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James W. Dunn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James W. Dunn
Dunn pictured in The Cauldron 1938, Northeastern yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1911-10-16)October 16, 1911
Grove City, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1983(1983-04-09) (aged 71)
Kennebunk, Maine, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1931–1933Western Maryland
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1934Western Maryland (assistant)
1935–1936Harvard (JV)
1937–1941Northeastern
1946Lafayette (backfield)
1947–1948Brown (backfield)
1949–1951Yale (defensive backfield)
1952–1960Montreal Alouettes (backfield)
1961–1962Saskatchewan Roughriders (backfield)
1963Syracuse Stormers (assistant)
1964Toronto Argonauts (backfield)
1965Montreal Alouettes (backfield)
1966–1969Sanford HS (ME) (assistant)
Basketball
1934–1935Western Maryland (freshmen)
1937–1942Northeastern
Head coaching record
Overall13–21–2 (football)
26–58 (basketball)

James William Dunn (October 16, 1911 – April 9, 1983) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Northeastern University from 1937 to 1941, compiling a record of 13–21–2 record. Dunn was also head basketball coach at Northeastern from 1937 to 1942, tallying a mark of 26–58.

Career

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Dunn was born in Grove City, Pennsylvania.[1] He graduated from Grove City High School and enrolled at Western Maryland College in 1930. He played halfback for the school's football team and served as an assistant under Dick Harlow in 1934. Dunn also played basketball at Western Maryland and was the freshman basketball coach during the 1934–35 season. In 1935, Harlow became the head coach at Harvard and Dunn joined him as junior varsity football coach.[2]

In February 1937, Dunn was named head football and basketball coach at Northeastern.[3] He remained with the school until March 1942, when he entered the United States Army. In February 1946, he elected to remain in the Army and resigned his position at Northeastern.[4] However, five months later, he returned to coaching as an assistant at Lafayette.[5]

In 1947, Dunn became the varsity backfield coach at Brown.[6] From 1949 to 1951, he was the defensive backfield coach at Yale.[7][8]

In 1952, Dunn moved to the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union as an assistant to Peahead Walker with the Montreal Alouettes. Walker and Dunn had previously coached together at Yale.[9] In 1961, he became an assistant under Steve Owen with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[10] In 1963, he and Owen joined the Syracuse Stormers of the United Football League. In 1964, he returned to Canada as the backfield coach of the Toronto Argonauts.[11] He returned to Montreal the following year as an assistant under Jim Trimble.[12] Dunn then served as a football coach and teacher at Sanford High School in Sanford, Maine. He was relieved of his coaching duties prior to the 1970–71 school year.[13]

Personal life

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In 1937, Dunn married Hilda Foley, a Somerville, Massachusetts schoolteacher and the daughter of state senator Louis Foley.[14] They had two daughters.[1]

Dunn retired from teaching in 1978 and resided in Kennebunk, Maine until his death on April 9, 1983.[1]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Northeastern Huskies (Independent) (1937)
1937 Northeastern 4–3
Northeastern Huskies (New England Conference) (1938–1941)
1938 Northeastern 3–3–1 0–0 4th
1939 Northeastern 0–6–1 0–2 5th
1940 Northeastern 2–6 0–1 5th
1941 Northeastern 4–3 0–1 4th
Northeastern: 13–21–2 0–4
Total: 13–21–2

References

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  1. ^ a b c "James Dunn, 71, Coaches Football; At Northeastern, Yale and Brown". Boston Globe. Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. April 10, 1983. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  2. ^ "Dunn New Harvard J. V. Football Coach". The Boston Globe. May 7, 1935.
  3. ^ DeGange, John (February 17, 1937). "Ins and Outs of Sport World". The Day. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  4. ^ "Dunn Stays in Army, Quits Northeastern". The Boston Globe. February 5, 1946.
  5. ^ Thomas, Norman (July 29, 1946). "Sport Sandwich". Lewiston Evening Journal. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  6. ^ "Jimmy Dunn Appointed Brown Backfield Coach". The Boston Globe. April 14, 1947.
  7. ^ "Dunn Moves To Yale". The Pittsburgh Press. May 23, 1949. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  8. ^ "Dudley Named Assistant Grid Coach at Yale". The Day. March 20, 1952. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  9. ^ "Als sign 2nd coach". The Leader-Post. August 13, 1952. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  10. ^ "Dunn joins Rider staff". The Leader-Post. February 24, 1961. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  11. ^ "Argos Ink Jimmy Dunn As Backfield Coach". The Montreal Gazette. April 30, 1964. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  12. ^ "Jimmy Dunn Joins Larks". The Calgary Herald. May 19, 1965. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  13. ^ "Court Rules Town Must Pay Sanford Coaches". Lewiston Evening Journal. January 21, 1971. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  14. ^ "Dunn–Foley". The Boston Globe. July 8, 1937.
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