Nelson Norgren
Norgren in 1917
Biographical details
Born(1891-09-10)September 10, 1891
DiedDecember 31, 1974(1974-12-31) (aged 83)
Mill Valley, California, U.S.
Playing career
1910–1914Chicago
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1914–1917Utah
1921–?Chicago (assistant)
Basketball
1914–1917Utah
1921–1942Chicago
1944–1957Chicago
Baseball
1915–1916Utah
1922–1926Chicago
1930Chicago
Head coaching record
Overall13–11 (football)
209–440 (basketball)
33–60–1 (baseball)

Nelson H. Norgren (September 10, 1891 – December 31, 1974) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. As a coach, he led the University of Utah to a national AAU basketball championship in 1916. He later served as the basketball coach at the University of Chicago from 1921 to 1957.

Playing career

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Norgren graduated from North Division High School in 1910. He attended the University of Chicago, where he played football, basketball, track, and baseball, winning 12 letters. He played football for Amos Alonzo Stagg. He was named to Walter Camp's College Football All-America Teams in 1912 (second-team) and 1913 (third-team).

Coaching career

Football coach

Norgren was the head coach of football at Utah from 1914 through 1917. While there, he accumulated a record of 13–11 (.542).[1]

Basketball coach

In 1914, Nelson became the athletic director and basketball coach at the University of Utah. His team won the 1916 AAU national championship. In 1917, he coached Brigham Young University to a second-place finish in the 1917 AAU tournament.

In 1921, Norgren was hired by his former coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg, as the University of Chicago's assistant football coach and head basketball coach. He also coached the school's baseball team from 1922 to 1926. In 1942, Norgren was elected president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He retired as Chicago's basketball coach in 1957. In his 34 seasons as the head basketball coach at Chicago, his teams had a winning record in only three seasons: 1924, 1948, and 1949. His teams had back-to-back winless seasons in 1951 (0–18) and 1952 (0–15) and had a combined record of 1–49 from 1951–1953.

Norgren was inducted into the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame and the University of Chicago Hall of Fame.

Later years

Norgren retired in 1957 and moved to Mill Valley, California.[2][3][4] He died there in 1975 at age 83 after a long illness.[2]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Utah Utes (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1914–1917)
1914 Utah 3–32–35th
1915 Utah 5–24–2T–2nd
1916 Utah 3–22–2T–4th
1917 Utah 2–42–3T–4th
Utah: 13–1110–10
Total:13–11

Basketball

Norgren's record as basketball coach at the University of Chicago was as follows:

  • 1921–22 — 15–15
  • 1922–23 — 6–9
  • 1923–24 — 11–6
  • 1924–25 — 3–14
  • 1925–26 — 5–11
  • 1926–27 — 6–11
  • 1927–28 — 8–9
  • 1928–29 — 5–11
  • 1929–30 — 5–12
  • 1930–31 — 8–9
  • 1931–32 — 2–15
  • 1932–33 — 2–16
  • 1933–34 — 5–15
  • 1934–35 — 2–18
  • 1935–36 — 6–14
  • 1936–37 — 4–16
  • 1937–38 — 6–12
  • 1938–39 — 9–11
  • 1939–40 — 5–14
  • 1940–41 — 6–14
  • 1941–42 — 2–19
  • 1944–45 — 7–8
  • 1945–46 — 6–14
  • 1946–47 — 4–13
  • 1947–48 — 2–16
  • 1948–49 — 10–8
  • 1949–50 — 10–8
  • 1950–51 — 0–18
  • 1951–52 — 0–15
  • 1952–53 — 1–16
  • 1953–54 — 6–9
  • 1954–55 — 6–13
  • 1955–56 — 7–9
  • 1956–57 — 6–11
  • Overall record at University of Chicago — 186–429 (.302)

References

  1. ↑ "All-Time Coaching Records: Nelson H. Norgren Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Nelson H. Norgren, Grid Star". Independent Journal. San Rafael, California. January 3, 1975. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Ed Schneider (December 4, 1956). "Nels Norgren Coaching Saga Nearing Close". Chicago Tribune. p. Sports 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "U. of Chicago Group Honors Retiring Coach". Chicago Tribune. February 3, 1957. p. II-3 – via Newspapers.com.
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