Edward L. Finnigan
Edward Leo Finnigan (May 10, 1911 – July 10, 1968) was an American football and basketball coach and player. He served as the head football coach at Baldwin–Wallace College—now known as Baldwin Wallace University—from 1949 to 1950 and at Western Reserve University—now known as Case Western Reserve University—from 1951 to 1965, compiling a career college football coaching record of 68–52–9. Finnegan was also the head basketball coach at Baldwin–Wallace from 1935 to 1940, tallying a mark of 25–56.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 10, 1911[1] Cleveland, Ohio[2] |
| Died | July 10, 1968 (aged 57) Cleveland, Ohio |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1930–1932 | Western Reserve |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1949–1950 | Baldwin–Wallace |
| 1951–1965 | Western Reserve |
| Basketball | |
| 1935–1940 | Baldwin–Wallace |
| Track | |
| 1940–1948 | Baldwin–Wallace |
| 1963–1966 | Western Reserve |
| Golf | |
| 1954–1958 | Western Reserve |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1951–1968 | Western Reserve |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 66–54–9 (football) 25–56 (basketball) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 3 PAC (1955, 1958, 1960) | |
Playing career
In high school, Finnigan was a star athlete at John Adams High School in Cleveland.
Finnegan was the first Western Reserve University athlete to earn nine varsity letters—three each in football, basketball, and track—at a time when freshmen were unable to play varsity sports.[3] He was football team captain and quarterback his senior year in 1932[4] leading the Red Cats to a 7–1 record.[5]
His best sport was basketball, where he was an All-American during the 1932–33 season.[6]
Honors and death
In recognition of his many contributions to the athletic community, both the cities of Berea and Cleveland proclaimed November 4, 1967 as "Eddie Finnigan Day".[7]
Finnegan died of cancer July 10, 1968, at the Cleveland Clinic.[8]
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets (Independent) (1949–1950) | |||||||||
| 1949 | Baldwin–Wallace | 6–2 | |||||||
| 1950 | Baldwin–Wallace | 5–2–1 | |||||||
| Baldwin–Wallace: | 11–4–1 | ||||||||
| Western Reserve Red Cats (Mid-American Conference) (1951–1954) | |||||||||
| 1951 | Western Reserve | 2–6–1 | 1–3 | 5th | |||||
| 1952 | Western Reserve | 5–4 | 1–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 1953 | Western Reserve | 5–3–1 | 1–2–1 | 5th | |||||
| 1954 | Western Reserve | 3–4–1 | 2–3 | 6th | |||||
| Western Reserve Red Cats (Presidents' Athletic Conference) (1955–1965) | |||||||||
| 1955 | Western Reserve | 5–1–1 | 3–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1956 | Western Reserve | 4–3 | 1–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1957 | Western Reserve | 2–4 | 1–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1958 | Western Reserve | 4–3 | 4–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1959 | Western Reserve | 3–4 | 3–2 | 4th | |||||
| 1960 | Western Reserve | 6–1 | 6–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1961 | Western Reserve | 5–2 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1962 | Western Reserve | 3–3–1 | 3–2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1963 | Western Reserve | 1–5–1 | 1–4–1 | 8th | |||||
| 1964 | Western Reserve | 4–3–1 | 4–3–1 | ||||||
| 1965 | Western Reserve | 3–4–1 | 3–4–1 | ||||||
| Western Reserve: | 55–50–8 | 39–33–5 | |||||||
| Total: | 66–54–9 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records and Indexes, 1810-1973
- "Namesakes-Eddie Finnigan and Finnigan Fields". Recollections. Case Western Reserve University. May 15, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- "Western Reserve's Eddie Finnegan To Speak; Salem Grid Dinner Scheduled Nov. 23". The Salem News. Salem, Ohio. November 15, 1963. p. 11. Retrieved July 31, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- "WRU Football 1932/33 Season Record". University Archives. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- "Eddie Finnigan". College Hoopedia. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- "Edward L. Finnigan". Hall of Fame - Baldwin Wallace Athletics. Baldwin Wallace University. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- "Cancer Claims Finnegan". The Daily Reporter. Dover, Ohio. July 11, 1968. p. 12. Retrieved July 31, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.