell has been inducted into the Holy Cross and Saint Anselm Halls of Fame.
Biography
A native of Charlestown, MassachusettsCharlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
, O'Donnell attended the Boston Latin School
Boston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
before enrolling at the College of Holy Cross in 1904. He played four years for the Holy Cross Crusaders
Holy Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Atlantic Hockey Association and women's golf in the Big South Conference...
football team. He was a tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
in the 1904 and 1905 seasons, and end in 1906, and a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in 1907. In the final game of the 1906 season, played at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, O'Donnell scored both of Holy Cross's touchdowns in 15–6 win over Fordham. He was selected by his teammates as captain of the 1907 team. His final game for Holy Cross was a 34–0 loss to Fordham. Despite the one-sided game, The New York Times singled out "O'Donnell's Pretty Play" as the feature of the contest. The Times wrote:
"Again and again by the sheer force of his phenomenal running O'Donnell took the ball through the Fordham line and gained a dozen first downs. In fact, not once during the whole progress of the game was the remarkable back stopped for a loss, but, unsupported as he was, the herculean task of beating a well-drilled eleven was too much for him. ... Several stretches of thirty yards were made by his rushing, but eventually Holy Cross was forced to kick, and their advances ended there."
O'Donnell graduated from Holy Cross in 1908 and began his coaching career at Somerville High School
Somerville High School (Massachusetts)
Somerville High School is a public, 4-year high school in Somerville, Massachusetts. The school offers a wide selection of classes and vocational programs....
, Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
. In September 1909, he was hired as the football coach at Everett High School
Everett High School (Massachusetts)
Everett High School is a public high school in Everett, Massachusetts. In the 2007-2008 school year, it had 1,774 students. After being at the Broadway Street location for almost 100 years, a new high school was built on Elm Street, opening in September, 2007....
, Everett, Massachusetts
Everett, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council...
. He served as the head coach at Everett for seven years from 1909 to 1915. His teams won championships in five of the seven seasons that O'Donnell was the coach. In 13 games, O'Donnell's 1914 Everett team went 13–0 and outscored opponents 600 to 0. In the national championship of high school football, Everett, the best team in the East, was matched against Oak Park High School
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Oak Park and River Forest High School, or OPRF, is a public four-year high school located in Oak Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is the only school of Oak Park and River Forest District 200....
from Illinois, the best team in the West. Everett defeated Oak Park 80 to 0. The Boston Evening Transcript wrote at the time, "Since Cleo O'Donnell took charge of the Suburban League school's athletics, he has had remarkable success, but this year's team is his masterpiece." Seventy years later, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
published a feature story on the 1914 Everett team, declaring it possibly the greatest high school football team of all time. O'Donnell became known for the stylish suits he wore on the sidelines at Everett and developed a reputation as "a demanding perfectionist." As the coach at Everett, O'Donnell compiled a record of 68–8–6, and through one stretch between 1913 and 1915 his team shut out all opponents in 27 consecutive games.
In March 1916, O'Donnell was hired as the head football coach at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. In two seasons as the coach at Purdue, his teams lost eight out of nine games against Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
opponents and compiled an overall record of 5–8–1.
In August 1919, O'Donnell returned his alma mater as the head football coach of the Holy Cross Crusaders
Holy Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Atlantic Hockey Association and women's golf in the Big South Conference...
. He remained the head coach at Holy Cross from 1919 through 1929. In his 11 years at Holy Cross, his teams posted a combined record of 69–27–6. He never had a losing season at Holy Cross, and his 1923 team outscored opponents 272 to 29. In early 1930, O'Donnell stepped down as head football coach at Holy Cross, but remained at the school as athletic director until December 1933.
In April 1935, O'Donnell was hired as the head football coach and athletic director at Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College is a nationally ranked, private, Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Founded in 1889 by Abbot Hilary Pfrängle, O.S.B. of Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the request of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire, the...
in Goffstown, New Hampshire
Goffstown, New Hampshire
Goffstown is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 17,651 at the 2010 census. The compact center of town, where 3,196 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the Goffstown census-designated place and is located at the...
. O'Donnell was the head coach at Saint Anselm for six seasons from 1935 to 1940. In January 1941, O'Donnell resigned his position at Saint Anselm.
In 1945, O'Donnell was hired as the high school football coach at Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
.
In February 1953, O'Donnell collapsed and died suddenly while attending a testimonial dinner for his former pupil, Harry McMahon, at Southbridge, Massachusetts
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
His son Kenneth O'Donnell
Kenneth O'Donnell
Kenneth Patrick O'Donnell , known as Kenny, was a top aide to U.S. President John F. Kennedy and part of the group of Kennedys' close advisors called the "Irish Mafia"...
was an aide to President John F Kennedy, and his grandson Kevin M. O'Donnell
Kevin M. O'Donnell
Kevin M. O'Donnell was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. O'Donnell, an Internet Pioneer and Film Entrepreneur is perhaps best known as Co-Founder of Earthlink ISP. O'Donnell is also the second oldest son of Kenneth O'Donnell, Special Assistant to President John F...
is the co-founder of Earthlink
EarthLink
EarthLink , is an Internet service provider headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It claims 1.94 million subscribers.- Business :EarthLink provides a variety of Internet connection types, including dial-up, DSL, satellite, and cable. Both dial-up and high speed Internet access are available...
.
O'Donnell was inducted into the Holy Cross Athletics Hall of Fame in 1962. He was also inducted into Saint Anselm College's Anselmian Athletic Club Hall of Fame in 1985.