George Gauthier (American football)
Encyclopedia
George E. "Gooch" Gauthier (February 3, 1890 – August 11, 1964) was an American football
and basketball
player, athletic coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University
, in 1918 and at Ohio Wesleyan University
from 1921 to 1946, compiling a career record of 125–101–15. Gauthier was also the head basketball coach at Michigan Agricultural from 1916 to 1920 and at Ohio Wesleyan for the 1945–1946 season, tallying a career mark of 47–46.
, Gauthier played both basketball and football for Michigan Agricultural College between 1911 and 1914. While attending the school, "Gauthier peeled three bushels of potatotes daily to pay for his meals and delivered laundry for expense money." He was also president of the student council as a senior. He was the starting quarterback
for the school's football team in 1912 and 1913 and led the team to upset victories over Ohio State
in 1912 and Michigan
in 1913. In the 1912 game against Ohio State, the Aggies trailed 20–0 at halftime but scored 32 points in the second half, including two scores by Gauthier, to win the game, 32–20. Years later, Gauthier described the victory over Michigan as his first great thrill:
The 12-7 win over the Wolverines marked the first victory by a Michigan State team in the long Michigan-Michigan State rivalry and ruined Michigan's unbeaten season
. The 1912 and 1913 football teams with Gauthier as quarterback won 14 games and lost only one game. Gauthier later recalled, "I played two years at quarterback, never missed a minute of play, and never played in a losing game."
from 1915 to 1917, and became the head football coach in 1918, compiling a record of 4–3. The biggest victory in his single season as head football coach was a 12-9 decision over Knute Rockne
's Notre Dame team. Gauthier was also the head basketball coach at Michigan Agricultural from 1916 to 1920, tallying a record of 38–35.
for 26 years from 1921 to 1946 and compiled a record of 121–98–15. He coached the Ohio Wesleyan football team to a 17–7 win over the Michigan Wolverines
in the opening game of the 1928 college football season, marking the first loss by Michigan in a season opener since 1883. The 1928 victory over Michigan was also the first game played in the newly constructed Michigan Stadium
. Gauthier later described the victory over Michigan as the greatest thrill of his career:
Gauthier also served as Ohio Wesleyan's athletic director for 34 years from 1921 to 1955. He also served as the men's track & field coach from 1922–1955 and as cross country coach from 1955–1958. He was nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1960. Gauthier was one of the initial inductees into the Ohio Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame in 1961. He was also a charter inductee into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall Of Fame in 1969. He was also inducted into the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame for his contributions to collegiate athletics.
Gauthier died in August 1964 in a hospital in Ontario, Canada, two weeks after suffering a heart attack. He was survived by his wife,
Ruth Gauthier, a son Richard Gauthier, and two stepchildren. The Board of Education in Delaware, Ohio
voted just a few hours before Gauthier's death to name a new high school stadium in his honor.
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...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, athletic coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, in 1918 and at Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
from 1921 to 1946, compiling a career record of 125–101–15. Gauthier was also the head basketball coach at Michigan Agricultural from 1916 to 1920 and at Ohio Wesleyan for the 1945–1946 season, tallying a career mark of 47–46.
Athlete at Michigan State
A native of Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Gauthier played both basketball and football for Michigan Agricultural College between 1911 and 1914. While attending the school, "Gauthier peeled three bushels of potatotes daily to pay for his meals and delivered laundry for expense money." He was also president of the student council as a senior. He was the starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the school's football team in 1912 and 1913 and led the team to upset victories over Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
in 1912 and Michigan
1913 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1913 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1913 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:...
in 1913. In the 1912 game against Ohio State, the Aggies trailed 20–0 at halftime but scored 32 points in the second half, including two scores by Gauthier, to win the game, 32–20. Years later, Gauthier described the victory over Michigan as his first great thrill:
"My mind goes back to 1913, when Michigan State's team — a little band of agriculture students — journeyed to Ann Arbor to meet mighty Michigan. I was the 130-pound quarterback, cocky and confident we could beat the Wolverines. I insisted my mother come over from Detroit to see the game, her first football contest. We won the game 12–7 and my mother became a foolball fan to provide my first big thrill."
The 12-7 win over the Wolverines marked the first victory by a Michigan State team in the long Michigan-Michigan State rivalry and ruined Michigan's unbeaten season
1913 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1913 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1913 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:...
. The 1912 and 1913 football teams with Gauthier as quarterback won 14 games and lost only one game. Gauthier later recalled, "I played two years at quarterback, never missed a minute of play, and never played in a losing game."
Coach at Michigan State
After graduating from M.A.C. in 1914, Gauthier remained in East Lansing as an assistant athletic director for six years. He was an assistant football coach under John MacklinJohn Macklin
John Farrell "Big John" Macklin was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, baseball and track and field, and a college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University from 1911 to 1915...
from 1915 to 1917, and became the head football coach in 1918, compiling a record of 4–3. The biggest victory in his single season as head football coach was a 12-9 decision over Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
's Notre Dame team. Gauthier was also the head basketball coach at Michigan Agricultural from 1916 to 1920, tallying a record of 38–35.
Coach and athletic director at Ohio Wesleyan
Gauthier served as the head football coach at Ohio Wesleyan UniversityOhio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
for 26 years from 1921 to 1946 and compiled a record of 121–98–15. He coached the Ohio Wesleyan football team to a 17–7 win over the Michigan Wolverines
1928 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1928 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1928 college football season. The team's head coach was Elton Wieman...
in the opening game of the 1928 college football season, marking the first loss by Michigan in a season opener since 1883. The 1928 victory over Michigan was also the first game played in the newly constructed Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
. Gauthier later described the victory over Michigan as the greatest thrill of his career:
"No one who was there will ever forget — that little band of Battling Bishops against the mighty Wolves. A special train-load of faculty, alumni and students went along for the dedication game. We were nervous in the unfinished dressing rooms. With a half-hour to go to game time someone started singing, and soon the locker room rang with close harmony college songs. We were relaxed, and we were
ready. After the first few minutes, a player coming off the field told me: 'They're not too tough, coach. We can take them.'"
Gauthier also served as Ohio Wesleyan's athletic director for 34 years from 1921 to 1955. He also served as the men's track & field coach from 1922–1955 and as cross country coach from 1955–1958. He was nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1960. Gauthier was one of the initial inductees into the Ohio Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame in 1961. He was also a charter inductee into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall Of Fame in 1969. He was also inducted into the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame for his contributions to collegiate athletics.
Gauthier died in August 1964 in a hospital in Ontario, Canada, two weeks after suffering a heart attack. He was survived by his wife,
Ruth Gauthier, a son Richard Gauthier, and two stepchildren. The Board of Education in Delaware, Ohio
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
voted just a few hours before Gauthier's death to name a new high school stadium in his honor.
Football
External links
- George Gauthier at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com