Mel Taube

Mel Taube
Biographical details
Born(1904-12-20)December 20, 1904
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedJune 15, 1979(1979-06-15) (aged 74)
Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1923–1925Purdue
Basketball
1924–1926Purdue
Baseball
1924–1926Purdue
Position(s)Quarterback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1926–1927Purdue (assistant)
1931–1935Massachusetts State
1936–1942Purdue (assistant)
1946Purdue (assistant)
1950–1959Carleton (assistant)
1960–1969Carleton
Basketball
1933–1936Massachusetts State
1936–1942Purdue (assistant)
1945–1950Purdue
1950–1960Carleton
Baseball
1932–1935Massachusetts State
1947–1950Purdue
1951–1970Carleton
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1959–1970Carleton
Head coaching record
Overall62–58–5 (football)
201–142 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Basketball
4 MWC (1952–1954, 1958)

Baseball
3 MWC (1953, 1957, 1964)

Melvin Henry Taube (December 20, 1904 – June 15, 1979) was an American college football, college basketball, and college baseball player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Massachusetts State College, from 1931 to 1935 and at Carleton College from 1960 to 1969, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 62–58–5. Taube was also the head basketball coach at Massachusetts State College (1933–1936), Purdue University (1945–1950), and Carleton (1950–1960), amassing a career college basketball head coaching mark of 201–142 and winning four Midwest Conference championships. He was the head baseball coach at Massachusetts State (1932–1935), Purdue (1947–1950), and Carleton (1951–1970), tallying a career college baseball head coaching record of 93–74–3.[1] A three-sport letterman, Taube played football, basketball, and baseball at Purdue.

Coaching career

Taube spent 20 seasons at Carleton College, arriving in the summer of 1950 as the head basketball and head baseball coach. He was also an assistant football coach until assuming the role of head football coach in 1960, following the death of Warren Beson. Taube served as Carleton's head football coach, head baseball coach, and athletic director until his retirement in 1970.[2]

In his honor, Carleton annually awards the Mel Taube Award to a varsity athlete for "dedication, loyalty, competitive spirit, and excellence in athletics."[3] In 2008, the Carleton baseball field was named for Taube.[4]

Early life, education and military service

Taube received a bachelor degree from Purdue University in 1926 and a Master of Science from Indiana University in 1933.[2][5] He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1945 and became a lieutenant.[2]

Death

Taube died on June 15, 1979, at Morton Plant Hospital in Morton Plant Hospital.[5]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Massachusetts State Aggies (Independent) (1931–1935)
1931 Massachusetts State 7–1–1
1932 Massachusetts State 7–2
1933 Massachusetts State 5–3
1934 Massachusetts State 5–3–1
1935 Massachusetts State 5–4
Massachusetts State: 29–13–2
Carleton Knights (Midwest Conference) (1960–1969)
1960 Carleton 5–3 5–3 4th
1961 Carleton 5–2–1 5–2–1 4th
1962 Carleton 4–4 4–4 6th
1963 Carleton 5–2–1 5–2–1 2nd
1964 Carleton 0–8 0–8 10th
1965 Carleton 3–5 3–5 7th
1966 Carleton 3–5 3–5 T–5th
1967 Carleton 2–5–1 2–5–1 8th
1968 Carleton 3–5 3–5 T–6th
1969 Carleton 3–6 3–6 8th
Carleton: 33–45–3 33–45–3
Total: 62–58–5

Basketball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Massachusetts State Aggies (Independent) (1933–1936)
1933–34 Massachusetts State 12–0
1934–35 Massachusetts State 6–6
1935–36 Massachusetts State 2–12
Massachusetts State: 20–18
Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Conference) (1945–1950)
1945–46 Purdue 3–4 2–4 8th
1946–47 Purdue 9–11 4–8 8th
1947–48 Purdue 11–9 6–6 5th
1948–49 Purdue 13–9 6–6 T–4th
1949–50 Purdue 9–13 3–9 T–8th
Purdue: 45–46 21–33
Carleton Carls/Knights (Midwest Conference) (1950–1960)
1950–51 Carleton 13–7 7–3 3rd
1951–52 Carleton 18–4 10–0 1st
1952–53 Carleton 18–4 10–2 T–1st
1953–54 Carleton 17–5 9–3 T–1st
1954–55 Carleton 16–6 10–2 2nd
1955–56 Carleton 7–15 6–10 6th
1956–57 Carleton 12–10 9–7 4th
1957–58 Carleton 16–5 12–4 T–1st
1958–59 Carleton 9–12 8–8 5th
1959–60 Carleton 10–12 9–9 T–5th
Carleton: 136–80 83–45
Total: 201–142

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Baseball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Massachusetts State Aggies (Independent) (1932–1935)
1932 Massachusetts State 9–6
1933 Massachusetts State 7–5
1934 Massachusetts State 8–5
1935 Massachusetts State 7–6
Massachusetts State Aggies: 31–22
Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Conference) (1947–1950)
1947 Purdue 13–10 4–9 8th
1948 Purdue 14–7–1 8–6 4th
1949 Purdue 14–9–2 7–5 3rd
1950 Purdue 11–14 2–8 8th
Purdue: 52–40–3 21–28
Carleton Knights (Midwest Conference) (1951–1970)
1951 Carleton
1952 Carleton
1953 Carleton 6–2 1st
1954 Carleton 3–5 T–4th
1955 Carleton 1–2 T–4th
1956 Carleton 1–4 3rd (North)
1957 Carleton 4–2 1st (North)
1958 Carleton 2–1 1st (Minnesota)
1959 Carleton 5–3 2nd (North)
1960 Carleton 3–4 T–2nd (North)
1961 Carleton 0–2 5th (North)
1962 Carleton 3–5 4th (North)
1963 Carleton 2–6 5th (North)
1964 Carleton 7–1 1st (North)
1965 Carleton 4–4 3rd (North)
1966 Carleton 2–4 3rd (North)
1967 Carleton 4–4 T–2nd (North)
1968 Carleton 0–6 T–4th (North)
1969 Carleton 3–5 4th (North)
1970 Carleton 5–3 2nd (North)
Carleton:
Total:

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Cage Coach at Purdue Resigns; Lambert Succeeded by Mel Taube", The Michigan Daily, volume 56, issue 58, January 23, 1946, page 3.
  2. ^ a b c "Mel Taube". Carleton College. Archived version
  3. ^ "Lamb, Hansen, Taube, and Beson Award Winners Named for 2014-15". Carleton College.
  4. ^ "Baseball Field Named in Long-Time Coach Mel Taube's Honor". Carleton College.
  5. ^ a b "Obituaries; Melvin Taube". Chronicle-Tribune. Marion, Indiana. July 19, 1979. p. 10. Retrieved November 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  • Mel Taube at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com