Lloyd Brazil
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Brazil was an American athlete, coach and athletic director at the University of Detroit for 38 years. He played halfback
for the University of Detroit football
team from 1927–1929 and was selected as an All-American in 1928 and 1929. After graduating, he remained at the University of Detroit and spent his entire professional career there. He served as the head coach of the baseball and basketball teams, assistant coach of the football team, and director of athletics. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
in 1961 and the University of Detroit Titans Hall of Fame in 1977.
, where his father once was a coal miner. He was a star athlete at Flint Central High School
where he won ten varsity letter
s – four in football and three each in basketball
and baseball
. In two of his seasons at Flint Central, the school won the state football title, and "Brazil's stellar work playing no little part in his team's successes."
’s All-American quarterback Gus Dorais
had taken over as head football coach. In the two years prior to Brazil’s joining the team, Dorais’ football teams at Detroit had compiled disappointing records of 5-4-0 (1925) and 3-6-0 (1926). Brazil joined the team in 1927, and Brazil led the team to a three year record of 23-3-1 outscoring opponents 676 to 126. The best season was 1928 when the team had a perfect 9-0 record and outscored its opponents 267 to 27. During Brazil’s time with the team, Detroit compiled a 19-game winning streak that stands unmatched in school history.
During Detroit's undefeated season in 1928, Brazil received widespread media attention, as reflected in the following excerpt:
Brazil carried the ball nearly 500 times for the University of Detroit and averaged more than eight yards per carry. He gained 5,861 yards during his three-year collegiate career. Brazil was also regarded as a fine passer, an outstanding defensive player, and "a vicious tackler and blocker." Brazil contributed to the team’s success in so many ways that Dorais once remarked, "Brazil would be a valuable man to our team if he never touched the ball." In the 1940s, veteran Detroit sports columnist Watson Spoelstra wrote, "Brazil is one of the super athletes with a place among the best in Michigan history." An Associated Press
profile of Brazil published in 1961 called him "the ideal football player," noting, "He had all the qualities necessary for success — speed, intelligence, desire and the instinct for doing the right thing at the right time."
An earlier profile of Brazil published by the Associated Press
in 1928 focused on his diverse talents:
Another profile of Brazil published during the 1928 season also focused on his abilities as a rusher, passer, blocker and tackler:
Brazil was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1961 and the University of Detroit Titans Hall of Fame in 1977.
. At the time, one newspaper noted that the "hustling" new athletic director "would be somewhat of a one-man gang in the Detroit front office," having responsibilities as athletic director, graduate manager, business manager, ticket manager and also basketball coach. Veteran sports writer E. A. Batchelor paid this tribute to Brazil: "No boy ever was exposed to him without being the better for the experience."
The University of Detroit's year-by-year record in Brazil's sixteen years as coach is set forth below:
. When the Detroit team was batting, Mettie slipped into a nearby building to keep warm.
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the University of Detroit football
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...
team from 1927–1929 and was selected as an All-American in 1928 and 1929. After graduating, he remained at the University of Detroit and spent his entire professional career there. He served as the head coach of the baseball and basketball teams, assistant coach of the football team, and director of athletics. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports people. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, president of the Greater Michigan Foundation Donald Weeks, general manager of the...
in 1961 and the University of Detroit Titans Hall of Fame in 1977.
Early years
Brazil was a native of Bay City, MichiganBay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
, where his father once was a coal miner. He was a star athlete at Flint Central High School
Flint Central High School
Flint Central High School was one of the Flint Community Schools, located in Flint, Michigan, USA. Flint Central was the city's oldest school. Its first building was built in 1875, and the school moved into the present building in 1923. It was called Flint High School until Flint Northern High...
where he won ten varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s – four in football and three each in 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...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In two of his seasons at Flint Central, the school won the state football title, and "Brazil's stellar work playing no little part in his team's successes."
Football player
After graduating from Flint Central, Brazil enrolled at the University of Detroit where Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
’s All-American quarterback Gus Dorais
Gus Dorais
Charles Emile "Gus" Dorais was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American in 1913, and then professionally with the Fort Wayne Friars and Massillon Tigers...
had taken over as head football coach. In the two years prior to Brazil’s joining the team, Dorais’ football teams at Detroit had compiled disappointing records of 5-4-0 (1925) and 3-6-0 (1926). Brazil joined the team in 1927, and Brazil led the team to a three year record of 23-3-1 outscoring opponents 676 to 126. The best season was 1928 when the team had a perfect 9-0 record and outscored its opponents 267 to 27. During Brazil’s time with the team, Detroit compiled a 19-game winning streak that stands unmatched in school history.
During Detroit's undefeated season in 1928, Brazil received widespread media attention, as reflected in the following excerpt:
"One of the main reasons why the University of Detroit football team has been unbeaten and untied in its last fourteen starts (eight this season and six last season) is Lloyd Brazil, the blond halfback. Brazil, without a doubt, is one of the best backs of the year. If Detroit had had a more impressive schedule, he would be certain of a place on one or more of the all-American teams of 1928. As it is, Brazil probably will not be entirely overlooked. His work has been so consistently brilliant that he cannot escape attention."
