Norman G. Wann
Encyclopedia
Norman Gillespie "Happy" Wann (July 8, 1882 – July 23, 1957) was an American football
player, track athlete
, coach of multiple sports, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Ottawa University
in Ottawa, Kansas
(1908–1909), Millikin College (1915–1917, 1919–1922), Earlham College
(1923–1924), Ball Teachers College, Eastern Division, Indiana State Normal School—now Ball State University
(1926–1927), and the College of the City of Detroit—now Wayne State University
(1929–1931), compiling a career college football
record of 74–40–10. Wann was also the head basketball
coach at Ottawa (1908–1910), Millikin (1915–1918, 1919–1923), and Earlham (1923–1925), amassing a carer college basketball
record of 128–79. In addition, he was the head baseball
coach at Ottawa (1909–1910), Millikin (1916–1918, 1920–1921), Ball Teachers College (1927), tallying a career college baseball
mark of 43–39.
Wann attended Earlham College
, where he played football as a lineman and ran track. He left campus in 1908 one credit short of his BBS
degree, which he did not receive until 1922. Earlham served with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I
. In 1929, he earned a master's degree in physical education from the University of Wisconsin
. After his retirement from coaching, he moved to Eagle Harbor Township, Michigan
. He died there on July 23, 1957. Three years earlier, in 1954, he was inducted into Earlham's Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1986, he was inducted into the Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame.
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...
player, track athlete
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, coach of multiple sports, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Ottawa University
Ottawa University
Ottawa University is a private, non-profit, faith-based liberal arts college located in Ottawa, Kansas. It was founded in 1865 and is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA...
in Ottawa, Kansas
Ottawa, Kansas
Ottawa is a city situated along the Marais des Cygnes River in the central part of Franklin County, located in east-central Kansas, 50 miles southwest of Kansas City, Mo., in the central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,649. It is the county seat and most populous...
(1908–1909), Millikin College (1915–1917, 1919–1922), Earlham College
Earlham College
Earlham College is a liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. It was founded in 1847 by Quakers and has approximately 1,200 students.The president is John David Dawson...
(1923–1924), Ball Teachers College, Eastern Division, Indiana State Normal School—now Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
(1926–1927), and the College of the City of Detroit—now Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
(1929–1931), compiling a career college football
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...
record of 74–40–10. Wann was also the head 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...
coach at Ottawa (1908–1910), Millikin (1915–1918, 1919–1923), and Earlham (1923–1925), amassing a carer college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
record of 128–79. In addition, he was the head 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...
coach at Ottawa (1909–1910), Millikin (1916–1918, 1920–1921), Ball Teachers College (1927), tallying a career college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
mark of 43–39.
Wann attended Earlham College
Earlham College
Earlham College is a liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. It was founded in 1847 by Quakers and has approximately 1,200 students.The president is John David Dawson...
, where he played football as a lineman and ran track. He left campus in 1908 one credit short of his BBS
Bachelor of Biblical Studies
The Bachelor of Biblical Studies is an undergraduate academic degree offering a comprehensive curriculum in the areas of Judeo-Christian scripture, , and theology. Approximately three quarters of the program is invested in studies outside of the liberal arts...
degree, which he did not receive until 1922. Earlham served with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1929, he earned a master's degree in physical education from the University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. After his retirement from coaching, he moved to Eagle Harbor Township, Michigan
Eagle Harbor Township, Michigan
Eagle Harbor Township is a civil township of Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 281. The irregularly-shaped township is located on the Keweenaw Peninsula and also includes the southern half of Isle Royale...
. He died there on July 23, 1957. Three years earlier, in 1954, he was inducted into Earlham's Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1986, he was inducted into the Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame.