Misplaced Pages

Tom Leith

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jweiss11 (talk | contribs) at 04:27, 26 December 2024 (expand, cleanup, add external link, add cats, rem stub tag). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 04:27, 26 December 2024 by Jweiss11 (talk | contribs) (expand, cleanup, add external link, add cats, rem stub tag)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) American football and basketball coach

Tom Leith
Biographical details
Born1888
Died(1960-08-24)August 24, 1960 (aged 71)
Playing career
Football
1906–1908Michigan State Normal
1909Syracuse
Baseball
c. 1907Michigan State Normal
Track and field
c. 1907Michigan State Normal
Position(s)Halfback, quarterback (football)
Pitcher (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1911–1912Adrian
Basketball
1911–1913Adrian
Head coaching record
Overall12–4 (football)
4–9 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 MIAA (1911)

Thomas S. Leith (1888 – August 24, 1960) was an American football and basketball coach. He was the head football coach at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan for two seasons, from 1911 to 1912, compiling a record of 12–4. Leith was also the head basketball coach at Adrian from 1911 to 1913, tallying a mark of 4–9.

Athletics

Leith was a star athlete while at Michigan State Normal College, now known as Eastern Michigan University. It was reported that he never lost a track event he competed in and was player-coach for the football team. His athletic accomplishments earned him a scholarship to Syracuse University in 1909 where he was a member of the football, baseball, and track and field teams.

Leith returned to Michigan in 1911 and became the head coach for the football and basketball teams at Adrian College. His time as Adrian coach was marked with success but also mired in controversy. In 1911, the Adrian team was forced to forfeit its win over Hillsdale due to ineligible players. Two of Adrian's star players were deemed academically ineligible by the Adrian faculty after it was determined they forged credits to gain admittance to the college. Within two minutes of the game's start, however, Leith ordered the two men in the game in order to stop Hillsdale from scoring. Leith only admitted to the ruse after severe cross-examination by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) board. Adrian was expelled from the conference after the incident and was only invited back after Leith resigned in 1913. Leith organized and held the first invitational track and field competition at a Michigan private college while at Adrian.

Leith went on to coach the track team at Detroit University, where he again became embroiled in an eligibility scandal. His team was denied entry to an invitational by the MIAA because one of his athletes was not eligible, but Leith contended that he would not have entered the athlete.

He also coached football for Brighton High School in Brighton, Michigan.

Politics

Leith was Mayor for the city of Brighton winning reelection in 1949. He then campaigned for the 1950 Republican nomination for Governor of Michigan, his stated goals were "take state government out of the red and take the Reds out of state government." Leith received 8,460 votes, just 1.52% of the total vote, losing to Harry Kelly.

Personal life

Leith married Ethel Duncan in 1909, while they were students at Michigan State Normal College. They secretly eloped and only told their families five months later.

Leith was involved in real estate in the Brighton area and opened the Michigan Military Academy in Island Lake.

Leith died on August 24, 1960, at age 71.

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Adrian Bulldogs (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1911–1912)
1911 Adrian 7–1 3–1 T–1st
1912 Adrian 5–3
Adrian: 12–4
Total: 12–4
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. DeLassus, David. "Adrian Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  2. "Tom Leith, Ypsilanti Normal Track Star Goes to Syracuse". Detroit Free Press. September 19, 1909. p. 22. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  3. "Actions of Adrian Causes Surprise". Lansing State Journal. November 25, 1911. p. 8. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  4. "Early Prospect Favor Olivet in M.I.A.A Race". The Detroit Times. September 16, 1913. p. 6. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  5. "Adrian to Hold Invitation Meet". Detroit Free Press. February 24, 1912. p. 2. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  6. "Leith States His Track Men Are Eligible". Detroit Free Press. April 20, 1916. p. 15. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  7. "Clipped From Lansing State Journal". Lansing State Journal. October 12, 1920. p. 7. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  8. "Hat in Ring". Lansing State Journal. September 8, 1949. p. 3. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  9. "Wedded in June, Just Told Of It". Detroit Free Press. October 12, 1909. p. 12. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  10. "Military Academy Build Building". Lansing State Journal. June 23, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  11. "Deaths; Leith". Detroit Free Press. August 25, 1960. p. 24. Retrieved September 29, 2022.

External links

Adrian Bulldogs head football coaches

# Denotes interim head coach

Categories: