Jim Trimble
Encyclopedia
James W. "Jim" Trimble was a football
coach who served as head coach in both the National Football League
and Canadian Football League
, but his legacy is more connected to football products, thanks to his "slingshot" goal posts. In the NFL, he spent four years leading the Philadelphia Eagles
, before spending the next decade in the CFL, most notably with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
.
. He worked in the steel mills dragging slag off the steel melts in the furnaces; this caused him to develop a huge upper torso and very strong arms. In 1936 he was left tackle on the football team of Elgin Academy (a private school) in Elgin, Ill. The Hilltoppers lost no games in 1936 and 1937, largely due to Jim's greatness on the field.
Later, he played tackle at Indiana University
for three years beginning in 1939. After graduating in 1942, he entered the U.S. Navy, spending the next three years in the service during World War II
. Upon the end of the conflict, he was named a line coach at Wichita State University
, then became the school's head coach at the end of the 1947 season. Trimble held that position for three seasons and his overall coaching record at Wichita State was 13 wins, 14 losses, and 3 ties.
, the man who had hired him, was diagnosed with cancer early in that first season and resigned in favor of Wayne Millner
. When Millner himself resigned on September 8, 1952, Trimble was promoted to head coach.
During his first three years, Philadelphia finished second in each season to the Cleveland Browns
, with Trimble awarded a three-year contract after the team's second straight runnerup finish in 1953. Entering the 1955 NFL season
, the Eagles were expected to strongly challenge the defending champion Browns, but when the team fell to 4-7-1, Trimble was fired on December 12. During his four years with the Eagles, he had compiled a mark of 25-20-3.
title in 1957. They capped the season with a 32-7 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
, who were led by Trimble's former player, Bud Grant
.
That victory would sow the seeds of a rivalry when Trimble's team scored a meaningless touchdown in the waning moments of the contest. Angered by Hamilton running up the score
, Winnipeg got its revenge one year later when they upset the Tiger-Cats, 35-28. Using the previous season's contest as motivation, the Blue Bombers also were aided when Trimble said days before the contest, "We'll waffle 'em. We'll leave 'em with lumps on the front and the back." The waffle would become a notorious symbol of Trimble's career, with Winnipeg fans jokingly presenting him one the following year.
After losing out to Vince Lombardi
for the Green Bay Packers
head coaching job in January 1959, Trimble endured continued frustration in three of the succeeding four CFL campaigns when Hamilton lost in the Grey Cup, each time to Winnipeg. In early 1963, Trimble left Hamilton to take the reins of the Montreal Alouettes
, but after three losing seasons, he was unable to recapture the magic and was fired on November 18, 1965. Shortly after his dismissal, Trimble allegedly assaulted Montreal Gazette sportswriter Ian McDonald, but was able to avoid any trouble by apologizing to the journalist.
During his CFL career, he gained a nickname, "Jungle Jim", in part for his reputation in making controversial statements that spurred his running feud with Winnipeg. He later noted that his comments were made to draw attention to the league, and thus make it more marketable. His efforts succeeded in Hamilton, where by 1962, attendance had risen to 23,000 per game.
, a suburb of Montreal. Here, he and a Montreal friend began to market a new type of goal post that was supported by only one post, instead of the two that had been the standard since the game began. The so-called "slingshot" goalposts, named because of their "Y" shape, were adopted by the NFL in 1967, just after Trimble returned to coaching as an offensive line assistant with the New York Giants
. Trimble had been offered the job by head coach Allie Sherman
while attempting to sell the team his innovative goal posts.
When Sherman was fired during the 1969 preseason, Trimble was transferred to the scouting department, where he would spend the next two decades before retiring. During the latter portion of this era, he earned a Super Bowl
ring. He then spent his retirement in Indianapolis, Indiana
before dying in 2006 of emphysema.
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...
coach who served as head coach in both the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, but his legacy is more connected to football products, thanks to his "slingshot" goal posts. In the NFL, he spent four years leading the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, before spending the next decade in the CFL, most notably with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
.
Early life and career
Trimble grew up in McKeesport, PennsylvaniaMcKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
. He worked in the steel mills dragging slag off the steel melts in the furnaces; this caused him to develop a huge upper torso and very strong arms. In 1936 he was left tackle on the football team of Elgin Academy (a private school) in Elgin, Ill. The Hilltoppers lost no games in 1936 and 1937, largely due to Jim's greatness on the field.
