Slip Madigan
Encyclopedia
Edward Patrick "Slip" Madigan (November 18, 1896 – October 10, 1966) was an American football
player and coach of football, basketball
, and baseball
. He served as the head coach at Saint Mary's College of California
from 1921 to 1939 and at the University of Iowa
from 1943 to 1944, compiling a career college football
record of 119–58–13. Madigan was also the head basketball coach at Saint Mary's from 1921 to 1927 and the head baseball coach at the school from 1926 to 1930. He played football at the University of Notre Dame
as a center
. Madigan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 1974.
at the University of Notre Dame
, playing the center
position. After his playing days, he took over a floundering football program at Saint Mary's College of California
in Moraga, California
in 1921. In their final game in 1920, the Gaels
lost to California
, 127–0. Madigan immediately recruited sixty men and taught them Notre Dame's plays and some tricks of his own, including the "forward fumble."
By 1927, Saint Mary's College developed into one of the strongest football programs on the West Coast
. They defeated programs such as USC, UCLA
, California, and Stanford
. The Stanford team they defeated in 1927 went on to play in the Rose Bowl
, as did the USC team they defeated in 1931. Though the school's enrollment seldom exceeded 500, the Galloping Gaels of Saint Mary's became a nationally known football powerhouse.
The most notable win came in 1930, when Saint Mary's traveled to New York
to play Fordham. Fordham was a heavy favorite, as the Rams had won 16 straight games going back to 1928. They featured the first version of a defense known as the "Seven Blocks of Granite
," a formidable unit that later would include the likes of Vince Lombardi
. Saint Mary's recovered from a 12–0 halftime deficit to win, 20–12.
The Gaels were known for their flashy style that reflected the personality of their flamboyant coach. Madigan traveled to New York for the Fordham game with 150 fans on a train that was labeled "the world's longest bar." To stir up publicity for the game, he threw a party the night before and invited not only sportswriters but such celebrities as Babe Ruth
and New York mayor Jimmy Walker
.
After the 1938 season, Saint Mary's was invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic
, where they defeated Texas Tech, 20–13. After the 1939 season, however, the successful and controversial Slip Madigan was fired at Saint Mary's after 19 years of coaching. He had a 117–45–12 record at Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's never again came close to the football success they had under Madigan, and in 2004, the school dropped football altogether.
Madigan was also the 16th coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes
, where he coached in 1943 and 1944. He was an interim coach for Eddie Anderson, who was serving in World War II
. However, the University of Iowa
at that time had to share their athletic facilities with a local military academy, and nearly all the able-bodied men in Iowa City
found their way into the military school. Madigan's Iowa roster was mostly filled with players with conditions that exempted them from military service.
Madigan coached some good performances out of the 1943 Hawkeyes. Though they had a record of just 1–6–1, they played respectably in losses. As a result, Madigan was retained in 1944. However, the 1944 season was similar to 1943, except the losses were by greater margins. Madigan suggested that he would be finished with coaching at the end of the year, which may have inspired Iowa to a 27–6 victory over Nebraska
, but Iowa ended the year with a 1–7 record. Madigan turned down an offer to coach for Iowa again in 1945 and retired for good.
Madigan died in 1966 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1974. He is buried at Saint Mary Cemetery
in Oakland.
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 and coach of football, 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...
. He served as the head coach at Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
from 1921 to 1939 and at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
from 1943 to 1944, 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 119–58–13. Madigan was also the head basketball coach at Saint Mary's from 1921 to 1927 and the head baseball coach at the school from 1926 to 1930. He played football at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
as a center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
. Madigan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a coach in 1974.
Playing and coaching career
Madigan played college football for 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...
at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, playing the center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
position. After his playing days, he took over a floundering football program at Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
in Moraga, California
Moraga, California
Moraga is a suburban incorporated town located in Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is named in honor of Joaquin Moraga, whose grandfather was José Joaquin Moraga, second in command to Juan Bautista de Anza...
in 1921. In their final game in 1920, the Gaels
Saint Mary's College Gaels
The Saint Mary's Gaels are the athletic teams that compete at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California. The nickname applies to the college's intercollegiate NCAA Division-I teams and club sports. The nickname was given to the school's football team in 1926 by a writer for the now...
lost to California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
, 127–0. Madigan immediately recruited sixty men and taught them Notre Dame's plays and some tricks of his own, including the "forward fumble."
By 1927, Saint Mary's College developed into one of the strongest football programs on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. They defeated programs such as USC, UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, California, and Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
. The Stanford team they defeated in 1927 went on to play in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, as did the USC team they defeated in 1931. Though the school's enrollment seldom exceeded 500, the Galloping Gaels of Saint Mary's became a nationally known football powerhouse.
The most notable win came in 1930, when Saint Mary's traveled to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to play Fordham. Fordham was a heavy favorite, as the Rams had won 16 straight games going back to 1928. They featured the first version of a defense known as the "Seven Blocks of Granite
Seven Blocks of Granite
The Seven Blocks of Granite was a nickname given to the Fordham University football team's offensive line under head coach "Sleepy" Jim Crowley and line coach Frank Leahy. The most famous Seven Blocks of Granite were: Leo Paquin, Johnny Druze, Alex Wojciechowicz, Ed Franco, Al Babartsky, Natty...
," a formidable unit that later would include the likes of 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...
. Saint Mary's recovered from a 12–0 halftime deficit to win, 20–12.
The Gaels were known for their flashy style that reflected the personality of their flamboyant coach. Madigan traveled to New York for the Fordham game with 150 fans on a train that was labeled "the world's longest bar." To stir up publicity for the game, he threw a party the night before and invited not only sportswriters but such celebrities as Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
and New York mayor Jimmy Walker
Jimmy Walker
James John Walker, often known as Jimmy Walker and colloquially as Beau James , was the mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932...
.
After the 1938 season, Saint Mary's was invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic
1939 Cotton Bowl Classic
The 1939 Cotton Bowl Classic was a postseason college football bowl game between the St. Mary's Gaels and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. St. Mary's won the game 20-13.-References:*...
, where they defeated Texas Tech, 20–13. After the 1939 season, however, the successful and controversial Slip Madigan was fired at Saint Mary's after 19 years of coaching. He had a 117–45–12 record at Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's never again came close to the football success they had under Madigan, and in 2004, the school dropped football altogether.
Madigan was also the 16th coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, where he coached in 1943 and 1944. He was an interim coach for Eddie Anderson, who was serving in 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...
. However, the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
at that time had to share their athletic facilities with a local military academy, and nearly all the able-bodied men in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
found their way into the military school. Madigan's Iowa roster was mostly filled with players with conditions that exempted them from military service.
Madigan coached some good performances out of the 1943 Hawkeyes. Though they had a record of just 1–6–1, they played respectably in losses. As a result, Madigan was retained in 1944. However, the 1944 season was similar to 1943, except the losses were by greater margins. Madigan suggested that he would be finished with coaching at the end of the year, which may have inspired Iowa to a 27–6 victory over Nebraska
1944 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1944 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska and member of the Big 6 Conference in the 1944 college football season. The team was coached by Adolph J...
, but Iowa ended the year with a 1–7 record. Madigan turned down an offer to coach for Iowa again in 1945 and retired for good.
Madigan died in 1966 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1974. He is buried at Saint Mary Cemetery
Saint Mary Cemetery (Oakland, California)
Saint Mary Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery in Oakland, California, adjacent to Mountain View Cemetery.-People interred:*Juan Bautista Alvarado Mexican governor of California...
in Oakland.