Mike Pecarovich
Encyclopedia
Michael J. "Mike" Pecarovich (September 23, 1898 – March 23, 1965) was an American college football
coach, lawyer, and actor. He served as the head coach at Loyola Marymount University
in 1928 and 1939, Gonzaga University
from 1931 to 1938, and the University of San Diego
from 1960 to 1961. Pecarovich also coached two professional teams, the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast Professional Football League
and the San Francisco Clippers of the California-based American Football League
.
, Pecarovich attended Santa Clara University
, where he played on the football team from 1919 to 1921 as a guard
and an end. Pecarovich then transferred to Gonzaga University
, where he played football as a quarterback
under head coach Gus Dorais
. He graduated from Gonzaga in 1922, and the following season served as an assistant coach to Dorais. In 1924, Pecarovich earned a law degree and passed the bar exam.
football team for two years. He then coached the Los Angeles Angels, a football team in the Pacific Coast Professional League, until 1928. That year, Pecarovich took over as head football coach at Loyola Marymount, where he installed the Knute Rockne system
. The Lions amassed a 5–3 record in 1928. In 1929 and 1930, he coached Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, California
.
Pecarovich returned to his alma mater, Gonzaga, in 1931 as the replacement for former head coach Ray Flaherty
. While there, Pecarovich appointed Bing Crosby
, a friend and former classmate, as an assistant coach. Pecarovich made appearances in several movies alongside Crosby. He remained at Gonzaga through 1938 and compiled a 31–35–5 record.
In 1939, Pecarovich returned to coach Loyola Marymount, which gave him a three-year contract; the Gonzaga administration agreed to release him from the two years remaining on his contract. His second stint with Loyola was not successful, his team earning a 2–5–1 record, and he was replaced by Marty Brill
. In 1941, he applied for the head coaching position at the University of Idaho
, but was not hired despite being considered a strong candidate.
In 1944, Pecarovich coached the San Francisco Clippers in the short-lived American Football League
of the Pacific Coast. He led the franchise to a second-place finish with a 7–3 record in the eight-team league's only season. He later served as an assistant coach under Ray Flaherty
with the New York Yankees
professional football team. He worked as a teacher at St. Anthony High School
in Long Beach, California
for ten years in the 1950s.
On April 27, 1960, the University of San Diego
announced it had signed Pecarovich to a two-year contract as its head football coach. He led the Toreros to a 6–13–1 record over two seasons. However, after the 1961 season, the school disbanded its football program. Pecarovich then worked as a principal in California.
, who had been a famed motivator as the Notre Dame
coach. Pecarovich died of a heart attack on March 22, 1965 in his home in Rolling Hills, California
. He served as the namesake for Pecarovich Field at Gonzaga, a $25,000 baseball which was built several months after his death. The facility was later renamed August/ART Stadium and eventually razed. The Gonzaga Athletic Hall of Fame inducted Pecarovich in its class of 1991.
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...
coach, lawyer, and actor. He served as the head coach at Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
in 1928 and 1939, Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
from 1931 to 1938, and the University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
from 1960 to 1961. Pecarovich also coached two professional teams, the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Pacific Coast Professional Football League
The Pacific Coast Professional Football League , also known as the Pacific Coast Football League and Pacific Coast League was a professional American football league based in California, USA, and competed from 1940 through 1948 in sports...
and the San Francisco Clippers of the California-based American Football League
American Football League (1944)
The Northwest War Industries League, later renamed the American Football League, was a professional football league based on the West Coast of the United States that played for two nonconsecutive seasons during World War II....
.
Early life
A native of Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Pecarovich attended Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
, where he played on the football team from 1919 to 1921 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....
and an end. Pecarovich then transferred to Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
, where he played football as a 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...
under head coach 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...
. He graduated from Gonzaga in 1922, and the following season served as an assistant coach to Dorais. In 1924, Pecarovich earned a law degree and passed the bar exam.
