John R. Richards

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John R. Richards
John R. Richards.png
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born (1875-02-24)February 24, 1875
Wisconsin
Died October 28, 1947(1947-10-28) (aged 72)
Los Angeles, California
Playing career
1892–1895 Wisconsin
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1905–1909
1911
1912
1917
1919–1922
Colorado College
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Head coaching record
Overall 58–21–8
Statistics
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 OAC (1912)

John Robertson "Big John" Richards (February 24, 1875 – October 28, 1947) was an American football player, coach, educator, and public administrator. He served as the head coach at Colorado College (1905–1909), the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1911, 1917, 1919–1922), and Ohio State University (1912), compiling a career college football record of 58–21–8.

Richards' 1912 season at Ohio State was notable for his action of pulling his team from the field during a loss to Penn State due to rough play. This action was widely ridiculed in contemporary newspapers by commentary such as "Coach Richards of Ohio State, who took his team off the field Saturday because he declared Penn State was too rough, evidently was never on Lake Erie on a choppy sea."[1]

In 1904, Richards was appointed as the principal of a high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Previously he had been a high school football coach and economics instructor in Dubuque, Iowa and a principal of military academies in Minnesota and Missouri.[2] After retiring from coaching, Richards was a director of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District, a part of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, from 1929 to 1947.[3] He died on October 28, 1947 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 72.[4]

Head coaching record[edit]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Colorado College Tigers (Independent) (1905–1909)
1905 Colorado College 5–1–2
1906 Colorado College 3–2–2
1907 Colorado College 5–2
1908 Colorado College 5–2
1909 Colorado College 5–2
Colorado College: 23–9–4
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (1911)
1911 Wisconsin 5–1–1 2–1–1 3rd
Ohio State Buckeyes (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1912)
1912 Ohio State 6–3 5–0 1st
Ohio State: 6–3 5–0
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (1917)
1917 Wisconsin 4–2–1 3–2 T–3rd
Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Conference) (1919–1922)
1919 Wisconsin 5–2 3–2 T–4th
1920 Wisconsin 6–1 4–1 2nd
1921 Wisconsin 5–1–1 3–1–1 4th
1922 Wisconsin 4–2–1 2–2–1 4th
Wisconsin: 29–9–4 14–7–3
Total: 58–21–8

References[edit]

External links[edit]