John Wilce facts for kids
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 12, 1888 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 17, 1963 (aged 75) Westerville, Ohio, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1907–1909 | Wisconsin |
| Position(s) | Fullback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1911–1912 | Wisconsin (assistant) |
| 1913–1928 | Ohio State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 78–33–9 |
| Bowls | 0–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 3 Western / Big Ten (1916–1917, 1920) | |
| Awards | |
| Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (1959) | |
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1954 (profile) |
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John Woodworth Wilce (born May 12, 1888 – died May 17, 1963) was an amazing American college football player and coach. He was also a physician (doctor) and a university professor. He is best known for being the head football coach at Ohio State University from 1913 to 1928. During his time, his teams won 78 games, lost 33, and tied 9. Coach Wilce helped Ohio State win their first game ever against their big rival, Michigan, in 1919. He also coached famous players like Chic Harley. Because of his great work, he was added to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
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John Wilce's Early Life and Playing Days
John Wilce was born in 1888 in Rochester, New York. His dad, John W. Wilce, was a stone cutter who came to the United States from England. His mom was Rosette (Woodward) Wilce.
John grew up in Milwaukee, where he went to West Division High School. He was the captain of the basketball team there and also competed in track and field. After high school, he went to the University of Wisconsin. He played fullback for the Wisconsin Badgers football team starting in 1907. In 1908, his teammates chose him to be the captain of the 1909 football team. He also played on the university's rowing team and was a substitute for the basketball team.
Coaching Football Teams
Coaching at Wisconsin
After finishing college at Wisconsin, John Wilce became a coach for the sports teams at a high school in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
In 1911, he left his job at La Crosse to become a manager for all the sports at the University of Wisconsin. He also worked as an assistant football coach and taught physical education at the university.
Leading the Ohio State Buckeyes
In 1913, John Wilce was chosen to be the head football coach at Ohio State University. That same year, Ohio State joined a new, tougher league called the Western Conference, which later became the Big Ten Conference. Even with stronger competition, Wilce's teams did very well.
His teams had great seasons, winning many games. In 1916, with a star player named Chic Harley, Wilce's team had a perfect season, winning all 7 games. They also won Ohio State's first-ever conference championship! The next year, in 1917, his team had another amazing season, winning 8 games and tying one, earning their second championship in a row.
In 1919, Coach Wilce led Ohio State to a big 13–3 victory over their rival, Michigan. This was the first time ever that Ohio State beat Michigan in football! His 1920 team, with players like Gaylord Stinchcomb, also beat Michigan and won another Big Ten championship. That year, they were invited to play in the 1921 Rose Bowl, which is a very famous game. They played against California but lost that game.
After winning three championships, Wilce's teams had a few tough seasons. In 1922, they played the first game in the new Ohio Stadium. They lost to Michigan that day.
But Coach Wilce helped the team improve again. In 1926, his team had a great record of 7 wins and only 1 loss.
In 1928, John Wilce decided to step down as head football coach. He wanted to focus on his medical career. He said that football was becoming "too much of a business" and he believed that the educational part of sports was more important than just winning. In his last season, his team beat Michigan again!
John Wilce coached Ohio State for 16 seasons. He won 78 games, which was the longest time any coach had led the Ohio State football team until 1967.
A Career in Medicine and Teaching
In 1919, John Wilce earned his medical degree, becoming a doctor. After leaving football coaching in 1928, he started working as a doctor. He studied heart problems in Scotland in the 1930s. He became a professor at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, where he taught about preventing diseases and focused on heart disease. He also led the Student Health Services at Ohio State from 1934 to 1958. Today, the John W. Wilce Student Health Center at Ohio State is named after him.
John Wilce was known for combining his knowledge of medicine and sports. He even created the famous phrase "intestinal fortitude," which means having inner strength and courage. He first thought of the idea while preparing for a lecture about the human body in 1916.
Awards and Later Life
In 1954, John Wilce was honored by being chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for college football coaches and players. He was also added to the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1977. In 1956, he received the Ohio State Distinguished Service Award.
John Wilce had a stroke in 1962 and passed away in May 1963 at his home in Westerville, Ohio.
His Family
John Wilce was married to Minerva Connor Wilce. They had two sons, Jay and James, and two daughters, Roseanne and Dorothy. He also had many grandchildren.
Images for kids
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John Wilce in 1925.
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The Wilce Student Health Center at Ohio State University.