Coaching career
After graduating law school, Pecarovich coached the Gonzaga High SchoolGonzaga Preparatory School
Gonzaga Preparatory School located in Spokane, Washington is a private Catholic high school in the Inland Northwest. As a Jesuit institution, "G-Prep" has been recognized for its college preparation education, and community service.- History :...
football team for two years. He then coached the Los Angeles Angels, a football team in the Pacific Coast Professional League, until 1928. That year, Pecarovich took over as head football coach at Loyola Marymount, where he installed the Knute Rockne system
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...
. The Lions amassed a 5–3 record in 1928. In 1929 and 1930, he coached Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Pecarovich returned to his alma mater, Gonzaga, in 1931 as the replacement for former head coach Ray Flaherty
Ray Flaherty
Raymond Paul Flaherty was a professional football player in the National Football League from 1926-1935. He was the head coach of the Boston/Washington Redskins from 1936–1942, where he won four division titles and two NFL Championships . Flaherty served in the United States Navy until 1945...
. While there, Pecarovich appointed Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, a friend and former classmate, as an assistant coach. Pecarovich made appearances in several movies alongside Crosby. He remained at Gonzaga through 1938 and compiled a 31–35–5 record.
In 1939, Pecarovich returned to coach Loyola Marymount, which gave him a three-year contract; the Gonzaga administration agreed to release him from the two years remaining on his contract. His second stint with Loyola was not successful, his team earning a 2–5–1 record, and he was replaced by Marty Brill
Marty Brill
Martin Brill was a professional football coach with the Staten Island Stapletons of the National Football League during the 1931 season. He also coached college football at Columbia University as an assistant. However he later become a head coach at La Salle University and at Loyola Marymount...
. In 1941, he applied for the head coaching position at the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
, but was not hired despite being considered a strong candidate.
In 1944, Pecarovich coached the San Francisco Clippers in the short-lived American Football League
American Football League (1944)
The Northwest War Industries League, later renamed the American Football League, was a professional football league based on the West Coast of the United States that played for two nonconsecutive seasons during World War II....
of the Pacific Coast. He led the franchise to a second-place finish with a 7–3 record in the eight-team league's only season. He later served as an assistant coach under Ray Flaherty
Ray Flaherty
Raymond Paul Flaherty was a professional football player in the National Football League from 1926-1935. He was the head coach of the Boston/Washington Redskins from 1936–1942, where he won four division titles and two NFL Championships . Flaherty served in the United States Navy until 1945...
with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees (AAFC)
The New York Yankees were a professional American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. The team played in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and often played in front of sold-out crowds . They were owned by Dan Topping, who brought many of his Brooklyn...
professional football team. He worked as a teacher at St. Anthony High School
St. Anthony High School (California)
St. Anthony High School, commonly referred to as SA, is a private, Roman Catholic high school located in the downtown area of Long Beach, California. As of the 2010-2011 school year, the school had 375 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12. It is served by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los...
in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
for ten years in the 1950s.
On April 27, 1960, the University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
announced it had signed Pecarovich to a two-year contract as its head football coach. He led the Toreros to a 6–13–1 record over two seasons. However, after the 1961 season, the school disbanded its football program. Pecarovich then worked as a principal in California.
Later life
Pecarovich earned a reputation as a skilled after-dinner speaker, and he provided many lectures in his later life. He also used his oration skills during halftime pep talks, and people who knew both men compared him to Knute RockneKnute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
, who had been a famed motivator as the Notre Dame
Notre 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...
coach. Pecarovich died of a heart attack on March 22, 1965 in his home in Rolling Hills, California
Rolling Hills, California
Rolling Hills is a city in the Palos Verdes Hills, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,860, down from 1,871 at the 2000 census...
. He served as the namesake for Pecarovich Field at Gonzaga, a $25,000 baseball which was built several months after his death. The facility was later renamed August/ART Stadium and eventually razed. The Gonzaga Athletic Hall of Fame inducted Pecarovich in its class of 1991.