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Frank "Buck" O'Neill (March 6, 1875 – April 21, 1958) was an American head football coach of the Colgate (1902, and 1904-1905), Syracuse (1906-07, 1913-15, and 1917-19) and Columbia (1920-1922). His overall coaching record was 81-41-8 and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. Also, O’Neill was a two sport athlete at Williams College where he played Football, and ran track
[edit] College athlete
1901 Williams College football team captained by Frank "Buck" O'Neill
O'Neill was a two sport athlete at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He lettered in football in 1899, 1900, and 1901 and served as captain his senior year under Coach J. J. Hazen. The team he captained had an overall record of 6-4 with losses to Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia and West Point. Even with those losses O’Neill led team did go on to win the 1901 Tricollegiante Football Association Championship with victories over league rivals Wesleyan and Amherst. O’Neill also lettered three times in track where he ran the 440. Like in football he captained track team his senior year. He placed third in the 440 at the 1901 New England Intercollegiate Athletic Association annual Championship at the Worchester Oval in Worchester, Massachusetts. Williams College won this meet by less than a point. [1]
[edit] College coach
He was the tenth head football coach for the Colgate University Raiders and he held that position for three seasons, between 1902 and 1905.[2] He coached at Syracuse at three different times. After 1915, the year O’Neill founded his law practice in New York City, he had to cut back on his coaching duties. In the last three years at Syracuse he acted more as advisor than a full time coach. Even with this arrangement he was successful including in 1919 where the Orange gave Pitt its first loss in five years.[3] He moved to Columbia for 1920 season. Since his law office and his new team was in the New York City, he was able to spend more time with his football team. In addition unlike the past football coaches at Columbia, O’Neill did not have to be a member of the physical education department. The goal for Columbia was to restore football to the standing it had in when the last national know coach Foster Sanford resigned in 1904.[3] O’Neill was able to get Columbia to a wining record in his last of three years.[4] He left to devote full time to his law practice after the 1922 season. In his last game he suffered one of his worse losses in his career a 59 to 6 blow out to his old school Colgate on Thanksgiving Day.[5] His overall coaching record was 81-41-8.[4] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, where he is a charter member.[6]
[edit] Head coaching record
[edit] References
- ^ (1902) The Guilelmensian, Vol. XLVI. Williamstown, Massachusetts: Junior Class of Williams College, 51, 199-200 and 210-217.
- ^ Colgate 2007 media guide. gocolgateraiders.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
- ^ a b “BUCK O'NEILL LEAVES SYRACUSE TO COACH THE FOOTBALL ELEVEN OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY”, New York Times: 10, January 16, 1920, <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C05EFD6133AE033A25755C1A9679C946195D6CF>
- ^ a b "Frank J. "Buck" O'Neill Records by Year", College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved on 2007-12-01.
- ^ “COLGATE SMOTHERS COLUMBIA, 59 TO 6”, New York Times: 28 Sports Section, December 1, 1922, <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9503EFDE1F3EEE3ABC4953DFB4678389639EDE>
- ^ Frank "Buck" O'Neill. College Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
