John B. Eckstorm

John B. Eckstorm
Eckstorm pictured in Makio 1901, Ohio State yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1874-10-22)October 22, 1874
South Bend, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedOctober 28, 1964(1964-10-28) (aged 90)
Marysville, Ohio, U.S.
Playing career
1894–1897Dartmouth[1]
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1898Kenyon
1899–1901Ohio State
1902Ohio Medical
1903–1904Kenyon
1905–1906[2]Ohio Medical
Head coaching record
Overall52–24–6

John Bernard Christian Eckstorm (October 22, 1873 – October 28, 1964)[3] was an American college football player and coach. He played football as a halfback at Dartmouth College from 1894 to 1897 and was captain of the 1897 Dartmouth football team as a senior. Eckstorm served two stints as the head football coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, in 1898 and from 1903 to 1904, and one stint at Ohio State University, from 1899 to 1901.

Early life and playing career

Dartmouth football in 1897 where Eckstorm served as team captain.

Eckstorm grew up in Chicago and attended Lake View High School there, where excelled in athletics, captaining the football team for two years, playing baseball, and setting the Chicago interscholastic record in the broad jump. Eckstorm moved on to Dartmouth College, where he played college football for four seasons, from 1894 to 1897, as a halfback. He was elected as captain of the 1897 Dartmouth football team for his senior by his teammates, succeeding Walter McCornack.[4]

Coaching career

Eckstorm served as the head coach at Ohio State University from 1899 to 1901, compiling a record of 22–4–3. Eckstorm was the first Ohio State Buckeyes football coach to have a winning record at the school. In his first season in 1899, the Buckeyes went 9–0–1 giving Ohio State their first undefeated season in school history. The next season, he led Ohio State to a tie against Michigan in the second meeting of the two schools.

During the 1901 season, captain John Sigrist endured an injury during a game with Western Reserve University. Forty-eight hours later, he was pronounced dead and it very nearly led to the abolishment of football at Ohio State. It remains the only death because of injuries sustained during play in Ohio State history.[5] A resolution to cancel the remainder of the season was defeated by an 18–8 vote, but it proved difficult for the Buckeyes to emotionally recover. They lost three of the last four games and Coach Eckstorm decided to leave his post at the end of the season.

Late life and death

Eckstorm was later a physician in Ohio and Chief Medical Officer at the Ohio Penitentiary. He died on October 28, 1964, at his daughter's home in Marysville, Ohio.[6]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Kenyon Lords (Independent) (1898)
1898 Kenyon 4–3
Ohio State Buckeyes (Independent) (1899–1901)
1899 Ohio State 9–0–1
1900 Ohio State 8–1–1
1901 Ohio State 5–3–1
Ohio State: 22–4–3
Ohio Medical (Independent) (1902)
1902 Ohio Medical 9–1
Kenyon Lords (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1903–1904)
1903 Kenyon 2–6–1 0–4–1 6th
1904 Kenyon 3–5–1 0–4 6th
Kenyon: 9–14–2 0–8–1
Ohio Medical (Independent) (1905–1906)
1905 Ohio Medical 6–3
1906 Ohio Medical 6–2–1
Ohio Medical: 21–6–1
Total: 52–24–6

References

  1. ^ "OSU Football Program: October 21, 1922" (PDF). Ohio State University. October 21, 1922. hdl:1811/49720.
  2. ^ "Kenyon Collegian - March 17, 1905". Kenyon Collegian. Kenyon College. March 17, 1905. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  3. ^ "Read the eBook General catalogue of Dartmouth College and the associated schools 1769-1910, including a historical sketch of the college by Dartmouth College online for free (Page 46 of 103)".
  4. ^ "Dartmouth's Captain—Eckstorm Has been Elected and Seems to be Imminently Qualified". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. November 26, 1896. p. 3. Retrieved October 30, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ^ SmashThroughToVictory.com
  6. ^ "Eckstorm, Ex-Buckeye Coach, Dies". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. United Press International. October 30, 1964. p. 62. Retrieved October 30, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.