Gus Zitrides
Encyclopedia
Gregory G. "Gus" Zitrides (c. 1916 – January 27, 1987) was an American college football
player and coach. He coached at Brown University
in 1950 and compiled a 1–8 record. Zitrides also spent time as an assistant coach at Brown and Cornell University
. He played as a guard
at Dartmouth
under Earl Blaik
from 1936 to 1938.
, Zitrides attended Central High School
in Manchester, New Hampshire
, where he played football
from 1932 to 1935. Zitrides then attended Dartmouth College
, where he played for the football team
as a guard
from 1936 to 1938 under head coach Earl Blaik
.
. In 1942, Zitrides resigned his position to enter the United States Navy
and earn a reserve commission
through the V-5 program, which ran physical fitness programs around the country to train Navy pilots.
After the War, Zitrides returned to his alma mater as a line coach in 1947 under head coach Rip Engle
. Before the 1950 season, Engle left to take over at Penn State
, and he offered to bring along his assistants, Zitrides and Bill Doolittle. Zitrides declined the offer because Brown University offered him the head coaching position. Doolittle elected to remain at Brown as Zitrides's assistant. Zitrides was relieved after recording only one win to eight losses in his first season.
on January 27, 1987 at the age of 71. Manchester Central High School inducted him into its hall of fame in 1996.
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...
player and coach. He coached at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1950 and compiled a 1–8 record. Zitrides also spent time as an assistant coach at Brown and Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. He played as a guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
at Dartmouth
Dartmouth Big Green football
The Dartmouth Big Green football team represents Dartmouth College in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League...
under Earl Blaik
Earl Blaik
Earl Henry "Red" Blaik was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and United States Army officer. He served as the head football coach at Dartmouth College from 1934 to 1940 and at the United States Military Academy from 1941 to 1958, compiling a career college...
from 1936 to 1938.
Early life
Born to a family of Greek descentGreek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
, Zitrides attended Central High School
Manchester Central High School
Manchester High School Central is the oldest public high school in the state of New Hampshire. Located in the heart of Manchester, New Hampshire, over 2,400 students attend from communities such as Auburn, Candia, Hooksett, and Manchester. The name was changed from Manchester High School in 1922...
in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
from 1932 to 1935. Zitrides then attended Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, where he played for the football team
Dartmouth Big Green football
The Dartmouth Big Green football team represents Dartmouth College in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League...
as a guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
from 1936 to 1938 under head coach Earl Blaik
Earl Blaik
Earl Henry "Red" Blaik was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and United States Army officer. He served as the head football coach at Dartmouth College from 1934 to 1940 and at the United States Military Academy from 1941 to 1958, compiling a career college...
.
Coaching career and military service
He then served for three years as an assistant coach at Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. In 1942, Zitrides resigned his position to enter the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and earn a reserve commission
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
through the V-5 program, which ran physical fitness programs around the country to train Navy pilots.
After the War, Zitrides returned to his alma mater as a line coach in 1947 under head coach Rip Engle
Rip Engle
Charles A. "Rip" Engle was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Brown University from 1944 to 1949 and at Pennsylvania State University from 1950 to 1965, compiling a career college football record of 132–68–8...
. Before the 1950 season, Engle left to take over at Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, and he offered to bring along his assistants, Zitrides and Bill Doolittle. Zitrides declined the offer because Brown University offered him the head coaching position. Doolittle elected to remain at Brown as Zitrides's assistant. Zitrides was relieved after recording only one win to eight losses in his first season.
Later life
After his coaching career, Zitrides entered government service in 1951, in which he worked until his retirement in 1973. He died in Langhorne, PennsylvaniaLanghorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2010 census.The name "Langhorne" is used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's zip code of 19047...
on January 27, 1987 at the age of 71. Manchester Central High School inducted him into its hall of fame in 1996.