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Valentine Lentz

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Valentine Lentz
Biographical details
Born(1897-08-03)August 3, 1897
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedMay 20, 1980(1980-05-20) (aged 82)
Playing career
Basketball
1926–1927Baltimore Orioles
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1930–1938St. John's (MD)
1939–1943Army
1947–1951Second Army
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1919–1921St. John's (MD)
1921–1930Calvert Hall
1930–1939St. John's (MD)

Valentine William "Dutch" Lentz (August 3, 1897 – May 20, 1980) was an American athlete and coach who was the head men's basketball coach St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Early life

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Lentz was born in Baltimore on August 3, 1897 to William and Julianna (Stahl) Lentz. He was a member of the track, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, and rifle teams Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He was on the football, baseball, track, and basketball teams at St. John's College. He graduated in 1918 and spent a year in the military, where he was a member of the camp basketball and boxing teams. Lentz played baseball with the Reading Aces, Buffalo Bisons, Easton Farmers, and Cambridge Canners, and professional basketball with the Baltimore Orioles, and soccer with the Patapsco Rangers.[1]

Coaching

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Lentz was the athletic director at St. John's College from 1919 to 1921. He then held the same position at Calvert Hall College High School.[1] He returned to St. John's in 1930 as athletic director, head basketball coach, and assistant football coach. His 1933–34 team won the Maryland Collegiate Championship.[2] In 1938, St. John's dropped its intercollegiate athletic program and Lentz resigned effective the following June.[3]

On October 10, 1939, Lentz was named head coach of the Army Cadets men's basketball team.[4] In his four seasons in West Point, Letz complied a 39–39 record.[5]

Military service

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In 1942, Lentz, who had been a reserve officer since 1918, was called to active duty and appointed supply officer of the West Point Station Hospital.[6] During World War II, he served in North Africa and Italy.[7][8]

In 1947, Lentz was named manager of the Second Army baseball team.[9] He also coached the unit's basketball team.[10]

During the Korean War, Lentz was the commander of the Army and Air Force Recruiting and Induction Main Station in Alexandria, Virginia.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b Who's Who in American Sports. Washington D.C.: National Biographic Society. 1928. p. 483. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  2. ^ "Lentz Completes Fifth Year Here" (PDF). St. John's Collegian. March 29, 1935. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  3. ^ "College Drops All Athletics". Prescott Evening Courier. November 19, 1938. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  4. ^ "Dutch Lentz Coaches Army Basketballers". The Spokesman-Review. October 11, 1939. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  5. ^ "Valentine Lentz". SRCBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  6. ^ "Dutch Lentz Is Called To Duty". Oxnard Press-Courier. September 9, 1942. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  7. ^ Fullerton, Hugh Jr. (May 18, 1943). "Breezy Bits". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Matthews, herbert (October 19, 1943). "Nazis Burn Ancient Italian Town After Reign of Loot, Rape, Murder". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  9. ^ ""Dutch" Lentz To Coach Second Army Ball Team". The Cumberland News. March 26, 1947. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  10. ^ "Second Army Cagers Clash With Penguins Thursday". Youngstown Vindicator. January 29, 1950. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  11. ^ "Ease of Enlistments Ban For Draftees Gets Response". The Free Lance-Star. July 25, 1951. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
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