Later, he played tackle at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
for three years beginning in 1939. After graduating in 1942, he entered the U.S. Navy, spending the next three years in the service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Upon the end of the conflict, he was named a line coach at Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
, then became the school's head coach at the end of the 1947 season. Trimble held that position for three seasons and his overall coaching record at Wichita State was 13 wins, 14 losses, and 3 ties.
Philadelphia Eagles
After three years with the Shockers, a time in which he also served as the school's athletic director, Trimble accepted an assistant coaching position with the Eagles in 1951. Bo McMillinBo McMillin
Alvin Nugent "Bo" McMillin was an American football player and coach, who served at both the collegiate and professional levels. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where was a three-time All-American at quarterback, and led the Centre Praying Colonels to a...
, the man who had hired him, was diagnosed with cancer early in that first season and resigned in favor of Wayne Millner
Wayne Millner
Wayne Vernal Millner was an American football player who was known for his clutch play as an offensive and defensive end for both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and for the National Football League's Washington Redskins.-Early life:Millner grew up in Roxbury, Massachusetts and played high school...
. When Millner himself resigned on September 8, 1952, Trimble was promoted to head coach.
During his first three years, Philadelphia finished second in each season to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with Trimble awarded a three-year contract after the team's second straight runnerup finish in 1953. Entering the 1955 NFL season
1955 NFL season
The 1955 NFL season was the 36th regular season of the National Football League. NBC paid $100,000 to replace DuMont as the national television network for the NFL Championship Game...
, the Eagles were expected to strongly challenge the defending champion Browns, but when the team fell to 4-7-1, Trimble was fired on December 12. During his four years with the Eagles, he had compiled a mark of 25-20-3.
Canadian Football League
Trimble was not out of work long, accepting the head coaching position of the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats on December 29, signing a one-year deal. After that first season, Trimble was a candidate for the head coaching job at his alma mater, Indiana, but remained north of the border. That decision would prove to be a wise one as the Tiger-Cats battled their way to a Grey CupGrey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
title in 1957. They capped the season with a 32-7 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
, who were led by Trimble's former player, Bud Grant
Bud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
.
That victory would sow the seeds of a rivalry when Trimble's team scored a meaningless touchdown in the waning moments of the contest. Angered by Hamilton running up the score
Running up the score
In North American sports, "running up the score" occurs when a team continues to play in such a way as to score additional points after the outcome of the game is no longer in question and the team is assured of winning...
, Winnipeg got its revenge one year later when they upset the Tiger-Cats, 35-28. Using the previous season's contest as motivation, the Blue Bombers also were aided when Trimble said days before the contest, "We'll waffle 'em. We'll leave 'em with lumps on the front and the back." The waffle would become a notorious symbol of Trimble's career, with Winnipeg fans jokingly presenting him one the following year.
After losing out to Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
head coaching job in January 1959, Trimble endured continued frustration in three of the succeeding four CFL campaigns when Hamilton lost in the Grey Cup, each time to Winnipeg. In early 1963, Trimble left Hamilton to take the reins of the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, but after three losing seasons, he was unable to recapture the magic and was fired on November 18, 1965. Shortly after his dismissal, Trimble allegedly assaulted Montreal Gazette sportswriter Ian McDonald, but was able to avoid any trouble by apologizing to the journalist.
During his CFL career, he gained a nickname, "Jungle Jim", in part for his reputation in making controversial statements that spurred his running feud with Winnipeg. He later noted that his comments were made to draw attention to the league, and thus make it more marketable. His efforts succeeded in Hamilton, where by 1962, attendance had risen to 23,000 per game.
Later career
Out of football during 1966, Trimble remained in Hudson, QuebecHudson, Quebec
Hudson, Quebec, Canada, is a town with a population of 5,088 on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality. Situated about west of downtown Montreal, many residents commute to work on the Island of Montreal.- Location and...
, a suburb of Montreal. Here, he and a Montreal friend began to market a new type of goal post that was supported by only one post, instead of the two that had been the standard since the game began. The so-called "slingshot" goalposts, named because of their "Y" shape, were adopted by the NFL in 1967, just after Trimble returned to coaching as an offensive line assistant with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Trimble had been offered the job by head coach Allie Sherman
Allie Sherman
Alexander "Allie" Sherman is a retired American football National Football League running back and head coach....
while attempting to sell the team his innovative goal posts.
When Sherman was fired during the 1969 preseason, Trimble was transferred to the scouting department, where he would spend the next two decades before retiring. During the latter portion of this era, he earned a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
ring. He then spent his retirement in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
before dying in 2006 of emphysema.