Brazil carried the ball nearly 500 times for the University of Detroit and averaged more than eight yards per carry. He gained 5,861 yards during his three-year collegiate career. Brazil was also regarded as a fine passer, an outstanding defensive player, and "a vicious tackler and blocker." Brazil contributed to the team’s success in so many ways that Dorais once remarked, "Brazil would be a valuable man to our team if he never touched the ball." In the 1940s, veteran Detroit sports columnist Watson Spoelstra wrote, "Brazil is one of the super athletes with a place among the best in Michigan history." An Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
profile of Brazil published in 1961 called him "the ideal football player," noting, "He had all the qualities necessary for success — speed, intelligence, desire and the instinct for doing the right thing at the right time."
An earlier profile of Brazil published by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in 1928 focused on his diverse talents:
"They're calling Lloyd Brazil, sensational halfback of the University of Detroit eleven, a second Harry Kipke. The appellation is quite appropriate, too, for Brazil stacks up as one of the greatest all-round footballers developed in Michigan in the last 10 years. 'Braz,' as he's known to followers of the Tiger aggregation, is one of those triple threat fellows—a runner, passer and kicker. Brazil has a peculiar loping style of covering ground ... He can shift like a flash either way, sidestep onrushing tacklers with the best and uses the straight arm with telling effect. He's especially brilliant on returning punts in the open. 'Braz' also shines as a pass thrower and receiver. But his forte is punting."
Another profile of Brazil published during the 1928 season also focused on his abilities as a rusher, passer, blocker and tackler:
"Brazil can do everything that a first class back is supposed to do and do each of them with exceptional skill. Schooled as it is by one of the early masters of the forward pass, Charles E. DoraisGus DoraisCharles Emile "Gus" Dorais was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American in 1913, and then professionally with the Fort Wayne Friars and Massillon Tigers...
of Notre Dame, Detroit uses a wide variety of passes. Brazil is on the throwing end of nearly all of them, cool, deliberate, accurate. He does the team's punting and more than his share of carrying the ball. ... An elusive runner, he can be used with success on any type of running play, around the ends, off the tackles, or thru the line. But Brazil is more than a spectacular player. He is a superb interferer, a strong blocker and tackler, one of the best defensive backs of the year."
Other sports and Hall of Fame
Brazil also played basketball for the University of Detroit, and though he was also rated as a good baseball player, the school had no baseball program.Brazil was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1961 and the University of Detroit Titans Hall of Fame in 1977.
Coach and athletic administrator
After graduating in 1930, Brazil declined an offer to play professional baseball and instead accepted a position as Dorais’ assistant at the University of Detroit. Brazil remained at the school until his death in 1965. Over the next 35 years, Brazil served in many capacities as athletic director, business manager of athletics, head baseball coach, head basketball coach, backfield coach to the football team, and chairman of the Athletic Board of Control. He also served for a time as the president of the Missouri Valley Conference. Brazil was promoted to athletic director in 1943 when Dorais stepped down to take over as head coach of the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. At the time, one newspaper noted that the "hustling" new athletic director "would be somewhat of a one-man gang in the Detroit front office," having responsibilities as athletic director, graduate manager, business manager, ticket manager and also basketball coach. Veteran sports writer E. A. Batchelor paid this tribute to Brazil: "No boy ever was exposed to him without being the better for the experience."
Basketball coach
Brazil served as the University of Detroit’s head basketball coach for sixteen years from 1930–1946. From 1935 to 1939, Brazil’s basketball teams were among the best in the Midwest compiling a three-year record of 54–19. His best season as head coach was 1937-38 when the Detroit basketball team compiled a 16-4 (80.0%) record. In sixteen seasons under Brazil, the University of Detroit basketball team had a .625 winning record.The University of Detroit's year-by-year record in Brazil's sixteen years as coach is set forth below:
- 1930–31: 10–9
- 1931–32: 8–8
- 1932–33: 12–5
- 1933–34: 7–8
- 1934–35: 4–10
- 1935–36: 12–5
- 1936–37: 11–5
- 1937–38: 16–4
- 1938–39: 15–5
- 1939–40: 14–9
- 1940–41: 11–10
- 1941–42: 13–8
- 1942–43: 15–5
- 1943–44: 13–7
- 1944–45: 8–12
- 1945–46: 15–8
Baseball coach
Brazil also served as the head baseball coach at the University of Detroit for 20 years from 1945 until his death in 1965. In the 1950s, his Titan baseball teams drew national attention. In April 1960, Brazil decided to start the baseball season as scheduled despite "Decemberish weather" with snow "falling in mushy blobs." When the game was called after two-and-a-half hours and seven innings, Detroit’s pitcher, Gary Mettie, had pitched a no-hitterNo-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
. When the Detroit team was batting, Mettie slipped into a nearby building to keep warm.
Death and family
In March 1965, Brazil was seriously injured while driving his automobile on a street near the University of Detroit. The vehicle skidded in a pile of snow and hit a tree. Brazil was thrown into the dashboard and suffered fractured ribs, facial and other injuries. Brazil was reported to be in good condition, but his condition deteriorated the following week. Doctors performed a tracheotomy in an effort to aid his breathing, but an electro-cardiogram revealed a blood clot. Brazil had suffered a stroke several years earlier. Brazil died days before he was to have started his 20th year as the school’s head baseball coach.See also
- 1928 College Football All-America Team1928 College Football All-America TeamThe 1928 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1928...
- 1929 College Football All-America Team1929 College Football All-America TeamThe 1929 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1929 college football season...