Abe Martin (Illinois coach)

(Redirected from Morris Glenn "Abe" Martin)

Morris Glenn Martin (January 19, 1906 – April 17, 1997),[1] also known as Abe Martin, was an American football player, coach of football, basketball and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He was the fifth head football coach at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU), serving from 1939 to 1949 and compiling a record of 31–42–5.[2] Martin was the school's head basketball coach from 1943 to 1946, tallying a mark of 43–20, head baseball coach from 1947 to 1965, amassing a record of 281–156–2. He was also the athletic director from 1945 to 1953.

Abe Martin
Biographical details
Born(1906-01-19)January 19, 1906
Burnt Prairie, Illinois, U.S.
DiedApril 17, 1997(1997-04-17) (aged 91)
Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1929–1931Southern Illinois
1932Chicago Cardinals
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1933–1935Fairfield HS (IL)
1936Pontiac HS (IL)
1937Princeton HS (IL)
1938Southern Illinois (assistant)
1939–1949Southern Illinois
Basketball
1933–1936Fairfield HS (IL)
1936–1937Pontiac HS (IL)
1937–1938Princeton HS (IL)
1943–1946Southern Illinois
Baseball
1947–1965Southern Illinois
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1945–1953Southern Illinois
Head coaching record
Overall31–42–5 (college football)
43–20 (college basketball)
281–156–2 (college baseball)
TournamentsBasketball
7–1 (NAIA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 IIAC (1947)

Basketball
1 NAIA (1946)

On April 30, 1972, Southern Illinois' baseball field was dedicated in honor of Martin, who retired from the athletic department in 1971.[3] The field was later renamed in honor of a different coach in 2014.

Coaching career

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Martin began his coaching career in 1933 at Fairfield High School in Fairfield, Illinois.[4] He moved to Pontiac High School in Pontiac, Illinois in 1936 and then to Princeton High School in Princeton, Illinois a year later.[5] He was hired at Southern Illinois Normal University—now known as Southern Illinois University Carbondale—as an assistant football coach in 1938. Martin succeeded William McAndrew as head football coach at Southern Illinois in 1939.[6]

Death

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Martin died on April 17, 1997, at a retirement home Springfield, Illinois.[7][8]

Head coaching record

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College football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Southern Illinois Maroons (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1939–1949)
1939 Southern Illinois 0–8 0–4 8th
1940 Southern Illinois 2–5–1 0–3–1 T–6th
1941 Southern Illinois 5–2–1 2–1–1 3rd
1942 Southern Illinois 2–4 1–3 4th
1943 No team—World War II
1944 Southern Illinois 3–3 2–1 3rd
1945 Southern Illinois 4–1–2 2–1–1 2nd
1946 Southern Illinois 4–4 3–1 2nd
1947 Southern Illinois 7–2–1 3–0–1 1st
1948 Southern Illinois 2–6 0–4 5th
1949 Southern Illinois 2–7 0–4 5th
Southern Illinois: 31–42–5 13–22
Total: 31–42–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Abe Martin's obituary". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
  2. ^ SIU all-time football coaching records Archived August 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Abe Martin Field". SIU Salukis. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  4. ^ "Martin Is Named Fairfield Coach". Daily Republican-Register. Mount Carmel, Illinois. May 5, 1933. p. 4. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  5. ^ "Coach Martin Is To Take New Post". Daily Republican-Register. Mount Carmel, Illinois. June 4, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  6. ^ ""Abe" Martin Will Coach Southern's Football '39 Team". The Daily Independent. Murphysboro, Illinois. July 29, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  7. ^ Underwood, Rick (April 18, 1997). "Martin mentor to many". The Southern Illinoisan. Carbondale, Illinois. p. 1D. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  8. ^ Underwood, Rick (April 18, 1997). "Martin remembered (continued)". The Southern Illinoisan. Carbondale, Illinois. p. 3D. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
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