Frank Cavanaugh (American football)

Frank Cavanaugh
	Cavanaugh, circa 1930
Biographical details
Born	April 28, 1876; Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	August 29, 1933 (aged 57); Marshfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Playing career
1896–1897	Dartmouth
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1898	Cincinnati
1898–1902	Denver Athletic Club
1903–1905	Holy Cross
1907–1910	Worcester Academy
1911–1916	Dartmouth
1919–1926	Boston College
1927–1932	Fordham
Head coaching record
Overall	145–48–17 (college)
	College Football Hall of Fame; Inducted in 1954 (profile)

Francis "Frank" William Cavanaugh (April 28, 1876 – August 29, 1933) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at University of Cincinnati in 1898, the College of the Holy Cross from 1903 to 1905, Dartmouth College from 1911 to 1916, Boston College from 1919 to 1926, and Fordham University from 1927 to 1932, compiling a career college football coaching record of 145–48–17. Cavanaugh played football at Dartmouth as an end from 1896 to 1897. Nicknamed "Cav" and "The Iron Major," he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954.

Early life and playing career[edit]

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Cavanaugh played college football as an end at Dartmouth College from 1896 to 1897, under coach William Wurtenburg.

Coaching career and military service[edit]

Cavanaugh served as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati in 1898, followed with a stint coaching at the Denver Athletic Club from 1898 to 1903. He then returned to his native Worcester to coach at the College of the Holy Cross from 1903 to 1905, followed by high school coaching at Worcester Academy from 1907 to 1910.^[1]

Cavanaugh left Worcester to return to college football at his alma mater, Dartmouth from 1911 to 1916. There, he coached Lawrence Whitney, who also attended Worcester Academy when Cavanaugh coached there. Cavanaugh left Dartmouth in 1917 to return to Holy Cross. However, before the football season began, Cavanaugh entered the United States Army to serve during World War I.^[2] He rose to the rank of major and was seriously wounded during the Meuse–Argonne offensive on October 23, 1918. Shellfire broke his cheek, nose, and skull, all of which contributed to later blindness.

In 1919, Cavanaugh published a book entitled Inside Football.^[3]

Cavanaugh's final two coaching stints were at Boston College from 1919 to 1926 and Fordham University from 1927 to 1932. At Fordham, he implemented the T formation on offense. He finished career with a college coaching record of 148–50–18.

Death and honors[edit]

At the time of his death in 1933, Cavanaugh was bankrupt. He was survived by his widow, Florence Ayres, and their seven children.^[4]

On October 25, 1943, a biographical film about Cavanaugh's life was released by RKO Pictures titled The Iron Major, based on his wife's recollections. The actor Pat O'Brien portrayed Cavanaugh in the main role. In 1954, Cavanaugh was posthumously inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach.

Head coaching record[edit]

College[edit]


Year	Team	Overall
Cincinnati (Independent) (1898)
1898	Cincinnati	5–1–3
Cincinnati:		5–1–3
Holy Cross (Independent) (1903–1905)
1903	Holy Cross	8–2
1904	Holy Cross	2–5–2
1905	Holy Cross	6–3
Holy Cross:		16–10–2
Dartmouth (Independent) (1911–1916)
1911	Dartmouth	8–2
1912	Dartmouth	7–2
1913	Dartmouth	7–1
1914	Dartmouth	8–1
1915	Dartmouth	7–1–1
1916	Dartmouth	5–2–2
Dartmouth:		42–9–3
Boston College Eagles (Independent) (1919–1926)
1919	Boston College	5–3
1920	Boston College	8–0
1921	Boston College	4–3–1
1922	Boston College	6–2–1
1923	Boston College	7–1–1
1924	Boston College	6–3
1925	Boston College	6–2
1926	Boston College	6–0–2
Boston College:		48–14–5
Fordham Maroon/Rams (Independent) (1927–1932)
1927	Fordham	3–5
1928	Fordham	4–5
1929	Fordham	7–0–2
1930	Fordham	8–1
1931	Fordham	6–1–2
1932	Fordham	6–2
Fordham:		34–14–4
Total:		145–48–17

References[edit]

^ "Cavanaugh Selected". The Boston Globe. March 22, 1907.
^ "Kelly Returns". Youngstown Vindicator. September 22, 1917. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
^ "Inside football". Boston, Small, Maynard. 1919.
^ Murphy, Frank (August 30, 1933). "Death Claims Major Frank Cavanaugh After Lingering Illness". The Waterbury Democrat. Waterbury, Connecticut. United Press. p. 17. Retrieved November 4, 2021 – via Chronicling America.

External links[edit]

Frank Cavanaugh at the College Football Hall of Fame

[1] "Cavanaugh Selected". The Boston Globe. March 22, 1907.

[2] "Kelly Returns". Youngstown Vindicator. September 22, 1917. Retrieved 8 February 2024.

[3] "Inside football". Boston, Small, Maynard. 1919.

[4] Murphy, Frank (August 30, 1933). "Death Claims Major Frank Cavanaugh After Lingering Illness". The Waterbury Democrat. Waterbury, Connecticut. United Press. p. 17. Retrieved November 4, 2021 – via Chronicling America.

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