Wallace Joe "Chief" Newman (c. 1901 – November 6, 1985) was an American football and baseball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Whittier College in Whittier, California from 1929 to 1950, compiling a record of 102–66–14. Newman also coached basketball and baseball at Whittier and was the school's athletic director.

Wallace Newman
Biographical details
Bornc. 1901
Died(1985-11-06)November 6, 1985 (aged 84)
Playing career
Football
1922–1924USC
Baseball
1923–1925USC
Position(s)Guard (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1925–1928Covina HS (CA)
1929–1950Whittier
Baseball
1930–1943Whittier
1958–1964Whittier
Head coaching record
Overall102–66–14 (college football)
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
8 SCC/SCIAC (1932, 1934–1935, 1939, 1941–1942, 1949–1950)

Newman played football and baseball at the University of Southern California (USC). He played the 1923 Rose Bowl, the first bowl game appearance for the USC Trojans. Newman coached at Covina High School in Covina, California for four years before he was hired at Whittier.[1][2] Newman was Native American and an enrolled member of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians and the Mission Creek Band of Mission Indians which he led as president from 1957 until shortly before termination.[3] In the early 1930s, he coached Richard Nixon, who was a reserve player for Whittier and went on to become president of the United States.[4] Newman was briefly considered for the post of Commissioner of Indian Affairs by Nixon during his presidency.[5]

Newman died on November 6, 1985, at the age of 84.[6]

Head coaching record

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College football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Whittier Poets (Southern California Conference / Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1929–1950)
1929 Whittier 4–4–1 3–2–1 3rd
1930 Whittier 5–3–1 4–1 2nd
1931 Whittier 6–3 4–1 2nd
1932 Whittier 10–1 5–1 1st
1933 Whittier 4–4–2 3–1–2 2nd
1934 Whittier 7–2–1 5–0 1st
1935 Whittier 5–5 4–1 1st
1936 Whittier 5–5 3–2 3rd
1937 Whittier 2–6–2 2–2–1 4th
1938 Whittier 7–1–2 2–0–2 2nd
1939 Whittier 8–2–1 3–0–1 1st
1940 Whittier 2–6–1 1–2–1 4th
1941 Whittier 4–3–1 3–0–1 1st
1942 Whittier 5–4 2–1 T–1st
1943 No team—World War II
1944 No team—World War II
1945 No team—World War II
1946 Whittier 3–5–1 2–1–1 2nd
1947 Whittier 2–6–1 1–2–1 T–3rd
1948 Whittier 6–4 2–2 3rd
1949 Whittier 8–1 4–0 1st
1950 Whittier 9–1 3–1 T–1st W Aztec Bowl
Whittier: 102–66–14 56–20–11
Total: 102–66–14
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Coach Newman Accepts Call to Whittier". Progress Bulletin. Pomona, California. March 2, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ "Wallace Newman Whittier Coach for 22 Years Reigns". The Colton Courier. Colton, California. June 19, 1951. p. 4. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  3. ^ Stamates, Nicholas (May 15, 2019). Nixon and the Chief: Quakers, the Return of Blue Lake and Nixon's Indian Mentor Wallace J. Newman. Retrieved December 10, 2020, from https://dc.uwm.edu/rsso/2019/panel2B/1/
  4. ^ Beschloss, Michael (November 14, 2014). "The President Who Never Earned His Varsity Letter". The New York Times. New York, New York. p. 16. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  5. ^ Stamates, Nicholas., & Nadolski, Emily (2024). Nixon and the Chief: Wallace “Chief” Newman’s impact on the modern Tribal Sovereignty. Independently published. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTQP76NB 9798877913080
  6. ^ "Names In the News". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. November 13, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
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